Copenhagen is gearing up for the Distortion festival, a multi-day event featuring music and diverse activities across the city. The festival, which includes street parties, concerts, and cultural events, will run from Wednesday to Sunday.

After a five-year hiatus, the festival made a comeback in Nørrebro last year, which was deemed a success. This year’s edition aims to build on that momentum by separating music from free activities. There are over 70 planned activities, with participation from dance schools, record labels, and sports clubs.

The Nørrebro street party, scheduled for Thursday, will be a free event celebrating local cultural life. This is part of Distortion’s effort to create a city festival atmosphere. Distortion X will take place on Rådhuspladsen and Nørrebro. Distortion Ø will be held on Refshaleøen. These are more music-centered events.

In the past, the festival’s street parties drew crowds of up to 100,000 people daily, leading to complaints about noise and public disturbances. Distortion emphasizes that it has evolved to offer more cultural depth and aims to be a celebration of local identity.

While the Nørrebro street party is free, tickets are required for Distortion X, Distortion Ø, and other associated events. Distortion kicks off on Wednesday at Rådhuspladsen.