Fourth Centennial Anniversary Market 2005
In 2005 the fourth centennial market was celebrated. Since the first anniversary market was held in 1955, Jokkmokk's Winter Market has grown to be the largest winter festival and tourist magnet of the Scandinavian Arctic Circle region. Art and culture have become as important a feature as commerce. A program leaflet which has become a catalogue with the complete program has been printed and made available since 1962. In the 1970s the municipal government by means of the Tourist Office took control of the market by issuing sale permits. In this way they could maintain a certain level of quality of the wares put on sale. In the 1990s there were up to 25,000 visitors.
For the fourth centennial celebration a project organization within the municipal government was put in charge of coordination and overall planning. The culture administration and institutions such as Ájtte Museum, the Sámi Education Centre and the Swedish church were the backbone of the cultural program. Permanent and temporary taverns, restaurants and cafés met the need for food and entertainment. Hotels, rental cabins and private homes gave lodging to guests from around the world. The market had attracted the attention of the news and was covered by local and international media.
The number of visitors reached 80,000 during the market week. From a large ice stage, built on Talvatis Lake, the Swedish king and queen inaugurated the fourth centennial celebration followed by a preformance of the Norrbotten's Chamber Orchestra. The whole town was in a festive mood, decorated with snow and ice sculptures and burning outdoor torches.
In 2005 the first Historic Market was also held. The traditional three days were now augmented to six. The week began with a worship service in the old church which followed the church rituals of the 1600s. The Historic Market attempts to recreate the experience of a market held 400 years ago and is located on the spot where the first markets were held. Trade is carried on of wares such as hand ground barley flour, homemade ointments, homespun, broadcloth and warm reindeer skin shoes.
