The first International Notodden Blues Festival was arranged in 1988. Operating, continuously, for twelve years the Festival is held, each year, in the beginning of August.
The International Notodden Blues Festival is by far the largest and most popular blues festival in Northern Europe. Unlike the many "Open Air" festivals, the Notodden Festival is a "Club" based festival. The artist and the audience meet in small, intimate, indoor venues with capacities varying from only 100 up to 3,000 persons. Clubs, bars, theaters, community centers, sports halls, museums, churches, meeting halls and the local library all serve as indoors venues.