Kongeparken has one of the more dramatic origin stories in Norwegian entertainment. The park opened in 1986 as a joint venture between Stavanger municipality and private investors, backed by 220 million kroner in investment. It went bankrupt just two months later. The park changed hands several times through the early 1990s, none of the owners managing to make it work.
The turnaround came in 1997 when the Lund family took over. Their connection to the toy business ran deep: the family had been importing teddy bears to Norway since the 1800s. They reimagined the entire park around a bear theme, turning a failed municipal project into one of southwestern Norway's most visited family destinations. The bear mascot Teddy became the park's identity.
Today Kongeparken sits in the hills above Ålgård in Gjesdal municipality, about 30 minutes from Stavanger. The park features Norway's longest bobsled run at 1,000 metres, a Freia chocolate factory experience, and a mix of rides and play areas spread across a forested hillside. It draws around 200,000 visitors per season, making it one of the largest amusement parks outside the Oslo and Kristiansand area.
Every spring Kongeparken hosts Russefesten, one of Norway's biggest celebrations for graduating high school students. The russ tradition sees final-year students spend May partying in red or blue overalls before their exams, and Russefesten at Kongeparken draws thousands of them from across the country for a multi-day outdoor music and party event.
The turnaround came in 1997 when the Lund family took over. Their connection to the toy business ran deep: the family had been importing teddy bears to Norway since the 1800s. They reimagined the entire park around a bear theme, turning a failed municipal project into one of southwestern Norway's most visited family destinations. The bear mascot Teddy became the park's identity.
Today Kongeparken sits in the hills above Ålgård in Gjesdal municipality, about 30 minutes from Stavanger. The park features Norway's longest bobsled run at 1,000 metres, a Freia chocolate factory experience, and a mix of rides and play areas spread across a forested hillside. It draws around 200,000 visitors per season, making it one of the largest amusement parks outside the Oslo and Kristiansand area.
Every spring Kongeparken hosts Russefesten, one of Norway's biggest celebrations for graduating high school students. The russ tradition sees final-year students spend May partying in red or blue overalls before their exams, and Russefesten at Kongeparken draws thousands of them from across the country for a multi-day outdoor music and party event.
