Midsummer in Sweden: How Swedes Celebrate the Festival of Light

For many Swedes, Midsommar (Midsummer) is the most important celebration of the year – for some even more important than Christmas. It marks the height of summer, when the days are longest and in large parts of the country it barely gets dark at all. If you are in Sweden at this time, you will see the country at its most cheerful.

When is Midsummer?

The festival is not tied to a fixed date but to the day of the week. Midsommarafton, Midsummer Eve, always falls on the Friday between 19 and 25 June. This is the main day of celebration. The actual holiday, Midsommardagen, is the Saturday that follows. Officially the Friday is not a public holiday, but in practice almost everyone has the day off.

The maypole

At the centre of it all is the midsommarstång, also called the majstång. This is a tall pole decorated with birch leaves and flowers, usually with a crossbar and two wreaths. It is raised together in the early afternoon. Then young and old dance in a ring around it, accompanied by fiddle and accordion. The best-known song is Små grodorna (The Little Frogs), during which everyone hops around imitating frogs. Joining in is very much encouraged, guests included.

Flower crowns and an old custom

Many people wear a home-made crown of wildflowers and birch twigs in their hair on this day. Midsummer also comes with an old folk belief: if you pick seven different flowers on Midsummer night and put them under your pillow, you will see the person you are going to marry in your dreams.

What’s on the table?

The festive meal is simple and summery and, weather permitting, served outdoors:

• Sill: pickled herring in various marinades, for example with mustard, onions or dill.
• Färskpotatis: the first new potatoes of the year, boiled with dill.
• Gräddfil and chives: soured cream with fresh chives as a side.
• Crispbread and cheese: often the strong Västerbottensost.
• Strawberries: on their own with cream or as a strawberry cake (jordgubbstårta) for dessert.

This is accompanied by beer and small glasses of schnapps. Before each glass, a drinking song is sung, a snapsvisa. The most famous is called Helan går. How Swedes approach the subject otherwise is explained in our article on alcohol in Sweden.

Where can travellers join in?

Midsummer is a countryside celebration. Many Swedes head to their summer house or to relatives, and city centres feel deserted that weekend. Even so, there are public celebrations almost everywhere where visitors are welcome – in village parks, local heritage museums and at campsites.

• Dalarna: the region around Lake Siljan is considered the heart of the Midsummer tradition. In places like Leksand and Rättvik thousands gather, many in folk costume.
• Stockholm: the open-air museum Skansen celebrates with music, dancing and a maypole.
• Northern Sweden: north of the Arctic Circle the sun does not set at all at this time of year. Here you can experience the midnight sun.

Tips for planning your trip

• Book accommodation and ferries early – the Midsummer weekend is in very high demand.
• Do your shopping in good time. On the Friday many shops close early or stay closed, as do many restaurants and museums.
• Expect heavy traffic out of the cities on Thursday and Friday morning, and in the other direction on Sunday.
• Pack a rain jacket and a warm jumper. Midsummer weather is notoriously unreliable.

Sunshine or drizzle, there will be dancing, singing and eating either way. Once you have been there, you will understand why Swedes look forward to this one day all year long.