Sustainability
Dalhalla is fundamentally a large-scale reuse project. It’s a former limestone quarry transformed into a spectacular concert venue. Today, Dalhalla is a well-established and globally renowned venue that attracts over 100,000 visitors each summer. Our task is to manage this arena and conduct sustainability efforts that allow Dalhalla to continue to develop, while also preserving it from both a local and global perspective. With Agenda 2030 in mind, we have identified the goals within the UN’s Global Goals for Sustainable Development where we have the greatest opportunity to contribute to a more sustainable world through our operations. Sustainability is an ongoing effort, and we are working to make improvements for every season.
Ecological Sustainability
Leaving as little impact on the environment and climate as possible while making a big impression on our visitors requires careful and conscious choices.
We strive to use locally produced food as much as possible in our restaurant and in the breakfast basket at the glamping site. Vegetarian meals are available at the restaurant and in the food court.
At our sales outlets, we actively work to reduce the use of plastic and evaluate the available alternatives for each season. Food is no longer served on plastic. The beverages available for purchase at our sales outlets are in PET bottles instead of glass, as PET has a lower CO2 footprint during transport compared to glass, is easier to handle, and is easy to recycle. During the 2023 season, we collected a total of three tons of recyclable bottles!
Keeping the arena clean is crucial for both the environment and our visitors. Therefore, we continuously work on waste management. Since 2022, we have stationed personnel at the various waste bins in the arena to ensure waste is placed in the correct bins, facilitating sorting for both visitors and staff.
Sometimes staff members need to move quickly around the arena using vehicles. Since 2022, only electric vehicles have been used to reduce carbon emissions and contribute to a better work environment.
The electricity used at Dalhalla is 100% green energy from Dala Kraft.
Concert Bus - A Sustainable Choice
We encourage visitors to choose the concert bus to Dalhalla. Taking the concert bus round-trip instead of driving your own car is a more sustainable (and convenient!) option. This helps reduce both carbon emissions and traffic congestion to and from the concert. In partnership with Västanhede, buses run from several locations in Dalarna as well as from Gävle.
Social and Economic Sustainability with Local Roots
In a smaller municipality like Rättvik, we play a significant role both in the local tourism industry and as an employer during the summer season. Each season, we have up to 400 people on our payroll, making us one of the largest employers in the municipality. Many of our employees are young people who, by working summer jobs at Dalhalla, get a great start in their working lives.
Each season, several non-profit associations also work at Dalhalla. Their contribution is invaluable to us, while it also generates significant revenue for these associations. This income, in turn, helps fund activities like camps and tournaments for children and youth, or renovations of community centers.
Maintaining and operating Dalhalla requires a lot of work, and we engage local contractors and service providers as much as possible for work and services.
Accessibility
We want everyone to be able to experience Dalhalla. Despite the arena’s hilly terrain, we ensure that people with mobility challenges or other disabilities can get down into the arena smoothly and safely. When booking an accessibility seat, transportation from the parking lot to the reserved spot is included. From these accessibility seats, you get a good view of the stage, and they are also close to accessible restrooms and a kiosk.
For those who don’t require an accessibility seat but for various reasons can’t or prefer not to walk down into the arena, there’s the option to take the arena bus that runs between the parking lot and the concert area.
How can I make sustainable choices as a visitor to Dalhalla?
– Sort your waste properly
– Don’t litter in nature
– Take the concert bus to Dalhalla
– Choose vegetarian meals
Tourism Business of the Year in Dalarna 2023
We believe in a vibrant rural community that benefits both locals and tourists. Every summer, around 100,000 visitors from near and far come to Dalhalla. Many stay overnight at the nearby hotels with which we collaborate, visit local restaurants, cafés, and shops, and take the opportunity to visit other attractions to make the most of their time in the Siljan area. We are proud to contribute to the tourism industry in Dalarna and to have put Rättvik on the map. In 2023, we won the Guldvingen award for Tourism Business of the Year, with the following citation:
“Dalhalla is a driving force for the entire tourism industry in the Siljan region. With new exciting engagements, world-class entertainment, and innovative program offerings, they had a record summer in 2023. Dalhalla is far more than just a world-class concert hall; it’s a destination with well-thought-out logistics and the ability to conceptualize offerings that make guests want to stay longer. Alongside camper vans and motorhomes, there’s now also a glamping village that adds another dimension to the experience.”
Thank you to all of you who choose to visit Dalhalla!
Together, we strengthen the Siljan region and Dalarna.