Winter in Arjeplog & Arvidsjaur 2023

Winter 2023 in Arjeplog and Arvidsjaur

In this guide we have gathered information that is good to know, information about where to eat, places to go and see, and much more. All this to make your visit as enjoyable and memorable as possible. You are all very welcome to our wonderful municipa lities where you can experience all kind of wheathers, extremly beautiful sceneries and a lot of fun activities.

Enjoy your stay!

//Mona Piribauer Piribauer Media +46 (0)70-669 29 48 mona@arjeplogarn.se

Area

Arjeplog: 14 494,16 km2 (Land: 12 557,59 Lake: 1 936,57)

Arvidsjaur: 6 126,3 km2 (Land: 5 655,59 Lake: 470,71)

Number of lakes

Arjeplog: 8 727

Arvidsjaur: More than 4 000

Population (September 2022)

* This year - 2023, it is 50 year since the winter car testing began in Arjeplog. That will be celebrated at several occasions and places in Arjeplog.

* Did you know that you can play padel tennis in an indoor hall in Arvidsjaur? Contact Laponia Hotel.

* Arjeplog Film Festival will be held February 10-12 for the 19th year. There are several films shown, and they will be discussed afterwards.

Enjoy snowmobiling... ...or down hill skiing

Welcome to Arvidsjaur and Arjeplog!

As Mayors of Arjeplog and Arvidsjaur, we are happy to welcome all of you to a very special 2023. And we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all of you for your support and partnership. It is now 50 years ago since the car testing industry began to play a significant role in shaping our community and transforming it into the vibrant and international place it is today.

Our cold climate, once maybe seen as a disadvantage, has now become our greatest asset and has attracted people from all over the world to experience the unique opportunities our nature has to offer. The opening of Arvidsjaur Airport in 1990 was a major

Arjeplog: 2 680 Arvidsjaur: 6 138 milestone in our journey and has facilitated business growth and increased international connections. All year round, different languages can be heard on the streets of our towns. Our hospitality industry continues to thrive, and we are grateful for the opportunity to share our rich Sámi culture, history, and Arctic lifestyle with visitors from around the globe. The car testing industry has also allowed for exciting events such as driving on ice, which have added to our thriving business community.

As we look ahead to the next 50 years, we are filled with excitement and anticipation for the future development of both the car testing industry and our communities. Thank you for being a part of this journey and for your continued support. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.

Sincerely,

Isak Utsi, Mayor and Chair of the Executive Committee in Arjeplog Lasse Forsgren, Mayor and Chair of the Executive Committee in Arvidsjaur

Isak Utsi

Lasse Forsgren. Photo: Arvidsjaur municipality

This and that

The old Dainak Bridge opened for traffic in 1940 and had been strengthened over the years, in various ways. The single-lane bridge reached its technical life (80 years) a few years ago and had to be closed.

The new bridge has now opened for traffic at the beginning of December 2022, six months earlier than expected. It is not covered with asphalt yet and therefore there is a reduced speed.

The citizens' think that the new bridge is not as beautiful as the old one, but that it offers a good view and is wide and nice to drive on.

The bridge is located approximately 18 km west of Arjeplog, on the road to Mausjaur and Båtsjaur.

The old Dainak Bridge wasn´t safe to use anymore, but it had a special apperiance.

Alf Sundström - more then 30 years in the car testing business

Alf Sundström is the CEO of Cartest AB, which is one of the oldest companies in Arjeplog that works with car testing operations. He is about to step down and hand over the business to the next generation, which is his daughters Åse and Anna.

- I've been doing this for over 30 years and I think I've worked hard and that I can step down now, says Alf. I am among the oldest still going in the business, which feels a bit strange.

How did you get involved in the car testing industry?

- I slipped into the testing industry in the early 80s, when *we got in touch with some car testers who were interested in finding an area where they could work. We found a large area at lake Uddjaur, which we still lease from the Church of Sweden.

How do you think the car testing industry has developed?

- We have David Sundström and Pelle Andersson to thank for everything about the car testing, who started this through their service minded thinking. They saw that there was a need and wanted to help. Through the years it has grown incredibly, much more than any of us could have imagined. It is simply an enormous development that has taken place. Nobody thought it would take the turn that it did.

