Northern Lightning 2023 — Norway can offer the wildest Bitcoin experience yet
Description: Norway hosts a large Bitcoin conference with loud speakers, topped off with an otherworldly rave at Lightning.
By Erik Dale
This is an opinion piece 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 (BTC), but Norway has become “the largest Bitcoin mining center in Europe”. With less than 0.07% of the world’s population, Norwegians extract almost 3% of Bitcoin’s global hash rate, mostly thanks to cheap, stranded and renewable hydropower in the north. And now Norway hosts the world’s “most Bitcoin experience” – Northern Lightning 2023.
A pure signal conference
Northern Lightning 2023 will take place in Bergen, Norway, from 17-19 March, and the Norwegians go all out.
Everything is designed for and by Bitcoiners: from the keynotes to the food, parties and merchandise. Merch will be limited to 21 numbered copies. Our vision is to create an annual, intimate experience that brings Bitcoin to a new Nordic city every year until “hyperbitcoinization” is achieved and beyond.
This first edition will be a three-day Bitcoin conference in a historic setting among Bergen’s dramatic scenery and wooden harbors, led by the biggest minds in Bitcoin, with the opportunity to orange pill hundreds of no-coiners at a massive party running on Lynet . Network.
Hodlonaut, Knut Svanholm and Peter Todd are fair some of the big bitcoiners who want to joincovering topics such as monetary liberation, Bitcoin adoption and lightning innovation.
Focused on bringing Bitcoiners together and creating deep connections with minimal stage-gazing, Northern Lightning also wants to provide the cleanest signal anywhere. Even the DJs are Bitcoiners.
A rave that runs on Lightning?
Even the DJs? Yes.
The highlight of Northern Lightning will be one of the world’s largest AFK Bitcoin onboarding events – an all-night rave with hundreds of no-coiners who will be using Lightning. Headlined by Norway’s leading electronic artists, including Karolinski, Matiago, Klysterik, Antibakke and Trym Søvdsnes, it is set to be a unique opportunity for orange peels. Such a good lineup would fill any venue. So, what happens when 400 thirsty no-coiners meet 200 Bitcoiners, and they all have to use Lightning to buy a beer?
With the goal of creating an unforgettable, real experience of Bitcoin for everyone every year, a rave at Lightning is a perfect start. Partygoers can use Lightning to buy drinks, rent towels or buy merchandise, and even buy Bitcoin for cash peer-to-peer when boarding.
It’s all designed to offer a little less talk and more Bitcoin action.
And as for the venue, Smien Laksevåg Verft is Bergen’s oldest ship wharf, recently converted into a nightclub that opens directly onto the fjord, which will offer free welcome drinks, as well as sauna use and barbecues all night long.
Not just for adults
Talk about 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), hosts the Kids’ Corner and Workshop, a place to educate young minds about Bitcoin while having lots of fun. I love when my kids make friends with other Bitcoiners’ kids; they are usually brilliant too.
Whether the event will make them think mum and dad are more or less crazy remains to be seen, but they will be welcomed every day until 10pm CET at Northern Lightning.
Almost sold out
Northern Lightning is less than two weeks away and tickets are selling out fast.
The main conference pass, including access to keynotes, workshops, dinners, meetups and parties, is sold out this weekend. After that, only limited passes will be available, but the limited passes are pretty awesome and you don’t want to miss out.
Cointelegraph is sending a crew to cover Northern Lightning 2023. Join us in Bergen.
