Get out your dancing shoes and join the annual dance festival in Vrådal!
We look forward to once again welcoming you to the Straand Festival. This year it is the weekend in the transition from October to November that applies, so then all you have to do is get out your dancing shoes and book in!
The Straand Festival is the annual music and dance festival held at the historic Straand Hotel in beautiful Vrådal. It is Tone, Svein and Øyvind in Tones Orkester who are behind the festival. Sound and light are provided by the experienced guys in Klyve Lydstudio, who is also a guitarist in Tones Orkester.
The festival is held the first weekend in November, and here you can experience varied Norwegian dance music from several stages, throughout the weekend.
There are also good traditions for “bush games” in all the hotel’s public areas. If you love dance and music, this is an event you should attend.
There are opportunities to sign up for dance performances, contact Tone Norheim Klausen (toneklau@online.no or 900 85 844)
Årets line-up:
Subject to change
The following artists are ready to entertain during the Straand Festival 2026
Hauge & Hagen comes to the Straand Festival 2026
Evjerampen is a group from Evje who play country and dance music.
Arnstein Hafver guitar and vocals, Borge Tørå bass and vocals and Finn Bakkevold accordion.
Sverre Risdal’s Orchestra, consists of: Øyvind Seljåsen, accordion with electric bass. Arnt Kåre Asbjørnsen, accordion. Sverre Risdal, guitar and vocals.
The “orchestra” is a result of friends, who often played at old dance and leikfest evenings. Øyvind plays on performance courses, and various folk dance events. Øyvind and Arnt Kåre, are also active in a small choir. I, Sverre Risdal, was one of the founders of the dance band Frolands -Swingen, which saw the light of day in 1978.
We released 6 cassettes with music and song. Øyvind Seljåsen was also here for 5 and a half years. During this time, we received several silver records + Froland municipality’s first culture award. In recent times, I, S. Risdal, have had my own one-man band. There have been 23 trips to the USA, both as S. Risdal’s orchestra, but often alone.
Tones Orkester was founded in 1996, and has several record releases behind them. They mainly play old-fashioned dance, but occasionally they sneak in with some songs of untraditional caliber. The goal of Tones Orkester is that it should always swing, and that the rhythms can be so catchy that the most stiff-legged get carried away!
Morten Eikåsen is coming to the Straand Festival 2026 with his Roots band.
Pistoleros is coming to the Straw Festival 2026, are you coming?
Bjørn Tore & Svein met at a country camp in Åmli some years ago and hit it off.
Bjørn Tore from Arendal and Svein from Porsgrunn (now Valebø).
Bjørn Tore is a well-known figure in the Agder counties and has played in various settings and solo for many years.
Svein played in an accordion club for a number of years before he found a two-row accordion and eventually helped start Tones Orkester, with four album releases.
They play country and dance music with plenty of humor along the way.
Excelsior Band started its career in Grenland in the 1930s and existed continuously for over 50 years. Several musicians from the region have been part of Excelsior Band over the years, including Åge Samuelsen in the 1930s.
Bjørn Brenne from Valebø was with them in recent years, leaving his personal mark on the band.
Bjørn Baklie, a well-known name in Grenland’s music scene, sportingly steps up as a replacement for Bjørn Brenne, as he is currently unavailable.
“Excelsior anno 2026” with former members Miklos Patai on guitar and Øyvind Eriksen on bass, is now reuniting for only two gigs, one of which is at the Straand Festival 2026.
The band has brought back some songs from their old repertoire, but also has some newer material. If you wish to relive the band, simply contact Straand Hotel and secure your spot for the weekend.
As always, Klyve Lydstudio will be providing the sound for the festival. We’re delighted that Øyvind and Per will be at the controls 🙂
Trogfjellduren is coming to the Straand Festival 2025, are you coming?
The Sokkelesten two-row group will come to the Straand Festival 2025 and play traditional old-dance music.