- If I see it from my own perspective, we didn't really know what or how to do when we started. But we've been learning all the time and we've gone the hard way and made mistakes and saw how we could do things better. We have always been very responsive and listened to what our customers wanted.

- You must constantly be ready to see what you can do better or more efficiently.

- We have never done any advertising for ourselves, but our customers have told others that there is a place in northern Sweden where they can conduct climate tests which works very well. The customers have then contacted us.

- What, however, has made a big difference during my 30 years is that earlier we were like a small family with the car testers and you knew everyone personally. We could play badminton, drink beer and take a sauna with our customers and talk about how we would schedule the work for the coming week.

- It has changed completely and now it is more like an industry with work orders via email. The personal community does not remain the same. The industry has grown and it involves so many people, so the truly personal community doesn't exist in the same way - for better or for worse, of course. It's fun that it's growing and getting big, but on a personal level it's a bit of a shame that you no longer have the close personal community like before.

What is the biggest obstacle or the most difficult thing about running a test business?

- Different weather can irritate you, but that's what we have to deal with. Then things has happen that we could never have imagined, such as the pan-

demic or a war in Europe. We do not rely on that, but we have to adapt to it. However, in everyday activities there are no major obstacles. We have so much knowledge about weather and wind and such machinery that we can handle different weather.

Do you see any development potential in your business?

- Every year I have believed that we will soon reach the top and that it cannot get any bigger. I've been wrong every single time and it just keeps getting bigger. I'm colored, of course, but I think that car testing is the driving force in Arjeplog municipality.

I don't think everyone understands how big this is and how much it gives the municipality. Many families also get to let out their houses and earn some money, which surely means that many are positive about the car testing and understand that it gives a lot to the whole municipality.

Is there anything in particular you remember from your 30 years?

- There are so many memorable things. And if it hadn't been so much fun, I would never have lasted this long. There is always something new and exciting happening, which has made it 30 fun years. It is difficult to point out something, but overall it has been fun to follow the development.

- What I do remember, however, is that many people used to talk about what would happen when the testing of the ABS-systems ended. But there has always been something new to test. Right now, it is tests of alternative fuels that apply; electric cars, hybrid cars, hydrogen cars. It is still not possible to simulate everything via computer technology, so you have to do practical tests, which means that I believe that vehicle tests in cold climates will continue for a very long time to come. There is no indication that it will end. I think car testing is here to stay, concludes Alf.

*By "we" in the actual start-up of Cartest in Arjeplog AB, apart from my own family, it was Hilding Flinkfelt and Håkan Fredriksson, Skellefteå (then lessee of Hotel Silverhatten) who had a decisive importance from a financial point of view for the start-up to go well. Without these two who initially put in big commitments with me to keep the financiers happy, it would have been pretty tricky at the beginning. After a number of years, I became the only owner of the companies, which today are both an investment company and an operating company. Back then, car testing was a fairly unknown concept in the financial world and large collateral was required to get cash. Today, the industry is well established and well known, which makes it much easier to carry out future investments.

Alf Åse

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Avoid a wildlife accident

* Adjust your speed - use your seat belt

* Pay extra attention in fields, regeneration areas, lakes and where wildlife fences begin or end.

* Be extra alert from dusk to dawn.

* Remember to look for wildlife - regularly scan the side of the road with your eyes.

* During spring and autumn, the danger of wildlife on the roads is particularly high.

* Always assume that if an animal comes across the road, more will often follow.

* Watch out during snowy winters, when the animals often come out on plowed and salted roads.

If a wildlife collision happens:

* Warn other road users - put out the warning triangle.

* If someone is injured - give first aid.

* Determine where you are. County, road number, any road signs, lakes or similar. Is there access to GPS - note the coordinates.

* Report the wildlife accident - call SOS: 112.

* Leave clear directions when you report an accident.

* Mark the location of the collision, where the animal lies or where it disappeared.

* If you have pain in the head, neck or similar, after the accident - go to see a doctor immediately.

Which animals should be reported if you collide with them in Sweden?

