Norsk Revyfestival: Long-standing revue festival celebrating fun and community

A field in northern Trøndelag is an unusual site for a Norwegian Championship competition, but this festival has always done things a little differently. Built on the simple idea of having fun together, Norsk Revyfestival is a four-day affair of craziness, joy and entertainment.

From humble beginnings as a random idea by two fun-loving locals at a Christmas party in 1987, Norsk Revyfestival has grown into Norway’s longest-running revue festival. Every other year, a tiny community in Høylandet welcomes revue lovers from near and far to this unique festival. Here, the long-standing Scandinavian revue tradition of acts featuring sketches, music, and dance is alive and well.

“Revue is a Scandinavian tradition dating back to 1848,” says festival manager Dagrun Gunnarson. “This is often the first stage for comedians, actors, musicians, drag artists, sound and light technicians – the festival attracts a lot of funny, weird and interesting people.”

Every festival season, over 400 volunteers come together to transform a quiet field in the middle of nowhere into an atmosphere campground teeming with life and fun. A full-size circus tent with space for 1,000 people is erected, in addition to two smaller tents with space for 400 and 150 respectively. Featuring a large stage, a professional band, and advanced sound, light and tech, this is Norway’s biggest meeting point for revues.

The festival has lots of exciting activities and events for people of all ages, but the highlight is the Norwegian Championship of revue. Though thousands of new acts are produced in Norway every year, only 60 make it to the semifinals for adults. Over the course of many years, the team behind the festival has developed extensive criteria for evaluating entries and selecting a winner, such as dramaturgy, timing, quality of performance, and more.

Putting on a fantastic festival is a point of pride for the local community. In fact, the festival won Namdal’s volunteer award in 2023 due to its countless hours of volunteer work and unmatched commitment. “The award was well deserved, if I can say so myself,” Gunnarson laughs. “The volunteers are absolutely fantastic, and people of all ages get involved. Last year, the youngest was 13 and the oldest was 89 years old.”

In 2027, Norsk Revyfestival will be celebrating its 40th anniversary. “It’s incredible that this tiny place has been able to organise the Norwegian Championship for so long,” Gunnarson says. “It’s a heritage we are proud to look after. I have the best job in the world!”

Web: www.norskrevyfestival.no
Facebook: Norsk Revy
Instagram: @norskrevy

Norsk Revyfestival
9-12 July 2025