The Festival

THE FESTIVAL AREA
The festival takes place in Telegrafbukta – one of Tromsø’s most popular camping and bathing spots during the summer. By the sea, surrounded by trees and mountains, the surroundings are nothing but beautiful. During the weekend of the Bukta festival one can in fact witness the last rays of the midnight sun. This means that it’s “daylight” all night, during the festival – a spectacle not no be witnessed at many (if any) other rock festivals in the world.

The festival area is only a 30 minute walk from the city centre. There are frequent bus departures from the city centre to Telegrafbukta.

THE HISTORY
Bukta - Tromsø Open Air Festival was first arranged the summer of 2004. But the history can be traced back two years in time. In the spring of 2002 the planning started of what would become, the North of Nowhere in August 2002. "North of Nowhere" was put on twice at Åsgård in Tromsø. The festival was manned by volunteers based on the ideals that it would be a non-alcohol event, with free admission.

In November of 2003 "North of Nowhere" was given the award for "Best Rock Festival" by Norsk Rockforbund (Norwegian Rock Association) at the festival board meeting in Fredrikstad. This weekend, was the beginning of the end for "North of Nowhere", at the same time the idea of a bigger and more serious festival in Tromsø was conceived. By Christmas 2003 North of Nowhere was history, and Bukta - Tromsø Open Air Festival a fact.

The first Bukta festival took place July 2004, with some of the biggest Norwegians rock and pop acts available. In 2005 the program expandet to also include international acts like Phoenix (Fr) and Supersuckers (US).

Allthough the free-of-charge and non-alcohol policy from it predecessor North of Nowhere have been slightly abandoned, some of the ideas from North of Nowhere are still at work at Bukta. Saturday afternoon during each festival we put on a free/non-alcohol event with great musical acts at the festival area. In 2005 more than 4000 people showed up to see big Norwegian acts Madrugada, Minor Majority together with local heroes Turdus Musicus and Johanne Ballovarre.

In November 2005 Bukta - Tromsø Open Air Festival recieved the "Best Rock Festival" award from Norsk Rockfoforund, and so the circle was closed...

In 2007 the Bukta Festival successfully expanded from two to three days of music, giving room for more bands, more people and more fun! Iggy & The Stooges, The Waterboys, Supergrass and The Hives, along with other great Norwegian and International acts made Bukta 2007 another success.

The 2008 festival gave room for another expansion for Bukta, when a second stage "Paradisbukta" was introduced. The new stage has opened for acts which previously have been too small for the one main stage. The Disciplines (NO/US), Sixtyniners (NL), Mojomatics (IT) and Hellsongs (SE) was some of the artists at the new stage. Paradisbukta was a success, and will of course be an important part of Bukta in the future. Headliners in 2008 was Patti Smith (US), Kent (SE), Danko Jones (CAN) along with Norwegian rockers Madrugada and DumDum Boys. A sold out festival with great bands, bathed in beautiful midnight sun made Bukta 2008 a fantastic event.

And the best is yet to come. We hope you do to.

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