Visitor Numbers Are In for the 2025 Festival

When this year’s festival concluded in the early hours of Sunday July 13, a total of 6,149 people had visited our festival.

“We are very pleased with the weather, the audience, and, not least, the meaningful conversations that emerged from the encounters between people, languages, and cultures. The main stage program has both surprised, delivered quality, and provided the audience with experiences they will carry with them for a long time. Several events were fully booked, and the engagement has been noticeable throughout the week,” says Festival Director Sajje Solbakk.

This year’s festival had a strong political profile, featuring a panel discussion on the Sámi Parliament’s electoral roll, a debate between the two leading candidates for this year’s Sámi parliamentary election, and the concert performance and commissioned work “The Arctic is not for sale.” On the main stage, we hosted many amazing artists who gave the audience a series of memorable concert experiences.

“It’s hard to highlight one single event as the most important, but something I want to proudly emphasize is this year’s focus on Mánáidfestivála through the commissioned work Manne ja Mánát. It is vital that Sámi children have access to powerful cultural experiences and are exposed to their own language and identity through high-quality art. Once again, the festival shows that Riddu Riđđu is more than just a festival — it’s a meeting place for Indigenous peoples, a space for important dialogue, and a powerhouse for Sámi culture,” says the festival director.