Ideas / Brand experiences / Lapland

Aurora on call

Dinner runs normally until the aurora alert fires. Then everyone walks out to a spot that's already lit and waiting.

Illustration for Aurora on call

How it runs

  1. 19:00Dinner starts as usual.
  2. All eveningSomeone watches the sky and the forecast.
  3. AlertEveryone out: a five-minute walk to a dark spot, warm drinks and a photographer already there.
  4. AfterBack inside for dessert.

What to know

  • Nobody can promise the aurora. Anyone who does is guessing.
  • It needs a clear, dark sky, away from town lights.
  • If nothing happens, the evening still works as a very good dinner.

Good for

Any winter dinner in Lapland.

Not for

Anyone who needs a guaranteed show.

Questions planners ask

How often do you actually see the aurora?

It depends on the sky more than anything. On clear, dark nights in Lapland the chances are good; on cloudy ones, nothing helps.

What does the photographer do?

Takes group and individual shots, so nobody spends the moment fighting their phone camera.

What if we're inside when it starts?

That's the point of the alert. Someone outside watches, and the walk is under five minutes.

Thinking of doing this?

Borrow the idea, it's yours. If you'd like a hand, or just a second opinion on whether it suits your group, write to me. I produce ideas like this one at Sorry, No Polar Bears, a Helsinki studio I co-run.

Email me