Pop and Rock
Norwegian Wood Festival, Oslo, June. Norway’s top rock music festival.
This year: 14-17 June 2012. Read more about the Norwegian Wood Festival.
Hove Festival, Arendal, late June-early July. This year: 26-29 June 2012. Read more about the Hove Festival.
Kollen, Oslo, late June. Brand new festival taking place around the Hollenkollen ski jump area. This year: 29-30 June 2012 (Rihanna to headline).
Bukta Festival, Tromsø, July. Open-air rock festival voted best music festival in Norway in 2010. This year: Dates yet to be announced. Read more about the Bukta Festival.
Vinjerock, Eidsbugarden Jotunheimen, July. This year: 19-22 July 2012. Read more about the Vinjerock (Norwegian).
Norway Rock, Kvinesdal, July. This year: Dates yet to be announced. Read more about the Norway Rock.
Slottsfjell Festival, Tønsberg, July. This year: 19-21 July 2012. Read more about the Slottsfjell Festival (Norwegian only).
Malakoff, Nordfjordeid, July. This year: 20-21 July 2012. Read more about the Malakoff (Norwegian only).
Øya Festival, Oslo, August. Oslo’s largest outdoor music festival. This year: 7-11 August 2012. Read more about the Øya Festival.
Raumarock, Åndalsnes, August. A yearly rock festival in the municipality of Rauma in Møre og Romsdal. This year: 3-4 August 2012. Read more about the Raumarock (Norwegian only).
Pstereo, Trondheim, August. This year: Dates yet to be announced. Read more about the Pstereo (Norwegian only).
Jazz and Blues
Polar Jazz, Longyearbyen, February. The world’s northernmost music festival. This year: 1-5 February 2012. Read more about the Polar Jazz (Norwegian).
Vossa Jazz, Voss, April. Established in 1973. This year: 30 March -1 April 2012. Read more about the Vossa Jazz.
Nidaros Blues Festival, Trondheim, April-May. This year: 26-30 April 2012. Read more about the Nidaros Blues Festival (Norwegian).
Molde International Jazz Festival, Molde, July. Norway’s largest jazz festival, and Europe’s oldest. This year: 16-21 July 2012. Read more about the Molde International Jazz Festival.
Kongsberg Jazz Festival, Kongsberg, July. This year: 4-7 July 2012. Read more about the Kongsberg Jazz Festival (Norwegian).
Notodden Blues Festival, Notodden, August. Scandinavia’s largest blues festival. This year: 2-5 August 2012. Read more about the Notodden Blues Festival (Norwegian).
Oslo Jazz Festival, Oslo, August. Celebrating 25 years in 2011. This year: 13-18 August 2012. Read more about the Oslo Jazz Festival.
Silda Jazz, Haugesund, August. This year: 8-12 August 2012. Read more about the Silda Jazz.
DølaJazz, Lillehammer, October. This year: 18-21 October 2012. Read more about the DølaJazz (Norwegian).
Folk and Country
Hardanger Music Festival, Ullensvang, June. Music and culture from the Hardangerfjord area. This year: 24-28 May 2012. Read more about the Hardanger Music Festival.
Førde International Folk Music Festival, Førde, July. Attracts folk music artists from all over the world. This year: Dates yet to be announced. Read more about the Førde International Folk Music Festival.
Vinstra Music Festival, Vinstra, July. This year: 4-8 July 2012. Read more about the Vinstra Music Festival (Norwegian).
Telemark Festival, Bø, July. International folk music festival. This year: 19-22 July 2012. Read more about the Telemark Festival (some info in English).
Seljord Country Festival, Seljord, late July. Norway’s largest country music festival. This year: 25-29 July 2012. Read more about the Seljord Country Festival (Norwegian).
Classical
Risør Chamber Music Festival, Risør, late June-early July. This year: 26 June-1 July 2012. Read more about the Risør Chamber Music Festival.
