New Year's Eve with children in Oslo
The rules for fireworks
Banned inside Ring 2
Fireworks in categories 2, 3 and 4 are banned inside Ring 2, and in the areas of protected timber housing at Kampen and Vålerenga. This is a municipal regulation, not a recommendation — and many who live there are unaware of it.
From 6pm to 2am
Setting off fireworks is permitted for eight hours, from 6pm on 31 December to 2am on 1 January. Outside that window it is not allowed, including the evening before.
Stick rockets are banned
They have been illegal in Norway since New Year 2008/2009. If you see them for sale, something is wrong.
18-year age limit
For both buying and using. A fifteen-year-old cannot set fireworks off themselves, whoever is standing next to them.
With children in the house
Celebrate midnight early
The most common solution in families with small children is to have «midnight» at eight: a countdown, fizzy drinks in proper glasses and perhaps a sparkler in the yard, then bed. Children below school age get nothing out of being kept awake until twelve, and the next day is long for everyone.
The noise is the problem, not the lights
Most small children find fireworks lovely to look at and awful to listen to. Ear defenders — the same ones you'd use at a football match — often make all the difference, and they cost little. Bring them even if you are only watching from the window; the bangs carry indoors too.
Watch other people's instead of buying your own
With a child in a pram or in your arms, handling fireworks yourself is not a good idea. A high point with a view over the city gives the whole experience without any of the risk, and you can go home when your child has had enough.
1 January the city is closed
New Year's Day is a public holiday: shops, most museums and many places to eat are closed. If you have planned an activity that day, check that it is actually open — and do your shopping the day before.
This year's New Year events are arranged in December, so we do not list them here. Our calendar is harvested daily:
Sources
The rules were checked on 12 August 2026. The exclusion zones can change, so check the city's map before buying anything.