EXTRA INFORMATION FROM THE LOCAL POLICE

Reindeer herding and wildlife warning signs

Wildlife warnings must be taken seriously.

In Sweden there are no wild reindeer – all reindeers have an owner.

Reindeer herding is carried out in areas around both Arvidsjaur and Arjeplog, which means that reindeer can be near to or on the roads.

Large black plastic bags on the side of the road is an extra warning that there can be reindeer on the road ahead, but it is also to try to keep the reindeer from using the roads.

Reindeer are herd animals – if you see one, there´s always more.

Don´t try to outrun reindeer on the road. Pass them at low speed and be aware that they can change direction rapidly.

Wildlife collision - important to report to 112

If you accidently have a wildlife collision, it is very important to report the accident by calling the emergency number 112. To make a report is never penalised, but on the contrary - if you fail to report within four hours, it is considered to be a hit-and-run case which is considered a crime.

You can collect special wild life collision straps at the local Police station, to mark the place of accident.

Golden Eagle/Sea Eagle

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

… you pass an animal (ungulates) on average every 23 seconds, that is less than 300 meters from the car, when driving at 90 km/h. ... there are more than 100 wildlife accidents in Sweden every day.

Source: www.algen.se (Elk Damage Foundation)

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER

Golden Eagle

Moose

Reindeers

ARJEPLOG

Doktor Wallquists Väg 3A Appointment booking: +46 (0)961-148 01 Urgent: +46 (0)961-148 02

ARVIDSJAUR

Sjukstugegatan 3

Appointment booking: +46 (0)960-575 02 Urgent: +46 (0)960-575 01

ACTIVITIES ARJEPLOG

CHURCH OF SWEDEN

Parish of Arjeplog. The church in central Arjeplog is open every day 8-16. Church services on Sundays. For information, time and changes: www.svenskakyrkan.se/ arjeplog-arvidsjaurs-pastorat

VISIT IGLOOTEL IN ARVIDSJAUR!

The hotel and event location is open for guided tours, spa afternoons, overnight stays, as well as the traditional Afterwork Lounge and the new established Late Night Bar from 16. Jan. 2023. News, reservation, opening hours: www.iglootel.de

LAPONIA RESORT

Laponia Resort | +46 960 55 500 info@laponiaresort.se

LAPPLANDSMAT

Restaurant at Arvidsjaur Airport. Mon-Fri 11.00-15.00

Lounge service. Inflight catering. Breakfast pre-booking. Catering and take-away meals. www.lapplandsmat.se +46 72 253 09 60 order@lapplandsmat.se

in Arjeplog & Arvidsjaur 2023

You can pick different berries through the summer. Both blueberries, cloudberries and lingonberry. Here are cloudberries.

ARJEPLOG & ARVIDSJAUR

Snowmobile competition on water during "Let´s go Arvidsjaur".

Mountain views in Arjeplog municipality.

We have great fishing water everywhere.

Travel by train on Inlandsbanan. It passes through both Arjeplog and Arvidsjaur municipalities. Here is the bridge over Pite älv where both trains and vehicles can pass.

The midnight sun lights up our summer nights and makes it possible to be active around the clock.

Play golf on the golfcourse in Arvidsjaur.

Important information for visitors in Arjeplog & Arvidsjaur

Here are some important information and wishes to visitors in Arjeplog and Arvidsjaur municipality, from the local Police and others, with a warm welcome!

TRAFFIC REGULATIONS

Use your seat belt

By law, you must use seat belts in the car, at all times.

Be visible

In Sweden all vehicles must be driven with dipped headlights, even during the daytime. It´s not allowed to combine dipped headlights and fog lights.

When walking outside after nightfall, use reflectors and reflective vests to increase your visibility to others.

Respect the speed limits

There is a 30 km/h speed limit near schools and kindergartens, and a reduction to 40 km/h speed limit in residential areas. Anyone breaking the speed limit increases the risk of an accident and at the same time you risk getting fined or losing your driving license.

Only one minute

You are not allowed to leave the engine of your car running idle for more than one minute.

Mobile phone in the car

It is not allowed to hold the mobile phone when driving.

