Kløften Festival

Skanderborg Festival is usually referred to as Denmark’s most beautiful festival. However, what many people don’t know is that Sønderjylland also has a festival in particularly attractive surroundings.

The festival venue is Kløften park in Haderslev, which is well-known for its beautiful rolling terrain with hills, valleys and lots of trees.

As with most events of this type, the festival began on a much smaller scale. In 1980, a group of volunteers who organised concerts in the community centre in Haderslev decided to “move outdoors”. They therefore started Haderslev Music Festival, which later morphed into Kløften Festival, and which has been held every year since.

At first, it was a one-day festival and there was only a single stage. Since then, it’s expanded to two and a half days and five stages, thus enabling two concerts to be performed simultaneously. The facility has a total capacity of 8000 guests.

Initially, admission to the festival was free, with expenses met through sales of drinks. Although the festival is no longer free, it remains very popular – not least amongst the locals, with some having visited the festival on every one of the 39 previous occasions. There are no personnel costs that place a burden on the budget at Kløften Festival, with all 900 helpers working for free.

The music at the festival is wide-ranging – although primarily Danish acts. There’s everything from established stars to emerging talents that are just beginning to make a name for themselves.

Kløften Festival has always been held on the weekend in which schools break up for the summer holidays – next time is 27,28,29 June 2024

In its initial years, the festival lasted for a single day and featured a lone stage. Since then, it has expanded to span two and a half days with five stages, allowing for the simultaneous hosting of two concerts. 

Initially, festival admission was free, and expenses were covered by the sale of beverages. This is no longer feasible, but even though attending Kløften Festival is no longer free, it remains highly popular, especially among the locals. Some individuals have attended the festival all 43 times in its history.

The Kløften Festival can only be held thanks to the enormous effort of no less than 1,600 dedicated volunteers. About 50 of them make up the Kløften Organization, consisting of operational managers, group leaders, and the board, who work year-round to keep things running smoothly. The rest join in the weeks leading up to the festival, and the last ones leave the park about a week after the festival.

The music at the festival covers a broad spectrum, primarily featuring Danish artists. The lineup includes both established stars and emerging, unknown talents. Kløften Festival has consistently taken place during the weekend when schools begin their summer break.