Ólavsøka is a two-day celebration through 28 and 29 of July and many Faroese people crowd into the capital Tórshavn, were Ólavsøka is celebrated, dressed in the colourful national Faroese dress, greeting friends and partaking in jovial celebrations: the salute for Ólavsøka in Faroese is Góða Ólavsøku!(Good Olaf’s Wake!). Ólavsøka’s literal meaning is “Saint Olaf’s Wake” and it is a celebration of the Norwegian king Olaf Haraldsson II (Ólavur Halgi in Faroese), who died in the battle at Stiklestad Norway in 1030. After his death, King Olaf was canonised and became the patron saint of Norway. His death is thought to have contributed to the subsequent Christianisation of Norway, and thus also the Faroe Islands. In the Middle Ages the Faroe Islands were part of the Kingdom of Norway and the tradition of Olsok (as it is called in Norwegian) has lasted on the Faroe Islands, and is today recognised as the National Day and Festival of Faroe Islands. During Ólavsøka, a procession of athletes from local clubs, Tórshavn city council members, a brass band and horse riders walks through the city, down to the town square and end at Tinghúsvøllurin (the House of Parliament Field), were an annual speech officially opens the Ólavsøka. The festival features many cultural highlights such as traditional Faroese chain dancing (in Sjónleikarhúsið theatre), ballad singing, concerts and art exhibitions. Restaurants are open till late, serving both traditional Faroese dishes and foreign food. The National sport of the Faroe Islands is sea rowing and the national rowing competition finals are held on Ólavsøka, one of the highlights in Faroese sports. Ólavsøka also marks the annual opening of the Faroese parliament Løgtingið, at 11 in the morning of July 29, as it has done for the past 900 years, when parliament is officially in session again after the summer holidays. At the formal opening of Parliament the Prime Minister (Løgmaður) will give his annual speech and address to the Parliament and the Faroese Nation. The celebrations culminate in a grand finale at midnight on 29 July at the Midnáttarsangurin (‘Midnight Song’), when a large crowd gathers in the town square to sing old and new Faroese songs and ballads and to dance the traditional Faroese chain dance.
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