Riddu Riddu Festival

Riddu Riddu

View on map
MusicManndalen
DatesDates TBA · Usually JulyCheck locally before booking
Duration5 daysListed event span
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forLive music, late nightsRiddu Riddu's origin gives it a moral
LanguageLocal language; English access variesCurrency: NOK
CategoryMusicFestival type
The story

Riddu Riddu Festival in Manndalen

Riddu Riddu is a five-day international Indigenous festival held every July in Olmmaivaggi (Manndalen), in Kafjord (Gaivuotna) municipality, North Troms. Founded in 1991 by young Sea Sami reclaiming a suppressed heritage, it has grown into one of Norway's dozen nationally recognized hub festivals, mixing concerts, joik, film, seminars, and a market with programming from Sami and other Indigenous peoples worldwide.

Riddu Riddu began at a gathering on New Year's Eve 1991 in Olmmaivaggi (Manndalen), a Sea Sami coastal community in Kafjord municipality, North Troms, where a group of young people talked about why their Sami identity felt like something to hide.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

Riddu Riddu's origin gives it a moral seriousness rare among music festivals: it began at a 1991 New Year's Eve gathering of Sea Sami youth in Manndalen who had grown up ashamed of a heritage the Norwegian state had spent decades pressuring their grandparents to abandon, and who decided to answer that history with pride rather than silence

02

The mystery stays covered

That founding story still shapes the programming, which pairs concerts and joik performances with seminars, a youth camp, literature, film, and an indigenous market, and which deliberately reaches beyond Sapmi to Ainu, Maori, First Nations, and other Indigenous artists

03

The city starts moving

National recognition followed in 2009, when it became one of Norway's hub festivals with a standing line in the state culture budget, later underscored further by a royal opening in 2016

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

The festival's central tradition is joik

Water and renewal

Living ritual

the traditional Sami vocal form once suppressed alongside the Sami language itself

The sacred route

Living ritual

performed here as both ceremony and contemporary music

The local code

Living ritual

Riddu Riddu deliberately places Sea Sami coastal culture

Tradition 5

Living ritual

historically the most marginalized branch of Sami identity

Tradition 6

Living ritual

at its center

Tradition 7

Living ritual

while extending its indigenous market

Tradition 8

Living ritual

film program

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually July

Getting around

Use the event area in Manndalen to set the route; normal travel times can stretch once crowds build.

What to wear

Practical, outdoor festival wear: Manndalen sits above the Arctic Circle on a fjord, so July days can swing from warm sun to cold wind and rain within hours. Waterproof outer layers, a warm...

Safety

Keep phone power, water, and a clear meeting point sorted before the main crowd arrives.

Where to stay

For peak dates, book flexible lodging near reliable routes into and out of Manndalen.

Tickets/cost

Official ticket link is available. Confirm access rules before booking.

Language/currency

NOK

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map69.46 N, 20.54 EOpen in Google Maps

Manndalen, Troms, Norway

Nearest airportTOS — Tromsø
TransportUse the event area in Manndalen to set the route; normal travel times can stretch once crowds build.
Stay areaFor peak dates, book flexible lodging near reliable routes into and out of Manndalen.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Manndalen via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Manndalen, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for July.Compare faresFestival gearPractical, outdoor festival wear: Manndalen sits above the Arctic Circle on a fjord, so July days can swing from warm sun to cold wind and rain within hours. Waterproof outer layers, a warm mid-layer, and sturdy footwear suited to grass and gravel festival ground are the norm; some attendees wear Sami gakti for performances or as an expression of pride, but there is no dress requirement for visitors.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Norway and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

We may earn a small commission from trusted travel partners at no extra cost to you.

FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Riddu Riddu Festival?

Riddu Riddu Festival is listed for Past edition: 8–12 July 2026. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Riddu Riddu Festival take place?

The festival is listed in Manndalen, Norway. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

5 days is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Manndalen, Troms, Norway

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLriddu.com
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually July
Source statusOfficial source linked
Related festivals

Continue the route.

Photo pending

Rock in Rio

4–13 September 2026

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Photo pending

Montreal International Jazz Festival

Past edition: 25 June–4 July 2026

Montreal, Canada
Photo pending

Tomorrowland Brasil

Past edition: 10–12 October 2025

Itu, Brazil
Photo pending

Glastonbury Festival

23–27 June 2027

Pilton, United Kingdom

Spotted something out of date? Submit a correction →