welcome

“Darkness meets light and Coldness meets warmth” is the theme of the festival which will be running for three weeks, 26 February to 14 March 2010.

Östersund i ljus - In Light

The lightshows during the previous winter festival was one of the most talked-about features during the event. It is not unusual to hear the Winter Festival called ‘the Festival of Light’. The light in the dark winter night will be in focus also in the 2010 edition of the Winter Festival; a given for us, while we present other exciting news, such as:
  • Lysande Torget – The Illuminated Square. A giant light show at Stortorget; the entire square will be transformed into a sparkling arena of music and light. 26 feb - 14 march 6-10 pm
  • Eldsymfoni - Fire Symphony at Stortorget.For the first time in Sweden; a show in which a piece of music is spectacularly accompanied solely by fire in various forms. 26 feb - 14 march 9 pm
  • Skådeplats: Rådhuset – Arena: the Town Hall. A development of the light show from the previous Winter Festival; applying the latest technology within lightning, the well-known building is going through a spectacular transformation act. 26 feb - 14 march sun-thu 6.20 -9 pm, fri-sat 6.20 - 10 pm
  • -Ljus i Natten – Light in the Night. From the old to the new, from the old drill building at I5 to the drill ground at A4, or if using modern definitions, from Färgfabriken to Campus – via the town centre; this is the stretch for dozens of installations in which light (and also sound) play important roles. 3 - 7 march 6-11 pm
  • Visp – Whisk. The world-famous lightning artist Christan Partos’ grand installation is shown at Färgfabriken. The five 10 m light-wires spin like giant skipping-ropes at high speed, and the LEDS create animated patterns on the revolving surface. 26 feb - 14 march - see calendar for details

Show on Snow

A winter festival in Vinterstaden shall certainly include winter sports:
  • Mästarnas Återkomst - the Return of the Champions. Nordic skiing has a very special place in the hearts of the Swedish people. We introduce a Nordic ski race on the streets and squares with both national and international legendary athletes. The Festival visitors will be able to follow the race in a spectacular setting. 14 march 2 pm
  • Frösöstörten. The greatest alpine ski race of the year, from the top of the Gustavsbergsbacken piste down to Kärringbacken. In the 1980s this was a traditional ski show with participation of the great alpine racers of the time paying a visit to Östersund on the occasion of FIS World Cup races in Åre. Frösöstörten model 2010 will be more of a family festival, with the opportunity of entering either the competition class or just have fun as an amateur. 6 march 11 am - 3 pm
  • Vinterakrobaterna. Since 2006 Östersund has an EU-training programme for winter acrobats, initially as a joint project with Cirkus Cirkör. The acrobats invite to a spectacular show with advanced jumps and tricks on skis. 6 march 7 pm
  • Storsjön Hockey Game Legendary ice hockey players, among them russian star Igor Larionov, on the natural ice of Lake Storsjön in a spectacular ice hockey game.

Asfalt & Norrsken- Asphalt & Northern Lights

Asfalt & Norrsken – Asphalt & Northern Lights is a cultural event with urban characteristics – a celebration of a multi-faceted and multi-cultural city in the inlands of northern Sweden. In brief: culture and fun in narrow, broad and above all, unexpected forms; steaming tarmac below the sky sparkling with the Northern lights.
  • Östersund Live. An indoor festival of music staged in restaurants and other public venues.
  • Den dolda staden – The hidden city. Individual town walks between personal memories of places in Östersund.
  • Dansminnen – Dance-band memories. Easy access is one focal issue for Vinterfestivalen. Meanwhile many people, especially the elderly may find it difficult to go to the festival. To compensate for this, the festival will come to them instead. This is the spirit of the so acclaimed dance-band DJ tour performed by Tomas ”Håkki” Eriksson at the municipalities special housing facilities.
  • Kosmorama – Satellit Östersund. The popular international film festival of Trondheim Kosmorama, running at the same time as Vinterfestivalen, has the ambition of becoming the leading one in the Nordic countries. During the Winter Festival one day will be spent discussing the future for the county of Jämtland as a film region. There will also be film happenings and workshops for youths.
  • Dancehall Dance Jam Some of Swedens best breakdancers on the floor at Campus.

Arenan, Stortorget

Stortorget – The City Square - is the obvious meeting point during the festival. Here is the Café “Det Goda Livet”. The café ”Det Goda Livet” (The Good Life) is a 300 square metre glass pavilion erected in the middle of the square Stortorget. The Café tempts with locally produced gastronomic experiences in combination with drink and entertainment, as well as interesting food and taste seminars. A “food court” is also planned, i.e. several kitchens sharing a communal seating area.

Other festival features

A few samples of other features included in the Winter Festival:
  • Storsjöns isgjuteri. The Lake Storsjön ice-foundry is based on the interaction between light and ice. With the help of hundreds of blocks of ice, spectacular and fantasy-triggering sculptures are produced. What sort of a thing is that? How did it get there? Is this for real - or?
  • Söndag vid Sundet – Sunday at the Straight. An event with which the Jämtland and Sami tastes enter a brand new arena. A food fair in a wintry costume. On the shores along the ice-course Medvinden, every Sunday during the Vinterfestivalen the ice-skaters, cross-country skiers and ramblers will meet local chefs and restaurants serving food representing the philosophy of the Slow Food movement.
  • Sportlovsfest. The Winter Festival covers three of the Swedish winter sports holiday weeks. There will be a programme every week for children and youths on holiday, including activities such as:
    • Snowmobile safaris for girls
    • Foam party in Vinterbadet (the Winter Bath)
    • Snögolfutmaningen – The snow golf challenge
    • Stjärn- och norrskensskola – Stars and northern lights school
    • Dubbrace – Spikes race
    • Poplovskollo – Music-making camp
  • Isbanan – the Ice-rink. Anyone who has seen ice-courses or rinks in urban settings can not but wonder at the encounter between the urban environment and the natural ice. The ice rink at Stortorget during Vinterfestivalen will give a similar impression. Here you can borrow skates (ice-hockey or figure skating) and do a tour with your mates at lunchtime or with the beloved one in the evening.
  • Jamtli Vinterland. During the Vinterfestivalen, Jamtli will contribute with the museum’s winterland activities.
  • Gregorie Marknad. The largest fair in Jämtland. The annual Gregorie Marknad coincides with the final weekend of the Winter Festival.
  • Badlands. Within a snowball’s throw of central Östersund, on the frozen Lake Storsjön, an “extreme village” will be built with the use of snow-cannons and freezer rooms where you can experience extreme weather conditions, such as going on a tour in strong headwind (from 20m/sec to hurricane force 33m/sec), raise and take down tents, dig a bivouac, try cooking, experience thin air and much more.

 

Dagsprogram