In Andersen’s footsteps in Odense
Of him we know especially The Ugly Duckling, The Snow Queen, The Emperor’s New Clothes and The Little Mermaid. But Hans Christian Andersen wrote no fewer than 164 short stories, as well as novels, poems, plays, and travelogues. “A lot of common Danish sayings come from his fairy tales,” explains Rikke From Larsen, marketing and communication manager for the HC Andersen Festivals association. All Danes use them, but they probably don’t know that they come from the works of Hans Christian Andersen. »
To pay tribute to him and gain visibility, Odense, his hometown, has organized a festival dedicated to him every year since 2013. The 2022 edition will take place from August 21 to 28 with, on the menu, more than 500 cultural activities for all the ages: exhibitions, concerts, street performances, workshops, theatre… “Thanks to the numerous donations and sponsors from whom I benefit, more than 90% of the program is free”, explains Rikke de Larsen.
Gastronomy in the spotlight
Support and promote the gastronomic scene of the city. This is the ambition of the Copenhagen Cooking and Food Festival, one of the most important gastronomic festivals in Northern Europe, created in 2004. “From August 19 to 28, a hundred different events will be organized in restaurants, bars, museums… . “, explains Pelle Øby Andersen, director of the Danish Food Organization.
Among them, the Frederiksberg Høstfest, where 1,500 people will gather to eat together on the most beautiful avenue in the city. Conferences and professional meetings will also be offered, such as the Copenhagen Food Forum, which invites the owners and CEOs of the main restaurant groups to imagine a more sustainable food culture.
From September 2 to 4, it will be the turn of Aarhus, the second largest city in Denmark, to live to the rhythm of gastronomy, on the occasion of the Food Festival. An open-air event where tastings, show cooking, bonfires and contests of all kinds coexist in 45,000 square meters, such as the annual national championship of gourmet hot dogs. Enough to attract hundreds of producers, chefs, teachers, critics and other actors in the world of food.
But also :
Festivities of San Juan on June 23
On Midsummer’s Eve, Danes gather with their family and friends. Along the 7,500 km of the Danish coastline, they collect large piles of dry branches and twigs for nightly bonfires. As the flames reflect off the calm sea, the evening air begins to cool. People then gather around the fire to warm up and a beautiful Midsummer Night’s Song is sung for the occasion, written in 1885 by the national poet Holger Drachmann.
Copenhagen Jazz Festival, from June 24 to July 10
The Copenhagen Jazz Festival has more than 120 venues and around 1,400 concerts, making it one of the largest events of its kind in the world. It presents the best of the Danish and international jazz scene and aims to push the boundaries of this music by encouraging new artistic initiatives.
https://jazz.dk/copenhagen-jazz-festival-2022/forside/
Shakespeare at Hamlet Castle, Elsinore, July 29-Aug 7
This annual event at Kronborg Castle, Elsinore, hosts some of the best theater companies in the world. They come to interpret the universal classics of William Shakespeare. Than live rare moments outdoors, accompanied by the cry of the seagulls and the murmur of the wind. Without forgetting an unforgettable magical evening, when the sun sets on the castle and when the lit torches create a unique atmosphere.
https://hamletscenen.dk/
Copenhagen Summer Festival, August 7-18
Every year, the Copenhagen Summer Festival features many emerging talents and classical music concerts in Charlottenborg’s wonderful setting, on Kongens Nytorv square, in the heart of the capital.
https://www.copenhagensummerfestival.dk/
Aalborg Opera Festival, August 11-14
The city is home to the Danish Opera Festival. The shows take place on stages in different parts of the city, but it is also possible to discover the world of opera in cafes and churches.
https://www.aalborgopera.dk/
Flower Festival, Odense, August 18-21
Admire and breathe in the aroma of more than 180,000 flowers, plants and vegetables with magnificent original compositions, according to a specific theme: “Cycling-Recycling”. The Flower Festival welcomes 100,000 visitors each year.
https://www.blomsterfestival.dk/
European Medieval Festival in Horsens, August 19 and 20
Every year during the last weekend of August, the streets of Horsens in Jutland are filled with pageants, shows, medieval music and welcome 100,000 visitors from all over the world.
https://middelalderfestival.dk/?sc_lang=en
Copenhagen Opera Festival, August 19-27
The Copenhagen Opera Festival takes it out of the traditional theater space and allows it to resonate in the city’s streets, subways and waterways. An opportunity to give life to new spaces and experiences linked to the world of Opera.
http://www.operafestival.dk/en