Embracing the public’s increased appetite for virtual travel and experiences, Visit Sweden is to enable people around the world to join in with the traditional Midsummer celebrations through a series of virtual events.

Aside from Christmas, Midsummer is the mort important event for Swedes. It’s a tradition which dates back to the 1500s and is when people welcome summer and the season of fertility.

One of the main aspects of the celebration is a midsummer never-ending lunch party involving the raising of a maypole. People attending the celebration gather to sing and dance while wearing flower crowns. They also tuck into some hearty traditional fayre including smoked salmon and pickled herring, strawberries and cream topped off with some tasty schnapps.

This year, Midsummer’s Eve takes place on Friday 19th June, and it will be streamed live on the Visit Sweden Facebook page.

Traditionally, Midsummer is enjoyed throughout the country at open-air museums, community centres, public parks, recreation areas, gardens and summer cottages. To be honest, anywhere in Sweden will do as long as it’s outdoors!

For this year’s celebration, Visit Sweden is encouraging people around the world to join in with several classic activities. These include singing at the table with ‘sill’ and ‘snaps’ and watching traditional dancing around the midsummer pole (maypole) all from the comfort of your own home.

For those who are worried you won’t know what to do; we have some good news. Local Swedish hosts from different regions will be on-hand to guide you through the activities.

Events will be hosted across the country, from Skåne in the South to Swedish Lapland in the North, and viewers can learn skills ranging from making a flower wreath to culinary tips and tricks for a Midsummer family fiesta, as well as enjoying the infamous frog dance – a traditional Swedish dance and song involving movements that illustrate body parts that frogs lack, namely ears (öron) and tails (svansar). Viewers can even tune in to see the midnight sun.

Midsummer’s Eve Schedule (UK times)

  • 10.00 Midsummer wreath making with Karl Fredrik at Eklaholm and snaps flavouring with Österlenskryddor (Österlene Spices), Skåne
  • 12.00 Midsummer Lunch with Ingela Holgersson and family outside Grebbestad, West Sweden Archipelago coastline
  • 14.00 Midsummer Dancing with traditional costume and accordion music with Marie Backlund and family in Vikarbyn, Dalarna
  • 18.00 Picking 7 types of flower and an evening swim in Roslagen
  • 23.00 Skiing under the midnight sun in Riksgränsen, Swedish Lapland

Each live event will last around 15-30 minutes, and there will be written information in between live broadcasts in different languages about the following event.

We hope many of you will take partaking from the comfort of your homes. You can get more information by visiting: www.visitsweden.com.

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