Fika(s) Festival Returns in 2025 wiht Nordic Art and Culture

Table of Contents

• 1. Fika(s) Festival Returns in 2025 wiht Nordic Art and Culture
• 2. What is Fika?
• 3. New This Year: Ephemeral Coffee Shop
• 4. Music, Literature, and cinema
• 5. Collaboration with the Quebec Cinémathèque
• 6. Event Details
• 7. Explore the Festival
• 8. What elements of the “Fika” concept are central to the Fika(s) Festival’s programming and overall atmosphere?
• 9. Exploring Nordic Culture: An Interview with Elina Nilsson, fika(s) Festival Director
• 10. What is the inspiration behind the Fika(s) Festival, Elina?
• 11. This year marks the 6th edition. How has the festival evolved since its inception?
• 12. Tell us about the new ephemeral coffee shop. What makes this year’s Fika experience unique?
• 13. The Fika(s) Festival has a strong focus on music, literature, and cinema this year. Can you highlight some of the key attractions?
• 14. Accessibility seems to be a key priority for the festival. How do you ensure that Fika(s) is accessible to everyone?
• 15. what do you hope attendees will take away from the 2025 Fika(s) Festival?
• 16. We want to hear from you:

Montreal’s party of Nordic culture, the Fika(s) Festival, is set to return for its 6th edition from March 7 to 13, 2025, promising a rich program of multidisciplinary activities encompassing music, cinema, literature, and gastronomy.

What is Fika?

Inspired by the Swedish concept of “Fika,” which translates to “Factory Pause,” the festival pays tribute to community and Nordic intimacy, offering a space for cultural immersion and exchange.

Image of Fika festival

As 2016, nearly 48,000 people have participated in the festival’s various activities, highlighting its appeal and impact on Montreal’s cultural scene.

New This Year: Ephemeral Coffee Shop

For the first time, the festival will feature an ephemeral coffee shop at the monument-National, with a menu curated by Florence-Léa Siry, an expert in food waste reduction and Danish adoption waste. The Pop-Up Café will host three activities on March 8,from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Music, Literature, and cinema

The 6th edition boasts a strong lineup of musical discoveries, a literary component, and a closing evening showcasing the artistic meeting between Montreal’s Claire Morrison and Icelandic singer Lay Low.

Collaboration with the Quebec Cinémathèque

This year marks the largest collaboration with the Quebec Cinémathèque sence the festival’s inception. A total of seven films will be presented from March 7 to 13, paying tribute to the new Swedish wave with a selection including the work of Bo Widerberg, Jan troell, and Vilgot Sjöman.

Fika(s) is committed to accessibility, with many free activities or options for voluntary contributions.

Event Details

Coffee (s)
From March 7 to 13,2025

Consult the full programming:
Fika(s) Festival 2025 program

Explore the Festival

as the festival approaches, keep an eye on the official website for schedule updates, featured artists, and special events. This year’s edition promises to be a vibrant celebration of Nordic culture, offering something for everyone to enjoy. Don’t miss the chance to immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere of Fika(s) and experience the best of Scandinavian and Nordic art in the heart of Montreal.

What elements of the “Fika” concept are central to the Fika(s) Festival’s programming and overall atmosphere?

Exploring Nordic Culture: An Interview with Elina Nilsson, fika(s) Festival Director

The fika(s) Festival is set to return to Montreal in March 2025, promising a vibrant celebration of Nordic culture. We sat down with Elina Nilsson, the Festival Director, to learn more about what attendees can expect from this year’s edition.

What is the inspiration behind the Fika(s) Festival, Elina?

The Festival is inspired by the Swedish concept of “Fika,” more or less translated to “Coffee Break” but with a much more deeper cultural meaning! Its that moment to pause, connect, and share experiences. We wanted to create a similar space here in Montreal, a place where people can immerse themselves in Nordic culture and experience the warmth and intimacy that Fika represents to Nordic people.

This year marks the 6th edition. How has the festival evolved since its inception?

It’s been an unbelievable journey! Since the festival’s beginning in 2016 the festival attendance continues to increase year after year and we have nearly 50,000 total participants. And we’ve grown in terms of programming to. We started with a focus on Swedish culture, but now we encompass a broader range of Nordic expression while offering diverse activities from music and cinema to literature and gastronomy.

Tell us about the new ephemeral coffee shop. What makes this year’s Fika experience unique?

We’re very excited about the ephemeral coffee shop! Curated by florence-Léa Siry,an expert in food waste reduction,it provides a unique Fika experience and celebrates Danish adoption Waste Principles. It will be a cozy space for gathering and partaking in meaningful conversation which opens the door for networking and friendships.

The Fika(s) Festival has a strong focus on music, literature, and cinema this year. Can you highlight some of the key attractions?

Absolutely. For cinema lovers, our collaboration with the Quebec Cinémathèque is our largest to date, and we will be showcasing seven films highlighting the New Swedish Cinema. We’re also featuring exciting musical discoveries, a literary component, and a closing evening with the collaboration of Montreal artist Claire Morrison and the Icelandic singer Lay Low! It offers something that everyone will enjoy no matter their preffered medium.

Accessibility seems to be a key priority for the festival. How do you ensure that Fika(s) is accessible to everyone?

We believe that culture should be accessible to all. That’s why we offer many free activities or options for voluntary contributions. We want everyone to have the opportunity to experience the beauty of Nordic culture without financial barriers.

what do you hope attendees will take away from the 2025 Fika(s) Festival?

We hope that people who join us in 2025 for this amazing Fika(s) Festival will leave with a deeper recognition for Nordic culture, a sense of connection, and maybe even a spark of inspiration. We want to cultivate meaningful conversations, a true sense of community, where everyone leaves feeling enriched by the experience.

We want to hear from you:

What aspect of Nordic culture resonates with you the most, and why? Share thoughts in comments!