Stavanger Festivals and Events 2026

September 2, 2026

Stavanger’s calendar is smaller than a big European capital’s, but a handful of fixtures are genuinely worth timing a visit around.

Gladmat

Stavanger’s big food festival, built around Rogaland’s produce and known locally as “Matfylket,” takes over the city centre in late July most years, established around 2000 (exact dates shift annually, verify). It’s a regional Norwegian festival rather than a Nordic-wide one, so don’t oversell its scale, but for a food-focused visit it’s the single best week to be in town.

Nuart

Stavanger’s international street-art festival is credited with much of the large-scale mural art around the city centre, commonly associated with autumn (exact month and founding year not independently confirmed). If murals and street art interest you, check the current-year programme before booking, since dates move.

MaiJazz

As the name suggests, MaiJazz runs in May, bringing jazz musicians to venues across the city (exact dates and scale). It’s a smaller, more local affair than Gladmat, a good pick if you want live music without the summer crowds.

Stavanger Chamber Music Festival

A classical and chamber-music festival held in the city, timing commonly associated with August. Venues tend to be smaller and more intimate than a big concert hall, so book ahead if a specific performance draws you.

Christmas markets

The city centre runs Christmas markets in December, stalls, lights, and seasonal food.

The rest of the year

Outside these fixtures, Stavanger’s calendar is thinner than a bigger city’s, and it’s worth being honest about that. What does run steadily is the city’s identity as Norway’s oil capital: the biennial Offshore Northern Seas (ONS) energy conference brings a genuine industry crowd to town, filling hotels in the years it runs, worth checking if you’re booking a room around that period.

Planning around events

Remember that most shops and Vinmonopolet close on Sundays regardless of the festival calendar, so plan any shopping or alcohol needs around that fixed rule. If Gladmat or Nuart line up with your trip, pair the daytime hours with our things to do guide for how to fill the rest of the day.