03 March 2015

GULLFEST 2015 - Art & Birding in the Arctic


GULLFEST 2015 in Vardø, March 13-15 
(click on poster for slide show view)

The annual arctic bird festival, Gullfest, is coming up very soon! This year we go back to basics, with a big lavvo basecamp in Vardø. Local super chef Tor Emil will serve great Varanger food. We are very happy to say that Lars Jonsson, the world famous bird artist will join us! At Biotope we think art is an amazing way to show nature, so in addition we are very pleased that the brilliant UK bird artist James McCallum will join us to, together with up and coming bird artist Jonnie Fisk.
We will have talks by Martin Garner of Birding Frontiers, presenting his pioneering book projects. Local nature warden Arne Petter Sarre will present his take on Varangers nature. We will have gull ringing at the base camp with our good friends Colin McShane and Fergus Henderson, accompanied by Norway Gull aficionado Sindre Molværesmyr. We will arrange guided trips to Hornøya bird cliff. Loads of niceness coming up!

After a couple of years Gullfest going on tour around Varanger, we now aim to make it local. Birding to the people style! If you are in Varanger this weekend feel free to come by our basecamp at Hasselnes, the northeasternmost point in Vardø. Its open to all. We are looking forward to meeting you!

Updates will follow on the Biotope Facebook page and on twitter @BiotopeOffice

Gullfest program:

Open basecamp in Vardø (Hasselnes) Saturday & Sunday March 14+15th 
Join us from 10-15.00hrs: open lavvo, warm food by Varanger chef Tor Emil, 
Hornøya trips (from Vardø harbour 09-11-13.00), bird ringing, opening of new bird hide, 
bird art exhibition by Lars Jonsson, James McCallum & Jonnie Fisk, 
Free entry at Hasselnes (Hornøya trips cost 300NOK pr.pers). Welcome!

Opening talks at Unni´s Kafé, Friday 13th, 19.00hrs (free)
Talks by bird artist Lars Jonsson, Martin Garner (Birding Frontiers),
Arne-Petter Sarre (Varanger SNO) & Tormod Amundsen (Biotope). Velkommen!

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Da er vi igang igjen med ny arktisk fuglefestival i Varanger. Denne gangen går vi back to basics, med flott basecamp på Hasselnes i Vardø: Det blir stor lavvo med mat fra Varangerkokken Tor Emil. Det blir kunstutstilling, foredrag, turer til Hornøya og ringmerking av fugler på Hasselnes. Gullfest er åpent for alle som vil komme! Vi gleder oss stort til å feire Varangers rike fugleliv enda en gang. I fjor var Gullfest på turné rundt i Øst-Finnmark. I år får Øst-Finnmark finne veien til Vardø. Vi har fått med oss kunstnere i verdensklasse og gleder oss til å høre mer fra Lars Jonsson, James McCallum og Jonnie Fisk. Martin Garner kommer også og forteller om sine bokprojekter. Mest av alt blir dette er helg med god mat, naturopplevelser og god stemning ute på Hasselnes i Vardø. Du er velkommen! Vi følger opp snarlig med mer info. Hilsen oss i Biotope

Common Eider, oil on canvas by Lars Jonsson © 


Gullfest 2012 - the first ever arctic bird festival. Birding to the people!

Hornøya bird cliff is only 5 minutes from Vardø, and we will arrange guided trips to Hornøya on Saturday and Sunday, 09-11-13.00hrs from harbour).

Expect great views of thousands of alcids (photo from Gullfest 2014)

We should see a Steller´s Eiders too. This field sketch was made by artist James McCallum on a Varanger bird trip arranged by Biotope in 2011.

Gullfest basecamp in the distance, photo from Hornøya bird cliff

Expect Gulls 

Hornøya bird cliff always provide something extra!

If you are in Varanger on the Gullfest dates feel free to join us at the Hasselnes base camp in Vardø. Free entry, open to all. You can buy your lunch / dinner at the base camp, meet people, check out top bird art, bird ringing and enjoy the scenaries! Welcome!

Check out the Gullfest 2014 event report or go back to the first Gullfest 2012 event! 

Best wishes from all of us at the Biotope office!  Biotope Facebook  //  @BiotopeOffice