A small fishing village nestled deep within the Arctic Circle has captured international attention by officially declaring itself the world’s first “time-free zone.” The residents of Sommarøy (Summer Island), where the sun dictates life’s schedule, have initiated a symbolic move to free themselves from the tyranny of the clock.

The village, located west of Tromsø, experiences two extreme natural phenomena: the Midnight Sun and the Polar Night.

For a remarkable 69 consecutive days from late spring to mid-summer (May to July), the sun never dips below the horizon, bathing the island in continuous daylight. During this endless summer, the villagers’ lifestyles follow a spontaneous, nature-driven rhythm:

• Midnight Play: Children are seen playing football and swimming at 2 a.m., with no traditional bedtime.
• Unscheduled Chores: Residents mow lawns, paint houses, and go for coffee on the beach whenever the mood strikes, regardless of the hour.
• Flexible Commerce: Shops and local businesses operate on a flexible, convenience-based schedule rather than fixed hours.

“When you have 24 hours of light, it doesn’t make sense to talk about bedtime or dinner time,” said [Insert a generic local name, e.g., Kjell Ove Hveding], one of the key islanders behind the initiative. “We want to provide full flexibility to make the most of the sun.”

Conversely, from late November to mid-January, the sun never rises for another 69 days of Polar Night. The island is plunged into perpetual darkness, illuminated only by the ethereal glow of the moon, stars, and the spectacular Northern Lights.

The “time-free zone” concept, which involved symbolically placing discarded watches on a bridge connecting the island to the mainland, began as an initiative to formalize a generations-old way of life—encouraging people to live by the natural light and their own internal clocks.

The proposal, which has been presented to local lawmakers, is an acknowledgment that in a place governed by such extreme light cycles, the hour hand holds little meaning.

While formal legal recognition for abolishing time entirely remains a complex issue, the symbolic declaration has cemented Sommarøy’s identity as a haven for a stress-free, intuitive existence—a powerful reminder to the rest of the world that time is, ultimately, a human invention.