Danes may seem cold and private at first, but can actually be quite approachable and friendly (yes, we are a Danish company, but we are not just here to pat ourselves on the back. Actually, this and the following statements are written by a non-Danish person).
As a matter of fact, the Danish welfare system has many great public entertainment ideas to bring people together and make them have a good time. It is no coincidence that Denmark is repeatedly named the happiest country in the World!
Many refer to the Danish welfare system as the Scandinavian welfare model, which is the main reason for such high tax rate in Denmark. The basic principle of the system is providing equal rights to free high-class healthcare and education to all citizens.
The Danish welfare system includes bene fits such as: access to well-maintained facilities, parks, roads, cycling and driving infrastructure as well as public transportation.
There are many common spaces and libraries for both common gatherings and personal use. Widely known public structures in Copenhagen include The Opera House, The National Gallery of Denmark, The Royal Danish Theatre and The National Theatre. These are all doing a great job entertaining the Danes.
Denmark does not just offer all-year-round cultural activities to improve the work-life balance of its citizen – most of these activities are for free. Whether you think that is a good idea or not, it is definitely pretty unique. To celebrate this uniqueness, we have listed some of these great, public events below.
Distortion is a very popular, urban and almost chaotic festival with dance music and street raves. It literally takes place in the streets of Copenhagen. For four days, it pretty much feels like all people living in the Capital area of Denmark are there.
Stella Polaris is a one-day festival that just celebrated its 20 year anniversary. The festivities happen in Arhus, Kolding, Frederiksberg and Sønderborg. It is the largest picnic festival with an emphasis on the electronic music genre.
SPOT Festival in Aarhus offers visitors more than 200 concerts where you can discover the newest Danish and Nordic music trends.
Last but not least, the Jazz Festival takes place in both Copenhagen and Aarhus. It is one of the biggest events of its kind in Europe. Copenhagen Jazz Festival is also one of the city’s oldest music festivals, and in 2018, the festival will celebrate its 40th anniversary.
One of the largest cultural events in Scandinavia is Aarhus Festival. A week when art and entertainment runs through the streets, clubs, galleries and museums with loads of dance, exhibitions, performances and music.
Another occasion worth observing is the Aalborg Carnival in May. Aalborg Carnival is Northern Europe’s largest carnival parade with more than 60,000 participants and 100,000 spectators. Each year there’s a different theme for costumes and the slogan is: “The street is the stage – you’re the guru!”
Zulu Sommerbio is an open-air movie theater that travels all around Denmark during July and August. A big screen shows movies in a park three days in a row and the atmosphere is indeed very ‘hyggelig’.
Sakura Festival is a beautiful spring event presenting Japanese culture. It takes place in Copenagen, Langelinie park – full of blossoming cherry trees.
Odense Flower Festival shows off impressive flower decorations in the home city of Hans Christian Andersen. There’s something for everyone including art, culture and entertainment to learn about the world of flowers.
In a country where tax rates are higher than the summer temperature in the southern Spain, and people choose biking in rain to avoid spending all their lunch money for a single bus ticket, free benefits seem to be compensating a lot of expenses.
Even though the previously mentioned events are free of charge, many companies do get to earn. They are sponsoring events, installing food and drink stalls or just advertising during these occasions.
Danes get 5 weeks of paid holiday a year and a 37-hour work week. Still, they are some of the most stressed people in the world. So an option for a weekend festival, concert or other type of entertainment can really save someone’s day.
Hang around for a bit more, read Top Nordic Companies and Their success or 5 Great Ideas by Elon Musk.
Take Ideanote for a test drive. No obligation. No reason not to.
Instantly collect valuable ideas.
.png)
