At Northern Lightning 2023, Norway May Offer The Wildest Bitcoin Experience Yet

Norway is putting on a major Bitcoin conference with high-signal speakers, topped off with an otherworldly rave running on Lightning.

This is an opinion editorial by Erik Dale, an organizer of the upcoming Northern Lightning Conference and host of a Scandinavian Bitcoin podcast.

Scandinavia may not be the first region that comes to mind when you think of Bitcoin, but tiny Norway has become the “biggest bitcoin mining hub in Europe.”

With less than 0.07% of world population, the Norwegians churn out nearly 3% of Bitcoin’s global hash rate, mostly thanks to cheap, stranded and renewable hydropower in the north.

And now, Norway is hosting the world’s “most Bitcoin experience” (sic): Northern Lightning 2023.

Northern Lightning 2023 will take place in Bergen, Norway from March 17 to 19, from the 17th to the 19th of March, and the Norwegians are going all out, it seems.

Everything has been designed for and by Bitcoiners, from the keynotes, to the food, to the parties, to the merch. Merch will be limited to 21 numbered copies, of course. Our vision is to create an annual, intimate experience bringing Bitcoin to a new Nordic city each year, until hyperbitcoinization is achieved and beyond.

This first edition will be a three-day Bitcoin conference in a historical setting among the dramatic scenery and wooden harbors of Bergen, headlined by the greatest minds in Bitcoin, with the opportunity to orange pill hundreds of no-coiners at a massive party running on the Lightning Network.

Hodlonaut, Knut Svanholm and Peter Todd are just some of the great Bitcoiners who will be joining, covering topics like monetary liberation, Bitcoin adoption and Lightning innovation.

Focused on bringing Bitcoiners together and creating deep connections with minimal stage staring, Northern Lightning also wants to provide the purest signal anywhere. Even the DJs are Bitcoiners.

Even the DJs? Yes.

The highlight of Northern Lightning will be one of the largest, AFK Bitcoin onboarding events in the world: an all-night rave with hundreds of no-coiners set to all use Lightning.

Headlined by Norway’s leading electronic artists, including Karolinski, Matiago, Klysterik, Antibakke and Trym Søvdsnes, it is set to be a unique orange-pilling opportunity.

A lineup this good would fill any venue. So, what happens when 400 thirsty no-coiners meet 200 Bitcoiners and they all need to use Lightning to buy a beer?

With the goal of creating an unforgettable, real-world experience of Bitcoin for everyone, every year, a rave running on Lightning is a perfect start. Party goers will have the opportunity to use Lightning when buying drinks, renting towels or buying merch, and even buying bitcoin for cash peer-to-peer when onboarding.

It’s all designed to offer a little less conversation, a little more Bitcoin action.

And as for the venue, Smien Laksevåg Verft is Bergen’s oldest ship wharf, recently converted into a nightclub opening directly onto the fjord, which will offer free welcome drinks as well as sauna use and an all-night barbecue.

Talk of raves may not appeal to the more family oriented, but Northern Lightning 2023 has got you and your little ones covered, too.

My own daughter, Lykushka (who is nine) is organizing the kids’ corner and workshop, a space to educate young minds about Bitcoin while having lots of fun. I love when my kids make friends with other Bitcoiners’ kids, they’re usually brilliant too.

Whether the event will make them think mommy and daddy are more or less nuts remains to be seen, but they will be welcomed every day until 10 p.m. at Northern Lightning.

Northern Lightning is less than two weeks away and passes are selling out fast.

The main conference pass, including access to keynotes, workshops, dinners, meetups and parties, will sell out this weekend. After that, only limited passes will be available, but the limited passes are pretty awesome and you’re not gonna want to miss out.

Bitcoin Magazine is sending a crew to cover Northern Lightning 2023. Join us in Bergen.

This is a guest post by Erik Dale. Opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.