The history of the Tønder Festival began in 1974, when a group of young music enthusiasts organized a three-day Midsummer festival at Bachmann’s Water Mill on the Vidå River that starts east of Tønder. The event featured folk music, ballads and good beer. It was met with enthusiasm, and the organizers held another three-day music festival in September. Interestingly, both festivals featured Denmark-based Scots musician Rod Sinclair who’s been an avid supporter of the festival ever since.
The first official Tønder Festival was held in August 1975. The festival has taken place on the last weekend of August since its inception. The August date was chosen for several reasons. First, at the time of the festival’s inception there already were several summer music festivals in Denmark. They included the Skagen Festival in June and the Roskilde Festival in July. The Tønder Festival became the final chord in Denmark’s summer festival schedule. Second, the weather in Denmark is usually quite warm in late August.
Although the Tønder Festival focuses on folk music, it offers quite an eclectic program that encompasses various genres and styles of music, varying from Scottish and Irish folk music to Baltic and Nordic songs, from folk rock to blues and jazz, from country to singer-songwriter. The festival welcomes both established artists and emerging performers from many countries and regions, including Scandinavia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Canada and the United States. Notable musicians who have performed in Tønder include Arlo Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, Mary Black, Karan Casey, and many others.
The Tønder Festival is held at several venues throughout the town and on several outdoor stages. The venues vary in capacity from 180 to 2,700. The festival sells about 22,000 individual concert tickets every year. Attendees also can buy a festival wristband instead of purchasing tickets for individual concerts. Alongside concerts, the program of the event includes improvised shows in the streets and squares and other fun events and activities.
Photo: tf.dk
