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Origin of the Ólavsøka holiday
Ólavsøka is celebrated on 29 July and is the National Day of the Faroe Islands. Ólavsøka is a holiday celebrated in honour of Norwegian King Olaf Haraldsson II who died at the Battle of Stiklestad in Norway in 1030. Posthumously, Olaf was canonised and declared the patron saint of Norway. His death was a contribution to the later Christianisation of Norway and thus also of the Faroe Islands. In the Middle Ages, the Faroe Islands were part of the Kingdom of Norway, and the tradition of Olsok (as the holiday is called in Norwegian) has survived in the Faroe Islands and is now considered the most important day in the calendar.
When does Ólavsøka take place?
Ólavsøka is a two-day festival from 28 to 29 July, during which many Farers descend on the archipelago's capital Tórshavn. Crowds walk through the streets of Tórshavn, with Farers dressed in their national costumes participating in the joyous festivities. The greeting heard at every turn is ‘Góða Ólavsøku!’ (Happy Olaf's Eve!). Ólavsøka begins with a procession of athletes from local clubs, members of the Tórshavn city council, a brass band and horse riders holding the Faroese flag. They walk through the town, to the centre of Tórshavn, where, at Tinghúsvøllurin, the annual official speech kicks off Ólavsøka.
Attractions of Ólavsøka
The festival offers many cultural activities, such as traditional Faroese chain dancing and ballad singing, concerts and art exhibitions. The chain dance is for everyone; it is usually held at Sjónleikarhúsið. Restaurants are open late, offering the opportunity to try both traditional Faroese dishes and foreign food. The national sport of the Faroe Islands is rowing, and the finals of the national rowing competition are held during Ólavsøka, becoming one of the most important sporting events in the Faroe Islands.
Ólavsøka also marks the annual opening of the Faroese parliament Løgtingið, as has been the case for the past 900 years, when parliament officially begins its session after the summer holidays.
The opening of Løgting takes place on the morning of 29 July, when members of parliament, government ministers, clergy of the Faroese National Church and other public officials walk in procession to Tórshavn Cathedral, where a service is held. After the service, the procession proceeds to the Parliament, where choral and musical performances take place. At the formal opening of Parliament, the Prime Minister (Løgmaður) delivers his annual address to Parliament and the Faroese people. The celebrations culminate in a grand finale at midnight on 29 July during Midnáttarsangurin when a large crowd gathers in the town square to sing Faroese songs and ballads and dance the traditional Faroese chain dance.
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