BLOOM
BLOOM
– festival of nature and science
Bloom is the biggest nature and science festival in Denmark with over 20.000 participants each year. The festival has free entrance and takes place in Søndermarken, Copenhagen on 29–31 May 2026.
Bloom brings science and ideas out of the laboratories and auditoriums and helps us reflect on the world, the universe, and ourselves.
Beneath the swaying treetops of the historic park Søndermarken, Bloom presents some of today’s most acclaimed scientists, researchers, philosophers, and artists. Explore talks, walks, music, and art while casting a curious gaze on the mysteries and wonders of nature.
Bloom takes place in Søndermarken in Copenhagen on 29–31 May 2026 and is free for everyone to attend.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE CONTENT AT BLOOM 2026
FRIDAY
18.00-18.45
The Mushroom at the End of the World / Anna Tsing / Mastermind / Summer
What can a small, aromatic mushroom reveal about survival and cooperation in an era defined by climate crisis and capitalism? World-renowned anthropologist Anna Tsing follows the matsutake mushroom along its path through global trading markets, gourmet kitchens, and altered landscapes.
18.00-18.45
A Taste of... Space Miso / Joshua David Evans & Kim Wejendorp / Sprout
Could miso fermented in space pave the way for the food systems of the future? A food scientist and a development chef discuss fermentation techniques in new environments and their potential to create more flavourful, nutritious and sustainable food.
19.00-19.50
School of X / Concert / Under the Oak
School of X aims for the heavens as he opens this year’s Bloom with his sharp-edged indie pop.
20.00-20.45
The Search for a Planetary Intelligence / James Bridle / Mastermind / Summer
We created the computer based on a far too narrow idea of intelligence. What if the computers and AI systems of the future were inspired by natural forms of intelligence such as cockroaches, crabs, or bee swarms? British technologist and author James Bridle unfolds his provocative vision for a new kind of technology created in tune with nature.
22.00-22.50
Miaw / Concert / Under the Oak
Miaw invites you into their hybrid universe of deconstructed club music infused with hyperpop and shoegaze.
22.50-00.00
Malika Mahmoud / DJ / Sprout
Malika Mahmoud will heat up the Friday dance floor with her eclectic, genre-blending sound.
SATURDAY
11.30-12.30
The Secret of Our Skin / Andrea Heinz / Wanderlust
Pollution, sun, ultra-processed food – our skin has to put up with a lot. Skin researcher Andrea Heinz studies one of the skin’s overlooked secrets, the protein elastin, which helps keep our skin stay healthy and flexible throughout our lives.
12.00-12.45
Unearthed / Signe Lykke & NOVO Quartet / Concert (with presentations by Donald Canfield & Eline Lorenzen) / Under the Oak
Can 540 million years of Earth's deep history be transformed into classical music? Composer Signe Lykke, in dialogue with leading climate scientists, has created a new quartet piece for the NOVO Quartet inspired by the fundamental elements of our planet.
13.30-14.15
Timefulness / Marcia Bjornerud / Mastermind / Summer
Human time is only a small chapter in Earth’s deep history. American geologist and master storyteller Marcia Bjornerud believes geology can teach us a completely different and deeper way of thinking about time.
14.15-14.55
Alba Akvama / Concert / Under the Oak
Emerging indie artist Alba Akvama hypnotises Søndermarken with her dreamy bedroom pop.
15.15-16.00
The Science of Imagination / Adam Zeman / Mastermind / Summer
Can you see images in your mind – or nothing at all? Imagination is a crucial part of how our brains work, but not all brains create a vivid inner world of images. Neurologist Adam Zeman explains the latest findings in imagination research.
16.00-16.30
Til Gaia / Vigdis Vokalensemble / Concert / Under the Oak
The ensemble choir Vigdis takes us on a journey through nature's beauty, destruction, and renewal in a series of experimental choral concerts.
16.45-17.30
The Mind of a Bee / Lars Chittka / Mastermind / Summer
What is it like to be a bee? Enter the minds of the intellectual giants of the insect world with German bee researcher Lars Chittka.
18.00-19.00
The Histories of Our Planet / Anna Tsing & Marcia Bjornerud / Symposium / Summer
The history of the Earth is not only one about humans. Two of this year's Masterminds, anthropologist Anna Tsing and geologist Marcia Bjornerud, retell the planet's multifaceted history in conversation with Lotte Folke — now with rocks, fungi, water hyacinths, and jellyfish in the leading roles.
18.30-19.30 & 20.00-21.00
The Life of Ants / David Nash / Wanderlust
Ant researcher David Nash sheds light on the fascinating sensory world, symbiotic relationships, and complex societies of these highly successful insects.
19.00-19.50
Østen / Concert / Under the Oak
Danish songwriter sensation Østen transforms rain-soaked thoughts into flickering points of light with his personal pop.
