Old Aarhus summer tradition continues with support from Fonden Sol og Strand
Music, play, and community will once again fill the park of MarselisborgCentrets when Parkunderholdning returns. This is made possible in part by a donation of 30,000 kroner from Fonden Sol og Strand by Margit og Kjeld.
AWARDED
The Association Green Meeting Places: 30,000 kr.
2026
The donation helps ensure that the Association Green Meeting Places can invite children, families, the elderly, and other citizens to music, creative activities, and cozy gatherings in the park's green surroundings five Fridays during the school summer holidays. The ambition is to create an inclusive meeting place where everyone can participate.
– Our concept is 'Same time, same place, new content.' Everyone is welcome, and participation is free, says Jesper Fredslund from the Association Green Meeting Places.
Tradition comes to life again
Parkunderholdning, which this year takes place for the fourth time, builds on an Aarhus tradition of free summer entertainment under the open sky.
In 1948, Aarhus Municipality launched the first Parkunderholdning in the Botanical Garden. The sparse years after the war created a need for community and free cultural experiences. The idea came from Sweden, where similar free events were held. For more than 50 years, thousands of citizens gathered for music, community, and entertainment under the open sky.
For initiator Jesper Fredslund, Parkunderholdning has a special significance. He fondly remembers how, as a child, he cycled from Viby to the Botanical Garden with his father to experience the summer events.
– Back then, there were neither mobile phones nor a plethora of entertainment options. People met in the park, listened to music, and experienced something together. That feeling of presence and community is what we hope to pass on to a new generation, says Jesper Fredslund.
Parkunderholdning should also help strengthen the community in the Langenæs district, where there is a need for unifying activities and positive meeting places. The park of MarselisborgCentrets is designed so that people with mobility issues, walkers, or wheelchairs can easily participate, making the events accessible to everyone.
– We want to create a place where people meet across age, background, and life situation. We believe that music and shared experiences can make a difference. When you meet on a lawn, greet your neighbors, and share an experience, relationships are formed. It creates safety, unity, and community, says Jesper Fredslund.
