As the flagship event of Norway Welcome Week 2026, Welcome to Oslo: Community Day, organized by Oslo&Co, brought together 32 organizations over one afternoon at Sentralen.

Around 250 people came by to meet organizations, clubs and communities working across Oslo—from outdoor activities and volunteering to books, creativity, careers, language learning and social events.

Here are the organizations that took part, and where you can find them now.

Welcome to Oslo: Community Day was the flagship event of Norway Welcome Week 2026. From left to right: Andrea Nylund (Oslo&Co), Hannah Gaffey, Gabriella Mikiewicz, and Daria Lagergren (Welcome Week). Photo: Shawn van Zyl.

Social groups & meetups

• Social! Oslo — Social events and activities for meeting people in Oslo.

• Oslo Girl Social — Social events and friendship for women in Oslo.

• Sauma Stories — A monthly storytelling night where people can share a story or simply come and listen.

• Sappho’s Friends — A community for queer women, and nonbinary and trans people, with social and educational events in Oslo.

• Pitch-A-Friend — Events where people give short presentations pitching their single friends to a room of other singles.

• Oslo Book Club — A community for people who want to read and discuss books together.

• Oslo Writer’s League — A community for writers in Oslo.

• Impro Neuf — Oslo’s large improv community, with free beginner workshops and performances in Norwegian and English.

• HOLY CRAFT! — Creative gatherings centred around making things together.

• Felting with Olga Safonova — Creative workshops introducing people to felting and textile crafts.

• Oslo Photo Walks — Group photo walks for exploring Oslo with a camera and meeting other photographers.

• Mellom Space — A space for movement, wellbeing and community activities.

Felting with Olga Safanova (Photo: Oslo&Co / Abrakadabra)

Creator Brunch Club (Photo: Oslo&Co / Abrakadabra)

Discover Oslo

• Radio Latin-Amerika — Oslo-based radio and media serving Latin American and Spanish-speaking communities.

• The Oslo Scoop — A weekly newsletter with a curated guide to what’s happening around Oslo.

• BIMM — An app for deals and offers at restaurants and cafés around Oslo.

• Prismatic Pages — Oslo’s English-language bookshop, with book clubs, swaps, author events, workshops and more.

• Alfaskolen — An Oslo language school offering Norwegian språkkaffeer (language cafes) and courses from beginner through advanced levels.

Oslo Girl Social (Photo: Oslo&Co / Abrakadabra)

DNT (Den Norske Turistforeningen) (Photo: Oslo&Co / Abrakadabra)

Outdoors & activities

• DNT Oslo og Omegn — Oslo’s local DNT association, organizing hikes, outdoor activities and access to cabins and trails.

• OSI Friluft — A student-focused social outdoor association organizing hikes, cabin trips, kayaking, skiing and other activities.

• Oslo Sykkelkjøkkenet — A volunteer-run bicycle workshop and cycling community.

• BUA — Makes sports and outdoor activities more accessible through locations where people can borrow equipment.

• XP Coaching — Provides year-round coaching, training groups, lessons and experience tours celebrating life outdoors in the Oslo area for all skill levels.

Around 250 people attended Welcome to Oslo: Community Day 2026. (Photo: Oslo&Co / Abrakadabra)

32 organizations participated by hosting a stand and sharing their offers with attendees. (Photo: Oslo&Co / Abrakadabra)

Volunteering & getting involved

• Rotaract Oslo International — An English-speaking network for young professionals combining volunteering, learning and social activities.

• JCI Norway & JCI Innovation — Communities for young adults interested in leadership, projects, networking and creating positive change.

• Catalysts — An organization using mentoring to support young people and adults in education, working life and personal development.

• FRI Oslo/Viken & Regnbuevenn — FRI works for LGBTQ+ rights and runs local activities, while Regnbuevenn creates social contact through visits, phone conversations and meetups.

• Caritas — Offers guidance, language activities, courses, and other support through its Ressurssenter in Oslo.

Pitch-A-Friend (Photo: Oslo&Co / Abrakadabra)

Sappho's Friends (Photo: Oslo&Co / Abrakadabra)

Careers, skills, & professional communities

• Sammen om en Jobb — Connects immigrants with mentors who have experience from Norwegian working life, alongside career and community activities.

• Relentlessly — A community where people can meet other builders, start projects, and develop ideas into companies.

• Women in Tech Meetup — A community bringing women in technology together through events and networking.

• Creator Brunch Club — An Oslo community for creatives, founders and independent professionals.

• Splash.no — A community and platform around professional events and connections.

The Oslobokstavene made an appearance

One of the big hits of the event was also the appearance of the Oslobokstavene.

Photo: Oslo&Co / Abrakadabra

Photo: Oslo&Co / Abrakadabra

Photo: Oslo&Co / Abrakadabra

Photo: Oslo&Co / Abrakadabra

Oslo&Co is Oslo's official business development and promotion agency, owned by the City of Oslo. Formerly known as Oslo Business Region, the organization works to attract international talent, businesses, investors, and visitors, while helping make Oslo a welcoming place to live and work.

One part of that work is helping internationals settle into life in Oslo and connect with what the city has to offer. Welcome to Oslo: Community Day, now in its second year, is a practical example of that—bringing local clubs, organizations, and activities together so residents can meet them face-to-face and learn how to get involved.

For the 2026 edition, Oslo&Co organized Community Day as part of Norway Welcome Week, with 32 organizations and around 250 visitors taking part.

The event took place in Marmorsalen at Sentralen, the previous head offices of Christiania Sparebank, a fantastic setting for bringing so many different communities together. The venue was generously made available through Sentralen's MINT programme, which supports social impact initiatives.

A big thank you to Oslo&Co for organizing the event, Sentralen for hosting us, all the participating organizations, and everyone who came by!

Community Day: more than just one afternoon

The organizations above are active throughout the year, with plenty more events, activities, and opportunities to get involved in Oslo.

If something caught your attention, follow the links, see what’s coming up, and give it a try.