Finsefest

Program

29th of June (Monday)

11:00
Practical First Aid with Ade Hawkins
You’re out on a trip. Someone in the group gets injured. The daylight is fading, and the weather is starting to turn. What do you do next?

This practical first aid session gives you the tools to pause, assess the situation, and make solid decisions when it really matters. Through a mix of theory and hands-on exercises, we’ll work with first aid, group safety, and simple rescue techniques that help buy time and improve the outcome.

The goal isn’t perfect rescues, it’s realistic actions that help the whole group get home safely.

Location: DNT Finsehytta
Language: English

21:00
Using Digital Maps Before, During, and After Your Trip with Bjørn Sandvik, & the opening of ‘Finse Topp 10’
Get practical tips on how to use digital maps to plan your trips, and learn how maps on your phone can be a useful companion to traditional paper maps and a compass.

Bjørn Sandvik has worked with digital mapping for 25 years and has been responsible for the maps on UT.no since 2018. In this session, he’ll share both well-known and hidden features of UT, including how to download maps to your phone for offline use when you’re out of signal range, and how to find your own route while avoiding terrain that’s too steep.

You’ll also hear more about the Finse Topp 10 challenge and get inspiration for summer day hikes around Finse.

Location: Hotel Finse 1222. Blåsalen
Language: Norwegian

30th of june (tuesday)

11:00
Hike to Hardangerjøkulen. A Walk and Storytelling Experience with Thorbjørn Kaland
Join Thorbjørn for a unique hike to the mighty Hardangerjøkulen glacier!

Before we set off, he’ll give a short introduction to the area and what awaits us along the trail. Along the way, Thorbjørn will share stories and insights about the landscape we’re moving through — shaped by the immense power of ice over thousands of years.

Meeting point: DNT Finsehytta.
Language: Norwegian

17:00
Beer Tasting with DNT Finsehytta 1223 Microbrewery
Join Finsehytta for a flavorful evening of locally brewed beer!

Rune Sundt, manager and brewmaster at the Finse 1223 microbrewery, will guide us through a tasting journey featuring beers brewed right here at Finse. Along the way, you’ll learn more about the brewing process and enjoy flavors inspired by the raw yet beautiful mountain landscape surrounding us.

Price: NOK 350 per person
Location: DNT Finsehytta
Language: Norwegian

21:00
The History and Future of Hardangerjøkulen with Kerim Hestnes Nisancioglu
Join polar researcher and professor Kerim Hestnes Nisancioglu for an engaging talk about the past, present, and future of Hardangerjøkulen.

Kerim is a professor at the Department of Earth Science at University of Bergen and the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research. His research focuses on climate and ice changes, particularly in Greenland and the Arctic. Alongside his scientific work, he is deeply passionate about sharing knowledge through teaching, public outreach, and hiking guides on UT.no, where he combines stories of climate, nature, and the landscapes along the Norwegian coast and in the mountains.

Location: Hotel Finse 1222. Blåsalen.
Language: Norwegian

1st of july (wednesday)

11:00
Outdoor Baking with Reidun Høines
Fresh bread rolls for breakfast or pizza for dinner? Want to take your outdoor cooking to the next level?

Join us for an inspiring hands-on course in baking outdoors! You’ll learn how to bake bread, pastries, and simple meals over an open fire or camping stove — and if we’re lucky, we may even build a traditional seven-stone oven and try baking with sourdough.

The course is suitable for everyone, no matter your experience level, and focuses on simple, quality ingredients and practical techniques you can bring along on your own adventures.

In the fresh mountain air and good company, we’ll share smart methods for making delicious, energy-packed meals outdoors. Expect a cozy, memorable food experience in beautiful surroundings.

Reidun Høines has extensive experience with outdoor cooking and teaching friluftsliv courses. She is a university lecturer in food and health, an enthusiastic hiker, and especially passionate about baking, preferably in a wood-fired oven.

Location: DNT Finsehytta
Language: Norwegian

21:00
What’s Happening at Finse? Updates from the Frontlines of Research with Jens Ådne
Join us for an exciting glimpse into the work being done at the Finse Alpine Research Center.

Jens Ådne, manager of the research station, will share the latest news from Finse, talk about ongoing projects and activities, and give us a taste of the fascinating research currently taking place in the high mountains.

A great opportunity to learn more about the science, nature, and discoveries connected to life and climate in the alpine environment.

Location: DNT Finsehytta
Language: Norwegian

2nd of july (thursday)

10:00-17:00
Flea Market at the Station Waiting Room in Support of Fagernut
Welcome to the flea market at the waiting room at Finse Station!

Come browse for hidden treasures — from clothes and books to outdoor gear and everyday items. There will also be coffee and freshly made sveler available for purchase.

All proceeds go directly to Fagernut, helping preserve the historic railway keeper’s cabin and café along the famous Rallarvegen cycling route.

