Bodø might not be on the list of many travellers, but this might soon change: the city in Norway will become the first one north of the Arctic Circle to hold the title of European Capital of Culture next year.

European Capital of Culture is the EU’s largest culture programme; only two other Norwegian cities had the status as European Capital of Culture before: Bergen in 2000 and Stavanger in 2008.

For the Bodø2024 programme, around 600 events are planned throughout the county of Nordland, and 100 of them have now been revealed.

Events include Arctic food roadshows and festivals, a Midsummer Eve bonfire bonanza, a Sámi theatre trilogy, a concert in a submerged cave, and a 10m-high sculpture out at sea.

Other events for Bodø2024:

• world´s first 100 per cent sustainable festival
• a freedom festival
• historical journey along the Nordland Railway
• exhibition exploring the dark side of Nobel laureate Knut Hamsun
• opera about stockfish
• pop-up Sámi museum
• Nordland’s first-ever light festival

The programme is still under development, the organisers said, with Bodø2024 opening on February 3, 2024, with a huge production at Bodø’s inner harbour, which should attract up to 20,0000 spectators. The Berlin-based company Phase 7 has been commissioned to put together the show, together with Nordland Theater. With the region firmly in mind, it starts with fish, of course: just like annual rings on trees, the otolith (cod’s ear stone) contains physical evidence for each fish, showing how old it is and where it has been, as well as information about the environment and climate. This will be the starting point for Bodø2024’s grand opening: who and what we are, who and what we want to be, and what memories we will create in the coming year.

The Norwegian city hopes that more than 500,000 visitors will come to Bodø and Nordland during the European Capital of Culture year, with the festivities lasting throughout 2024 – and there is plenty to explore: the county of Nordland stretches over 800km from north to south