22.00-22.45
Debbie Sings / Concert / Under the Oak
The atmosphere turns electric beneath the oak trees when Debbie Sings gets the party going with her ecstatic blend of hyperpop and electro house.
22.45-00.00
B FROM E / DJ / Sprout
B FROM E revives the high-energy, timeless rave spirit of the 90s with fast and hypnotic house music.
SUNDAY
11.15-12.00
The Medical Secrets of Animal Kind / Antoine de Morree, Lene Juel Rasmussen & Julien Duxin / Symposium / Spring
Could the next great medical breakthrough lie in the winter dens of brown bears, the ageing process of fruit flies, or the DNA of spadefoot toads? Three researchers introduce us to biomedicine’s attempts to uncover evolution’s hidden strokes of genius.
11.15-12.00
Land as Teacher / Terrence Radford & Rasmus Astrup / Symposium / Sprout
Can landscape architecture be rooted in indigenous knowledge? Two landscape architects come together in conversation about designing the cities and natural environments of the future by thinking seven generations ahead.
12.00-12.45
Unearthed / Signe Lykke & NOVO Quartet / Concert (with presentations by Donald Canfield & Eline Lorenzen)
Can 540 million years of Earth's deep history be transformed into classical music? Composer Signe Lykke, in dialogue with leading climate scientists, has created a new quartet piece for the NOVO Quartet inspired by the fundamental elements of our planet.
12.15-13.00
Awe – The Science of Wonder / Dacher Keltner / Mastermind / Summer
The American psychologist Dacher Keltner invites us to rediscover the power of awe — for his research shows that the ability to meet the world with awe and wonder holds nothing less than the key to a good life.
12.30-13.30 & 14.00-15.00
Mass Flowering / Ana Prohaska / Wanderlust
Every four or five years, all the trees in a forest bloom simultaneously. But how is this vital natural phenomenon being affected by a warming climate? Paleoecologist Ana Prohaska studies fossilized pollen DNA from prehistoric mass flowering events in search of answers that could help preserve the forest landscapes of the future.
13.15-14.00
The Physics of Life's Emergence / Sara Imari Walker / Mastermind / Summer
What is life? How does it arise? And can we create it ourselves? Astrobiologist and theoretical physicist Sara Imari Walker tackles the great, mysterious question of what life is with an unorthodox new theory.
14.30-15.05
Barbro / Concert / Under the Oak
With poetic nerve and hopeful melancholy, Barbro's vulnerable indie pop gives voice to a world in flux. Catch one of Denmark's most progressive singer-songwriters at Bloom, when Barbro takes the stage Sunday afternoon.
15.00-16.00
Walking with Awe / Gehl Architects / Wanderlust
Something as simple as a walk in nature can open the door to one of the most transformative emotions we humans can experience: awe. Join an architect and an anthropologist on an 'awe walk' inspired by Mastermind Dacher Keltner's research on emotions.
17.15-18.00
A Taste of... Ants / Veronica Sinotte & Juan Agustín Muñoz / Sprout
Why do some ants taste of lemongrass, lime and vinegar? This tiny insect has played a culinary role in cultures from Colombia to Bulgaria for centuries – and has found its way into modern food laboratories. Join a microbiologist and a development chef for a journey into the ants’ fascinating and flavourful world.
18.15-19.00
AySay / Concert / Under the Oak
AySay captivates Søndermarken with their psychedelic blend of Anatolian folk music and electronic pop.
ART
During the entire festival, you can experience unique artworks, installations, and performances that bridge science and art.
Last Survivors / Stine Deja / Installation
Artist Stine Deja has created three giant hybrids of humans and one of the world’s most resilient organisms: the microscopic tardigrade. Her work 'Last Survivors' is a spectacular vision of the future, depicting survival in an extreme world.
Talking Trees / Cecilie Waagner Falkenstrøm / Installation
What would the trees say if we could talk to them? Artist Cecilie Waagner Falkenstrøm lets nature speak back as the interactive work Talking Trees gives voice to the trees of Søndermarken.
Til Gaia / Vigdis Vokalensemble / Concert / Under the Oak
The ensemble choir Vigdis takes us on a journey through nature's beauty, destruction, and renewal in a series of experimental choral arrangements in both pop-up and concert format.
The Lung of Prometheus / Mikkel Rostrup / Installation
A silver-shimmering lung breathes among the trees on Søndermarken's iconic hill, Lindehøjen. It belongs to Prometheus — the titan from Greek mythology who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humanity, who used it to build advanced civilizations and technologies.
Ven / Simon Hjermind Jensen / Installation
Sewn architecture inspired by nature’s forms. A familiar figure returns to Bloom as architect Simon Hjermind Jensen once again installs his 6-metre-high creation ‘Ven’ (meaning 'Friend' in Danish) in Søndermarken.
