Røros Winter MarketRørosmartnan

Rørosmartnan is a historic winter trading market held annually in the UNESCO-heritage mining town of Røros. Established by royal decree in 1854, it has run every February since 1. The five-day event recreates the old horse-driven market tradition: vendors come in horse-drawn sleighs, and locals and visitors shop stalls in period costume. With around 250 exhibitors and dances/cultural events each night, it transforms the town into a living museum of 19th-century rural fair tradition 1. Attendees can buy local crafts, reindeer hides, regional food, and enjoy folk dancing and concerts. Rørosmartnan celebrates the community’s mining and trading heritage, remaining a key social occasion for families and businesses alike (often regardless of tourism), and has come to define Røros’ identity as a living heritage town.

Røros has been a copper mining settlement since the 17th c., and Rørosmartnan harkens back to when merchants and farmers from the region traded goods in town during winter. The market’s cultural context lies in 19th-century ‘mart’n’ (market) tradition in inland Norway, where people gathered for commerce and socializing in scarce winters. Its continued popularity shows the locals’ pride in preserving their mining-era traditions and their artisanal culture. The horses and historical dress evoke authentic local history, distinguishing Rørosmartnan from generic commercial festivals.