The beginning.
Skagen Festival took place for the first time in 1971, which makes it the oldest music festival in Denmark. The first concerts happened in ”Tuxens Villa”, named after the painter Laurits Tuxen (1853-1927). It was mostly Norwegian and Danish folk musicians who participated, among them  Lillebjørn Nilsen. Soon the house got to small for this, and the festival moved to Skagen Badminton- and  Tennishaller. Later was added another venue at the harbour – in one of the auction halls, but this place was later replaced by Skagen Kultur og Fritidscenter. In 1996 the festival management chose to move a great part of the festival to a natural dune area south of Skagen, but already in 2003 the festival was back in the former venues in town. At the same time the number of venues were increased by adding tents on the harbour and by Kulturhus Kappelborg (a former school).

For many years the festival always took place during the last weekend of June under the name ”Skagen Visefestival”, but in 1989 the name was changed simply into Skagen Festival. As a consequence of the later start of the school summer holiday in Denmark the festival is now taking place during the first (long) weekend of July.

Music profile.
Skagen Festival is an international folk music festival. The festival has over the years adjusted itself to the enormous ongoing development which this genre has been through.
So today we present folk music of all kinds: Folk, folkrock, jazz, ballads, singer-songwriting, ballads, roots, cajun, blues and more.

Staff. 
During all the years the festival has been run successfully through the work of a large number of unpaid volunteers who come from all over the country.

It´s good to see you!
Ovenstående er festivalens slogan og er ligeledes titlen på en sang, skrevet af sangeren og komponisten Allan Taylor. Sangen blev udødeliggjort i Skagen af Alex Campbell helt tilbage i 1970erne. Det er ganske enkelt umuligt at gæste Skagen Festival uden at stifte bekendtskab med denne smukke sang.

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