Drammen will celebrate its bicentenary throughout the year 2011 with aerial acrobatics, local amateurs, professional musicians, historic tableaux, comedy, veteran cars, dance, rock and classical music, and local foods. All this will come together in the biggest birthday celebrations ever on 19 June 2011. And everyone is invited to join in!

The anniversary will be marked by five major events:
• New Year's Eve 2010 – fireworks and entertainment at Bragernes town square
• FIS World Cup Drammen at Konnerud ski arena 19 and 20 February 2011
• Main Anniversary Event on 19 June
• Drammen Elvefestival (music festival) 19-21 August 2011
• Events related to United Nations Day on 24 October

The opening event on New Year’s Eve marked the transition to the anniversary year 2011. The event had a duration of one hour and included an arts and culture program, and spectacular fireworks.

FIS World Cup Drammen is scheduled at Konnerud ski arena 19 and 20 February.

The grand anniversary celebration on 19 June at Bragernes town square will arouse national awareness, create enthusiasm for the city of Drammen and ultimately offer Drammen a unique artistic and cultural experience. The show will mirror Drammen’s history in a diverse and surprising way. It is an important premise that the show embraces the different cultural communities in the city. The show will be the highlight of the anniversary celebrations.

In developing the show, the emphasis is on:
• Focusing on the past, present and future of Drammen
• Highlighting the city's art and culture
• Involving city residents
• Combining the amateur and professional forces at a local level

The celebrations will stretch over several days in advance of 19 June. The children's culture week will take place a week before the anniversary, and there are plans for an extensive cultural program with a youth profile on 18 June. Among other activities woth mentioning are the opening of the new Strømsø Square, a national rowing duel on the Drammen River between students from universities and colleges in Norway, and a large gathering of the city’s sports, choir, band and dance groups .

Drammen Elvefestival (music festival) in August is also included in the anniversary events calendar.

The events in connection with United Nations Day will have a special focus on Drammen as an international and a multicultural city. The global perspective will also be lifted up in the events. Young people from the United States, Bosnia and Drammen’s twin cities will be invited. Art and culture will be the focus when the youngsters meet for cooperation and workshops on local and global issues.

Other events
In addition to the five major events there will take place a number of other events and activities in 2011. The bicentennial committee has decided that certain criteria must be met for receiving funding, as well as being included in anniversary calendar of events:

• Be a celebration of, for and with the city's population
• Have a local historical perspective
• Have a contemporary and up-time perspective
• Be relevant to the city anniversary
• Contribute to boost the city’s profile and reputation in a positive way
• Provide a greater awareness of the city’s qualities
• Focus on the important perspectives of the municipality plan, as diversity, inclusion and sustainable development
• To the greatest extent possible, using local actors
• Be self-funded, or funded from the municipality

Byen Vår Drammen AS
The company Byen Vår Drammen AS is responsible for the following tasks in connection with the city anniversary:
1. Total responsibility for the five main events
2. Plan for comprehensive public relations and promotion of the city anniversary
3. Cooperation and agreements with business and business organizations

Commemorative Books
It is desirable to involve the city's population to a large extent. As an example it can be mentioned that there will be a total of 200 different sporting events. It has been provided financial support to five commemorative books. Drammens Museum is planning a major historical anniversary exhibition. Drammen Kunstforening (Art Society) will present an exhibition showing Drammen artists through 200 years. Kindergartens and schools, associations and clubs, art and culture are involved in various commemorative events.

Johan Halvorsen from Drammen is one of the great classical composers in Norway. Martin Haug, a local musician, has for years hosted the Johan Halvorsen's Music Festival, that also will be held in 2011.

The bicentennial committee has adopted a 200 anniversary place in each city district:
Konnerud - Verkenselva / Svensedammen
Skoger – Skoger old church
Austad / Fjell – Fjell school
Gulskogen - Gulskogen farm and park
Åssiden – Åssiden River Park
Bragernes - Bragernes square and park
Strømsø - Marienlyst area
Tangen/Åskollen - Nordbylunden

The future Drammen
The city anniversary will be a manifestation of a targeted environment and urban development program that has upgraded the city's public spaces. Drammen stands today as an aesthetically beautiful city with good reputation. Vision of a dense, diverse and vibrant city in a beautiful landscape is about to be realized.