Did you know that Stavanger, Norway’s oil capital, is celebrating 900 years of history this year? And to celebrate it, the city has transformed its Winter darkness into a magical glow.
Welcome to Glød, a festival where light tells stories, warms hearts, and connects the past with the future.
This isn’t just any light show—it’s a journey. It combines future and history. Modern light figures projected on 18th and 19th century walls. The opening day, was January 18th. (Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend.) There were diverse spectacles along the way, from Stavanger Domkirke till the end of Pedersgata. From face paining to dancing dragons, it was fun for the 17.000 people who attended.
Inside St. Petri church, a giant globe lit the room and inspired everyone. I was dying to see the spectacles when I saw all the videos and pictures.
My favorite aim was a glowing human figure suspended between heaven and earth. It looked so magical.
According to the weather forecast (if you live in Norway, you know), Wednesday was the perfect day to see and film Glød Festivalen. I had an audition that evening (I’m an actress) but I could get to Sentrum right before. The weather was cold (3 degrees Celsius, 37.4 Fahrenheit). I had a cold. My sore throat wouldn’t allow me to make a live speaking video. “It has to be just music”, I thought.
So I walked along Pedersgata. It’s awesome how revitalized it’s become. From bohemian and a little abandoned to a gastronomic center. Pedersgata has become popular with amazing restaurants: from Vietnamese to Mexican food. BTW, did you know how much Norwegians appreciate international food? We have even Taco Fredag (Friday Taco). Pedersgata is so lively and fun. I recommend that you visit it.
So I kept walking along Pedersgata, hoping to see the flying person. When I was about to give up (maybe it was only for the opening show), I spotted it. There it was! And YES, it was magical. It was one of those scenes that make you wonder: Am I dreaming, or is this real? We couldn’t see the wires at first, from that angle. The contrast of the light and the dark sky was soooo perfect. Not only for me. There came adults and children, looking up, taking pictures, staying there in the moment, absorbing the experience. It felt like we were glowing too. Check my video here.
About Stavanger. It’s not just the city I live in. It’s Norway’s oil capital. And it’s pretty international. One in every four citizens have immigrant background. Check out my other posts about Stavanger.
Glød Festivalen in Stavanger
Where: Sentrum. Downtown in Stavanger, from Domkirke – Stavanger Cathedral till the end of Pedersgata.
When: From January 18th to February 2nd. From 17:00 to 22:30 every evening.
More to come: There will be celebrations during all 2025, like Gladmat – food festival in June, podcasts, etc. Check the programe here.