In the early 18th century when Festvåg was at its biggest, there used to be approximately 40 fishermans cabins around the bay. The landowner was the local "king" and rented out the cabins to fishermen who came for the seasonal cod fisheries in the late winter. In addition to the fishermans cabins the village also had it's own bakery, postal office, fish factory, cod liver oil factory and distillery. Festvåg was important for the local water supply. Today`s water supply from Rørvika lake was established 1950`s. Before it used to come from Heiavatnet lake, half way up to Festvågtind (541 masl) in the period 1880-1950`s. There was a water supply station in the middle of the bay where fishermen and the people from Henningsvær came rowing to fill their water tanks. Before that there were two smaller water supply in Festvåg which that was mainly to Festvåg.
From the middle of the 19th century there was less and less activity in the village. In the 1970's a great fire burned down most of the wooden structures in the middle of the bay. The fish factory and fish storage building was completely destroyed in the fire. At a later stage the landowner built a new building of concrete which for many years was used as a chicken house. In the late 1970's stopped the fish production and continued with egg production. Three of the old houses are now what's left from the village.
The future plan is to rebuild and create more activity in Festvåg bay, but it is important to us that we keep the calmness and nature focus which is such a strong attractiveness of the area.
