Your personal guide to small and big experiences in Stavanger and beyond
What's on May 29th - 31st 2026
Hi,
Hope everyone has had some nice long weekends. I used the break from the newsletter to get even more inspired and excited about everything happening in the region going forward. The May weather hasn’t exactly felt like typical May weather, but we’ve still had lots of lovely moments outside. My favorite was when I had ambitions of the kids going for a walk on Solastranden, and it instead turned into a spontaneous ocean swim session. They had an amazing time despite the less-than-friendly temperatures. And it reminded me of my constant goal of being more playful (which is also the reason I spent the first month of this year in a cast, but you win some and lose some :)). Life is short and we should all be more “playful”. Not take life so seriously. Any tips on how to get better at this are very welcome, because I am definitely not the best at it myself.
Also, a small side note: I’ve set even bigger goals for reaching more people with this newsletter. Hey, I’ve even hung up posters around town! So if I may ask humbly - could you forward this newsletter to one person you know who might enjoy it? I would really appreciate it.
And now onto this weekend. What a smorgasbord of memories waiting to be made. Air show, tractor pulling, philosophy festival - something for everyone. Enjoy!
If you’re reading this for the first time - welcome!
This is my weekly newsletter, sent out every Wednesday (nyhetsbrev på norsk her). My philosophy in life: every place in the world has something exciting happening. I believe there is always something to experience, no matter where you are (in fact, I’m willing to bet I can find something for you no matter where in the world you are reading from*). Sometimes it is big events, other times small experiences that make a weekend memorable. Everything I pick out is something I am considering doing myself, with or without two small children.
These are my tips for things to do in Stavanger and beyond this weekend:
Heads up: often the pages are in Norwegian, but you can always use Google Translate to check them out.
Saturday
Storhaug nabolagsfest: A neighborhood festival at Storhaug with bouncy castles, face painting, competitions, football tricks and lots of activities for all ages. You can also see the Viking trophy and win prizes. Food, activities and promises of great vibes. LOVE this. From 12:00 to 15:00. Free and no registration required. More info here.
Energistafetten: A huge celebration where both runners and non-runners can join. Lots of cheering along the route and that is my favorite part (and what I’m best at). Two of my closest people are running, so that makes it even more fun. First group starts at 12:45, with new starts every three minutes after that. More info here.
Sans kids
Kunststafett: Imagine wandering around the city while experiencing both art and music along the way. A concert relay with everything from classical music to Billy Joel, an exhibition opening at Sølvberget and ending up in the atelier of Kjell Pahr-Iversen. Stavanger at its most cultural and charming. Love it. From 12:00 to 15:00. Free (or basically almost free with a 15 NOK ticket fee) but requires registration. More info here.
Sunday
Bee day at Vitengarden: I have always wanted to wear a bee keeper suit and here you get the chance. On this day you can visit beehives in full bee suits, spin honey and make insect hotels. And all of it on a farm in Jæren.. From 12:00 to 17:00. Adult ticket 40 NOK and children free. More info here.
Grødaland Garden Day: This feels like a proper cozy Jæren Sunday. Garden day at Grødaland with perennial plant sales, pancakes, flower meadows and old buildings open so you can see how people lived back in the day. The kids can look for insects, try stilts and run around while the adults might end up in a garden chat or two. More info here.
Rabarbrafestival: Rhubarb dipped in sugar is pure childhood memories for me, so a rhubarb festival at Køhler Pavilion itself (best at everything rhubarb) really speaks to me. Rhubarb pizza, rhubarb sausages, parrots, wood carving and lots of local people selling and making beautiful things. Feels like a mix of garden party, market and family day Jæren-style. From 12:00 to 17:00. More info here.
The weekend
Jær days: Jærdagen is three days of life and activity right in the center of Bryne. People of all ages gather for markets, music, great food and activities for both young and old. To me, singalongs at Jæren sound absolutely magical. From May 29 to May 31. More info here.
Wonderful World Festivalen: A sea of exciting talks and events touching on philosophy or science in one way or another. Long table dinners where the topic is politics, outdoor classical music concerts, yoga focused on breathing and science shows. Something for everyone here. From Thursday May 27 to May 30. More info here.
Traktorpulling: The tractor pulling season is now opening and it’s happening in Bryne. They promise the very best in shows, engine power that you feel and tractors. Friday May 29 from 18:00 and onward, and May 30 from 10:00 and onward. Ticket required. More info here.
Flyshow Sola: I have a huge soft spot for air shows. In fact, it has been an annual tradition for me and my sister for maaany years. This weekend there’s one happening at Sola. There’s just something about the sound, the atmosphere, and seeing people of all ages standing there looking up that appeals to me. From May 30 to May 31. Ticket required. More info here.
This week’s tips
Place I want to try: Grødaland. As I’ve mentioned a thousand times, I could easily have lived at Jæren. And even though EVERYONE around me would probably say it would not suit me, I sometimes dream about what life on Jæren would have been like in the 1800s. At Grødaland you can walk into old Jæren houses and see how people lived back then. And you can easily combine it with a walk by the sea or along Kongevegen afterwards. (And this Sunday you can also experience garden day there - see further up).
Place worth a stop anytime: Sogndalstrand. OK, this is a bit of a drive, but oh so worth it. The idyllic little “town” by the sea. When we were there (serendipitously because my husband was driving “race cars” at the nearby Motorcenter), the ocean sparkled so magically that I got goosebumps. This weekend they’re hosting Sokndalsdager, so there’s even more to see. Shows, duck races (rubber duck version), talent shows and grilling.
Hope you are inspired to try some of these things and that you have a great weekend!
Thank you so much for reading my newsletter. My goal is to send this out every Wednesday with my weekend tips (and occasionally weekday ones) for Stavanger and the surrounding area. If you’d like to get it straight to your inbox, hit “subscribe” and feel free to share it with a friend who might need some weekend inspiration.
* If you’re reading this from somewhere outside Stavanger, feel free to challenge me to find something for you :)