Oya Festival 2011 to go ahead as planned

Event to go ahead following the weekend's atrocities

Chris Eustace - 26 July 2011

With the festival due to take place near Oslo city centre at the Medieval Park from 9-13 August, the huge security operation mounted in the aftermath of the attacks led some to doubt the event would happen.

However, festival director Claes Olsen confirmed they planned to continue.

He said: "The last few days have been heavy and unreal. Our thoughts go out to everyone who has lost someone or in some other way has been affected by the tragedy in the centre of Oslo and at Utøya.

“We send our condolences and compassion to the people who are struggling right now. These are times for mourning and reflection, and we know that many will now have to use all their time and energy on working through what has happened".

He continued: "In the midst of all this, we find it important that our city and its citizens shall not be broken by what happened this weekend. Organisers of concerts and events in Oslo have jointly agreed that this shall not stop us.

“The police, the government and the general audience have expressed a strong wish that Oslo resumes some kind of normality as soon as possible. Together with the population of Oslo and visitors from abroad we wish to take our city back".

Olsen also added: "We hope that our events can help ease the sadness and also be good meeting places in the days and weeks to come. We wish to take Oslo back by once again filling it with the great variety of cultural activities this city is known for and also by spreading a clear message that our population wants to take care of each other".

Kanye West, Pulp, Fleet Foxes, Aphex Twin and Warpaint are among the acts set to play the sold-out event.

Click for the full Oya Festival line-up.

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