Snowmobiles

Driving snowmobiles is not allowed in the villages or residential areas, except on marked trails. In some areas driving is forbidden. There is a speed limit of 30 km/h on the trails in Arjeplog and 50 km/h in Arvidsjaur. This is to reduce noise and the risk of accidents. The speed limit outside the residential areas is 70 km/h. Wearing a helmet is a legal requirement. Zero tolerance for alcohol applies to snowmobiles too.

You either need to have a driver's license for snowmobiles or driver's license for cars issued before the year 2000 - or if you only have a regular driver's license (issued after the year 2000) - and the driving takes place within the tourist industry, with all of the following conditions;

a. In a group of no more than ten drivers b. under the direction of a person who holds a driver's license for the vehicle c. along a route determined by him before the journey.

Bring driver's license

Drivers must carry their driver's license with them while driving, otherwise they risk a fine. A passport or other ID document that can prove one's identity should also be brought along.

Narrow roads

Please drive slowly on narrow roads in the countryside. You can suddenly meet the plough-truck, other vehicles or animals.

Don´t drink and drive

Sweden has zero tolerance for drinking and driving. Not only do you risk causing a lethal accident, you also risk losing your driving licence and facing prison sentence.

Parking

Only park where it is allowed and in the driving direction on the right side.

Keep good distance

Finally, we would like to remind you that you should keep a good distance to the vehicle in front, especially in conditions when visibility is reduced (darkness, snow etc.). We experience that many drive in clusters and do not keep long enough distances between them. Furthermore, making risky overtakes in these conditions can cause serious accidents and the driver may be suspected of negligence in traffic. The speed must never be higher than the driver can stop on the visible part of the road in front of him and in front of any foreseeable obstacle.

WARNING

Do not walk on tracks made by snowmobiles

It is easy to walk on tracks made by snowmobiles, but remember that they can sometimes lead you to open water.

Author Tina Harnesk

Tina Harnesk lives with her husband and two children in a village outside of Arvidsjaur and in the autumn, she published her debut novel, "Folk som sår i snö" (Roughly translated – “People who sow in the snow”). She is predicted a bright future and says that she is already writing on her second book.

- I have a number of ideas in my head for several books, says Tina.

The rights to the book "Folk som sår i snö" have already been sold to sixteen countries. Now Tina has resigned from her full-time job at the Library in Arvidsjaur, in order to catch up with all the work around the book and to spend time writing more books.

- After the book was published things really took off. I wasn't really prepared for that, says Tina. For example, I could never have dreamed that the book would be sold to several countries.

What do you think about the book being translated into several languages?

- It has already been translated into English and later it will be translated into other languages. But it will still take place here in northern Sweden. They must not change the story too much.

Have you always been interested in writing?

- Yes, I have always written a lot. But I didn't think I had it in me to write a book.

How long did it take to write the first book?

- It took a few months and I couldn't think about anything but the book while I was writing. I was constantly getting ideas and taking notes on everything I had around me. In addition, I worked full-time at the same time, and have a husband who has been there and taken care of the children a lot in the meantime.

The book is highly recommended.

- Then the editing took a while and it took even longer before it was printed and out on the market.

Where did you get your inspiration from?

- Since I have Sami origins, I am passionate about Sami literature and believe that stories and jojk (lappish song) are part of the Sami literature. I come from a family of storytellers who sometimes also jojk and thought it would be so amazing to open the door to that world. Then, during the pandemic, I started to think about everyone who was cut off from their elders and how horrible it was for everyone. The older Sámi have a very central role in their families and are very important. It must have been devastating not being able to meet and then they would have to learn Skype and Facetime etc.

I had quite a lot of fun thinking about how those meetings could turn out and also the meeting with "Siri" (Swedish Alexa), which is part of the book.

- Then my husband also promised me a dog if I would finish writing the book, laughs Tina.

Is the book grounded in reality or is it made up?

- The story that opens the book and is a common thread, I have inherited and received it. I don't know where it originally came from or how old it is, but I like it so much myself that I chose to continue spinning on it. Then several events are actual historical events, such as one of the descendants who is a forcibly displaced Karesuando Sami. His wife is one of the Sami people who were pushed aside. On the other hand, I have completely ignored geographical aspects, but in my head the book takes place roughly in these areas, but the names of the places are called something else. You take from yourself, so it's hard not to be autobiographical to a certain extent.