Grieg in Bergen, Bergen, June-August. Bergen’s largest event for classical music. This year: Dates yet to be announced. Read more about the Grieg in Bergen.
Grieg concerts, Bergen, June to September. Norwegian and international artists play in Edvard Grieg’s home at Troldhaugen. Read more about the Grieg concerts.
Oslo Chamber Music Festival, Oslo, August. Top-class chamber music from Norwegian and international musicians. This year: Dates yet to be announced. Read more about the Oslo Chamber Music Festival.
Trondheim Chamber Music Festival, Trondheim, September. This year: 17-23 September 2012. Read more about the Trondheim Chamber Music Festival.
Opera
Kristiansund Opera Festival (Operafestukene), Kristiansund, February. This year: 2-11 February 2012. Read more about the Kristiansund Opera Festival.
Opera Østfold, Halden, June (every other year). Open-air performances in the grounds of Halden Fortress. Next year: 7-9 June 2013 (Nabucco , by Verdi). Read more about the Opera Østfold.
Fredrikstad Opera Festival, Fredrikstad, July. Three days of opera featuring singers from around the world on an open air stage, Isegran. This year: Dates yet to be announced. Read more about the Fredrikstad Opera Festival.
Opera Week in Stjørdal, Trondheimsfjord, August. Midnight Opera at Steinvikholm Castle. This year: 9-17 August 2012. Read more about the Opera Week in Stjørdal.
Oslo Opera Festival, Oslo, September. This year: Dates yet to be announced. Read more about the Oslo Opera Festival (Norwegian).
Church and Choir
Oslo International Church Music Festival, Oslo, March. Church music from the Middle-Ages to the present day. This year: 9-18 March 2012. Read more about the Oslo International Church Music Festival.
Bodø International Organ Festival, Bodø, April-May. This year: 25-29 April 2012. Read more about the Bodø International Organ Festival.
Soul Children Festival, Oslo, May. Children and teenage choirs. This year: Dates yet to be announced. Read more about the Soul Children Festival.
Kristiansand International Church Music Festival, Kristiansand, August. This year: 16-19 August 2012. Read more about the Kristiansand International Church Music Festival (only in Norwegian).
Other
Ice Music Festival, Geilo, January. Alternative music festival where both the stage and the instruments are carved out of local ice and snow. This year: 3-5 February 2012. Read more about the Ice Music Festival.
By:Larm, Oslo, February. Music conference and live concerts. This year: 16-18 February 2012. Read more about the By:Larm
Inferno Metal Festival, Oslo, April. Norwegian black metal festival. This year: 4–7 April 2012. Read more about the Inferno Metal Festival.
National Music Day, Oslo and nationwide, June. Free street concerts and related events. This year: 2 June 2012. Read more about the National Music Day.
Bergen Reggae Festival, Bergen, June. This year: Dates yet to be announced. Read more about the Bergen Reggae Festival (Norwegian).
Risør Bluegrass Festival, Risør, July. This year: Dates yet to be announced. Read more about the Risør Blugrass Festival (Norwegian).
Riddu Riddu Festival, Kåfjord, July. International festival focusing on indigenous cultures. This year: 11-15 July 2012. Read more about the Riddu Festival.
Skiippagurrafestivalen, Tana, Finnmark, July. Music festival featuring pop, rock, folk and electronic music. This year: Dates yet to be announced.
Hole in the Sky Metal Festival, Bergen, August. Heavy metal festival. This year: Dates yet to be announced. Read more about the Hole in the Sky Metal Festival.
Ultima Festival, Oslo, September. Scandinavia’s largest contemporary music festival. This year: Dates yet to be announced. Read more about the Ultima Festival.
Numusic Festival, Stavanger, September-October. This year: Dates yet to be announced. Showcases local, national and international emerging talent. Read more about the Numusic Festival.
Oslo World Music Festival, Oslo, November. This year: Dates yet to be announced. Read more about the Oslo World Music Festival.