Vårsøghelga: A festival born out of a chance meeting

In 1994 Bergsvein Brøske, then mayor of Surnadal, was on the ferry between Hasla and Kanestraum, where he happened upon the composer and musician Henning Sommerro. This chance meeting was where the idea for Vårsøghelga came to life. A festival to put the town of Surnadal on the Norwegian cultural map.

30 years on, the festival is still going strong and has become a mainstay of cultural life in Nordmøre. Vårsøghelga is an interdisciplinary festival with music, film, food, art and literature – with a rich and varied programme for all age groups. The audience gets to experience popular musicians, visual artists and authors up close, in several locations around Surnadal.

Vårsøghelga takes place every year for four days, around the last weekend in May, and kicks off the summer festival season. A highlight is on Friday night at Surnadal Billag. “The ambience is incredible,” says Anders Larsen, managing director. “In the past, acts such as Ingrid Olava and Bjørn Tomren have made the atmosphere go through the roof.”

The name, vårsøg, comes from a poem written in April 1945 by Hans Hyldbakk, a local poet. His former home, Kleiva, is used as venue for Kleivakveld on Saturday evening. This is a musical evening, where Henning Sommerro still contributes, set against beautiful views of the valley below.

In 2025, Vårsøghelga turns 30. A grand celebration and an exciting programme await. What began as an idea on a ferry has stood the test of time.

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