The Hultsfred Festival
The history and what you can experience today
Get to know the history of the Hultsfred Festival through Hultsfred The Walk and the exhibition Home Sweet Hultsfred. Take the opportunity to have an ice cream or coffee in the same area where the world artists played.
The history of the Hultsfred Festival
It all started with a group of young people interested in rock, who in 1981 formed the association Rockparty. The idea was to arrange small concerts for his own enjoyment and that of his friends. From the beginning, Rockparty’s business did not just arrange concerts, but worked with everything from local radio broadcasts to movie nights.
The first festival was arranged for the first time in August 1982 with approx. 1000 visitors. The festival was held for one day and included, in addition to concerts, other activities such as football and tip walk. The year 1986 was the first year it became a more pure music festival and the Hultsfred Festival was created. From having been a one-day festival, the Hultsfred Festival grew to two days, three days and then four days. Rockparty increased both festival visitors and artists from year to year, and the Hultsfred Festival grew to the point where it was cracking.
Record year
The Hultsfred Festival’s record year in number of visitors was 2005 with 31,800 visitors. Put it in perspective with Hultsfred’s then number of inhabitants, 14,456.
50 cent, The Ark, Mary J Blige, Snoop Dogg, Rammstein, Ozzy Osbourne, Alicia Keys, Amy Winehouse, Korn… There are many who played at the Hultsfred Festival. For those interested, a complete list of all the bands that have played during the Hultsfred Festival year by year is available to view at the Rockparty website.
The end?
In 2010, Rockparty filed for bankruptcy. It would be the 25th year the festival was organized. Posters were printed and artists booked but just a few weeks before the Hultsfred Festival was due to take place, the organizers announced that the festival would be cancelled. The reason was too little revenue from ticket sales. The association Rockparty was then 29 years old.
The German company FKP scorpio bought the festival and organized it in Hultsfred in 2011 and 2012, however they did not have the same success as in the glory days. In 2013 FKP scorpio decided to move the festival to Sigtuna, as a protest against this the festival “This is Hultsfred” was organized in Hultsfred instead.
To discover about the music today
Ask any Hultsfred resident, aged over 40, about the festival and you’ll get a funny story. Everyone has a relationship with the festival and most have been involved in some way.
Start at the campsite!
Hultsfred The Walk
Do Hultsfred The Walk when you’re here! Signs with image recognition, point your mobile camera at the signs and play fun trivia and cool gigs. Download the Hultsfred The Walk app and have so much fun!
Why not take the whole loop into the Hultsfred center and also visit the festival exhibition Home Sweet Hultsfred and the Swedish Rock Archive!? Read more about both below.
Home Sweet Hultsfred
20 minVägbeskrivning
“Home Sweet Hultsfred” is the exhibition that tells the story of the association Rockparty and the Hultsfred Festival. The venue is filled with pictures, films, posters and other anecdotes from the time when the Hultsfred Festival was the biggest and most important in Sweden!
Swedish Rock Archive
20 minVägbeskrivning
Since the Swedish Rock Archive was moved from Stockholm to Hultsfred, the collections from Swedish popular music have grown from a couple of 1000 objects to up to half a million. The Swedish rock archive can be found in the center of Hultsfred and is heaven for those interested in music.
Hotell Hulingen
20 minVägbeskrivning
One of the founders of the Hultsfreds Festival today owns Hotell Hulingen, the music hotel, where gigs are often arranged. Maybe someone will be arranged during your visit?