Opinion, Halden | A fantastic summer in Halden!
Opinions This is a discussion post. The post expresses the views of the writer.
Most of the included rapporteurs have already finished their summer holidays. We have a few good weeks of sunshine and high summer temperatures. At the same time, it has been an eventful summer filled with large and small cultural events. For the joy of young and old!
It all started with the Udda game at Vated! A colourful, funny and nostalgic tale based on Frithjof E. Bye’s exciting trilogy about the forest giant Udda! The scenery was fantastic – with «living wolf» between the birch trunks in pitch darkness! Great stagecraft and happy child! Thank you so much for this wonderful summer show!
We have been to the very last performances of Allsang at Grensen. It was a fantastic sortie! The most beautiful pictures from Halden have been broadcast on the TV screen. Norway’s most popular artist has taken! Kathrine Moholt and Staysman were both crying on TV when it was irretrievably over! People have asked why such a popular concept with over 300,000 viewers should be taken off the screen? TV2’s decision is difficult to understand.
For Halden municipality, it will be important to make arrangements for new activity at the fortress. Preferably in a new collaboration with TV2 with a new concept! Allsang på Grensen has provided unique Halden advertising for 16 years! Many thanks to Kathrine Moholt, to Staysman, to TV2, to Eventyrlie, to all the dedicated employees who have made this possible! And not least to all the thousands of volunteers who have volunteered for free these years!
A separate PRIDE week was held in Halden for the very first time this summer! After the violent incident against PRIDE in Oslo, it was with some excitement that the event had to be carried out here in Halden as well. But luckily, everything went peacefully and respectfully. On Bybrua the PRIDE flags waved and signaled the message of love! Everyone should be allowed to love who they want! Because the greatest of all is love! Tolerance, respect and acceptance!
And every Saturday, Verdensbro with Dina and Ove Billington has an event for young and old in Busterudparken! Here it has been games, puppet shows and entertainment from our own stage! Many thanks to World Bridge! You have contributed to making it fun to be a child in Halden this summer!
The last weekend of the summer was also unforgettable with the Tour of Scandinavia and Grensetreff in the city! The Ladies Tour of Norway has now been transformed into an even nicer, and ended up more comprehensive cycling race for women: the Tour of Scandinavia. Reach through three countries – starting in Copenhagen, up through the Swedish west coast, in to Østfold with the finish in Halden! Roy Moberg gave the opening speech at Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen itself! The cyclists were greeted with cheers and enthusiasm wherever they came – but especially here in Halden. Our own professional cyclist Emilie Moberg could not participate due to injury, but she was there as arranged and must take a lot of credit for the fact that many of the great professional cyclists participated in the race! Thank you, Roy and Emilie, for taking cycling to Halden! And thanks to the guys who make the cycling circus go around with practical work!
At the same time as the Tour of Scandinavia, it was also Grensetreff in the city! Hundreds of beautiful vintage cars were gathered in Halden. With my youth in the 60s, my heart beats extra fast when I see the beautiful American cars! Cadillacs and Fords in great colors crossing the city! It was a great pleasure to meet again after years of pandemic! And the Haldens, we were glad to have them back!
The big political issue of the summer has been the lack of Tourist Offices and tourist guides! Information on the municipality’s website was not sufficient! We can find solutions that we can live with over time and that cost nothing! Tourist guides as summer jobs for young people? Can the shops in the center contribute to an allowance? Not all tourists are digitally competent. We need living people to talk to when it’s something we wonder about! The matter must be on the political agenda as soon as possible!
Well, most of us are back in place. At work and at school! And then I also want to draw forward to the new school building that has been erected at Halden secondary school – based on one of the old factory buildings for Saugbrugs. Here, teaching in technical subjects will be given in collaboration with Saugbrugs. Music, dance and drama get their long-awaited premises!
But the summer is not over yet. Small and large concerts are to be held in the coming weeks. First up is the Blåsensemblet, who will have a free outdoor concert on the square on Friday. Then it will be a live concert with melodies from Stevie Wonder! Meet up! This should be fun!
I have highlighted some of the big events of the summer, which have given me a great experience that I want to take with me into the dark season. At the same time, I know that I have not had time to include all concerts and events. Thanks to you too! Thank you to each and every one of you who have stood by to make the summer of 2022 in Halden so memorable! And it’s not over yet!