Most of the items for sale are clothing and equipment left behind at Finsehytta over the past three years — so you might just find a real gem!

Would you like to contribute? Clothing and outdoor gear can be donated to Finsehytta from Monday to Wednesday, and we’ll sell it at the flea market to support Fagernut.

Location: The waiting room at Finse station

10:00-17:00
Shoreline Cleanup
When the water level in Finsevannet drops, old traces left behind begin to surface.

Everyone who cares about protecting the fragile nature around Finse is encouraged to join what might be the year’s most important community effort: helping remove glass, metal, and other debris scattered along the shoreline.

Come lend a hand and help keep this mountain landscape clean and beautiful for the future.

Location: Framheim cabin

3rd of july (friday)

11:00
Traditional Fish Smoking
We’ve restored the old smokehouse that has been used at Finse for generations, and now you’re invited to experience this local tradition for yourself.

Jon Erik Fadnes, who grew up at Finse and is one of the area’s seven permanent residents, will fire up the smokehouse and offer tastings of traditionally smoked meat and fish while sharing stories and traditions connected to life in the mountains.

Sign-up at Hotel Finse 1222 Reception
Language: Norwegian
Location: The Smokehouse at Finse

21:00
Outdoor Concert with Finsefant
Finsefant will take the outdoor stage at Finsehytta for an evening of live music, singalongs, and good vibes.

Finsefant was born out of the enthusiasm of Kristian Solheim, caretaker at Hotel Finse 1222, following his performance of the talk “6000 Years of Finse History” during Finsefest 2025. After that experience, the idea emerged: why not create a band for next year’s festival?

The search for band members soon led to a reunion at an Odd Nordstoga concert in Alvøen, where old friends and former colleagues crossed paths again. Leif Inge Børnes, sales manager at Helvik Hus Sotra, plays bass, guitar, and sings. Hallgeir Førde, sales specialist at Siemens, plays drums and sings. Kristian Solheim plays guitar and sings.

Together, they’ll bring you a lively mix of beloved classics and hidden gems, music that’s easy to sing along to and hard not to dance to.

The band is excited to play for you, and we hope you’ll join us for a memorable evening under the mountain sky!

Location: DNT Finsehytta

4th of july (saturday)

11:00
Opening of the Rallar Museum with live music
Join us for the opening of the historic Rallar Museum, accompanied by live musical performances.

When the Bergensbanen railway was completed in 1909, it was celebrated as “Norway’s breakthrough into the future.” At the time, it was the country’s largest state construction project, marking the end of many years of hard work under extreme mountain conditions.

The Rallar Museum preserves and shares the story of “The Battle Against the Snow” — showcasing the historic snow-clearing equipment and the incredible effort required to keep the high mountain railway open through harsh winters.

Outside the museum, you can explore impressive steam- and diesel-powered rotary snowplows, track cleaners, and snow scrapers that once battled the heavy mountain snowdrifts.

Location: Rallar Museum
Language: Norwegian

21:00
6000 years of Finse History
Our very own multi-talented caretaker Kristian was given a challenge:
“Can you recreate the rich and varied history of Finse over the past 6000 years, as a musical journey in just 60 minutes?”

As always, his answer was simply: “Yes.”

We’re looking forward to a truly unique and entertaining experience, where stories, music, and Finse’s remarkable history come together in Kristian’s own creative way.

Location: Hotel Finse 1222. Blåsalen
Language: Norwegian

5th of july (sunday)

11:00
Church Serivice
Hotel Finse 1222 & DNT Finsehytta warmly welcome you to a different kind of church service at the Finse Chapel, a quiet space for reflection in the heart of the high mountains.

After the service, we invite you to stay for a relaxed and friendly shared meal. Coffee will be served, just bring your own packed lunch.

Location: The yellow schoolhouse & church
Language: Norwegian

12:00 & 14:00
Historical Walk through ‘Finsebyen’
Join us for a walk around the local area as Jon Erik Fadnes shares fascinating stories from Finse’s rich history, from the construction of the Bergensbanen railway to the filming of Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back.

Expect local stories, hidden details, and a unique glimpse into the people and events that have shaped life at Finse over the years.

Meeting point: The monument outside Hotel Finse 1222
Language: Norwegian

12:00 - 16:00
Outdoor Life in Transition: How Climate Change Is Affecting Snow, Skiing, and Mountain Nature with Rebekka Frøystad
How is climate change already reshaping the way we experience outdoor life?

In this talk, Rebekka Frøystad explores how shorter and more unpredictable snow and ski seasons are affecting skiing traditions, travel patterns, and the way we use nature during winter. As temperatures continue to rise, the tree line is also slowly moving higher into the mountains, changing the landscape, biodiversity, and the feeling of open alpine terrain.

The lecture connects these changes and invites reflection on what they may mean for the future of outdoor life, from adaptation and land management to our relationship with nature and the mountain experience itself.

Location: Hotel Finse 1222. Blåsalen
Language: Norwegian