40 years ago Festiviteten opened

The opening of Festiviteten concert hall marked a historic moment for Haugesund. The official opening day was February 7, 1986, after several years of planning and reconstruction. The background for the project was the dramatic fire on March 23, 1981, when the old Festiviteten was lost. The whole city mourned, because the building had housed a cinema, theatre, concert hall, banquet rooms and restaurant for over 60 years.

After the fire, the property was sold to Haugesund Municipality, which made it possible to realize a completely new Festivityt – this time dedicated to a theater and concert hall. The ambition was to create a modern cultural center for the entire region, a gathering point for music, theater and performing arts.

The opening program in 1986 shows the breadth of the effort: professional theater, symphony orchestra, choir, soloists and local actors stood side by side. The Haugesund Janissary Orchestra opened the gala performance, followed by contributions from, among others, Grieg arrangements, ballet, folk songs and orchestral music. Both professional artists and local talents were given a place on stage, which emphasized the house's role as a meeting point between the national and local programs 86 2

The Ministry of Culture, Rogaland County and Haugesund Municipality jointly provided the financing, and the house was the result of broad collaboration. The goal was clear: Festiviteten was to be more than a hall – it was to be a living cultural center.

The program profile emphasized diversity.
There would be room for classical music, rock, jazz, opera, revue and theatre. Children, young people and adults would all find something to suit them. Festiviteten should also collaborate closely with schools, voluntary groups and regional cultural institutions

The public was welcomed with warm words and high expectations. It was hoped that people from Haugalandet and all over Haugalandet would use the house and make it their own. The vestibule and common areas were intended as social meeting places, not just passageways.

The hall itself, with its modern rows of seats and good acoustics, symbolized a new chapter in the city's cultural life. Program 86

The opening in 1986 therefore represented far more than the inauguration of a building. It marked the start of a new era for performing arts in Haugesund. Festiviteten became a place for great experiences, strong emotions and shared memories.

40 years later, the opening stands as a turning point – proof of what a city can achieve when will, cooperation and cultural commitment meet.