You have received rave reviews and praise for the underlying humor in the book.

- I felt that I didn't have to worry about how a book SHOULD be written, that I could decide it

myself. In the past, I couldn't decide whether to write humorously or seriously and pompously. But I decided that I write both, because that's how I talk and that's how I am. I often think that we Sami laugh and joke about what is difficult. When it's too black, then you become sarcastic. I wonder if maybe that's what shines through. It doesn't have to be like that, maybe it's a Jokkmokk thing because in Jokkmokk you are very sarcastic. I have also realized after I moved to Arvidsjaur from Jokkmokk, that the Sami culture in Jokkmokk is so much stronger.

You have been appointed to this year's citizen of Arvidsjaur 2022.

- I was not prepared for that. I love living here, it's the best municipality to live in. I wasn't really ready to move from Jokkmokk when I met my husband Ludvig, but it feels great to live in Arvidsjaur. It is just the right size and there are so many advantages living here, concludes Tina.

VISIT OUR NEIGHBOR MUNICIPALITIES

RACE OF CHAMPIONS SNOW & ICE

2023

PITEÅ HAVSBAD JANUARY 28-29

Summery of the book, from "The Academy bookstore":

"No one will come and tell Máriddja when she is going to die and no one can extract from the 85-year-old the truth about her cancer diagnosis.

Husband Biera in particular must be kept in the dark. The only one she can confide in is "Siri", a switchboard operator in the new telephone machine the old man acquired behind her back.

Kaj's mother is dead without revealing her secret. Can Norrbotten give Kaj a place to put down roots and will Mimmi dare to ask him for what she longs for more than anything? Because the legend says that nothing must be called by its right name because then everything can be lost.

In other words, it is starting to be high time to poach a moose. And burn down a barn".

Reviews:

"... and as she does it! Her novel is burlesque and heartbreaking, populated by colorful unforgettable characters."

- Ingalill Mosander, Aftonbladet Magazine

"People who sow in the snow is a fine novel about two generations marked by the Northern Sami experience: an older generation, which was forcibly moved south as children, and the grandchildren's generation, which grew up without contact with the Sami."

- Yukio Duke, We Read Magazine

"It's often crazy and funny (Máriddja, among other things, engages in long conversations with the digital assistant "Siri" and comes up with the most mind-boggling solutions to her problems). But the absurd is mixed with realistic descriptions of throbbing bodies, heads and hearts. A brilliant debut that warms like double mittens in arctic cold."

- Monika Israelsson, Aftonbladet Sunday

Formel-1 drivers Mick Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel represent Germany. Many other world famous drivers will compete.

Read more: pitehavsbad.se

JOKKMOKK MARKET

(154 km north of Arvidsjaur)

For the 418th time the market will be held February 2-4.

Read more: jokkmokksmarknad.se

ARJEPLOG MARKET

There is a market in Arjeplog too. For almost the 400rd time the market will be held March 10-12.

Read more: arjeplog.se

"Händelser vid vatten" (Blackwater)

During 2021, Swedish Television recorded a TV series in various places in the municipality of Arjeplog. The series is based on Kerstin Ekman's multiple award-winning detective storie "Händelser vid vatten" (Blackwater).

Many citizens of arjeplog were involved during the recordings as extra actors and some also had speaking roles. The biggest roles had for example Rolf Lassgård and Pernilla August. Now in January 2023, the series will air on SVT. It has also been sold to several other countries. Keep your eyes open, you might see an Arjeplogcitizen you recognize in the TV series.

Welcome back to Lapland!

Winter in Arjeplog & Arvidsjaur is published by Piribauer Media. Responsible publisher: Mona Piribauer • Proofreader: Guido van den Berg. Mona: +46 (0)70-669 29 48 • mona@arjeplogarn.se

Print: Lule Grafiska AB, for distribution from January 11, 2023.

Rolf Lassgård with one of Arjeplogs extra actors Kajsa Bremberg.