Visit Sweden launches ‘Midsummer Live’, 19 June

Visit Sweden is inviting people from around the world to experience the joy of Midsummer through a series of virtual events. On Friday 19 June, Midsummer’s Eve, the country’s most beloved traditions will be shared through live stream on Visit Sweden’s Facebook page. Grocery lists and recipes will be shared on Visit Sweden’s Facebook page in advance, for those who want to take part in cooking a Midsummer feast at home. Recipes for a Strawberry Cake and Cured Salmon can already be found here and here.

Next to Christmas, Midsummer is the most important event for Swedes, which is traditionally held to welcome summer and the season of fertility and dates back to the 1500s. The iconic Midsummer never-ending lunch party formula involves raising a maypole, where people gather to dance and sing, alongside wearing flower crowns, drinking schnapps and devouring smoked salmon and pickled herring paired with new potatoes, chives and sour cream, as well as summer’s first strawberries with cream.

Traditionally, Midsummer is enjoyed throughout the country at open-air museums, community centers, public parks, recreation areas, gardens and summer cottages. In fact, anywhere in Sweden will do as long as it’s outdoors. This year, Visit Sweden invites viewers to take part in classic Midsummer activities, such as singing at the table with ‘sill’ and ‘snaps’, watching traditional dancing around the midsummer pole (maypole) and much more from the comfort of their own home, garden or outdoor space and get inspired for a cultural holiday in Sweden – when the time is right.

Local Swedish hosts from different regions will guide viewers in English through the activities and share their personal midsummer traditions. Since all major midsummer events in Sweden have been cancelled, this will give people all over the world a unique and immersive way to join a genuine, private midsummer party.

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.

Schedule, Friday, June 19^th (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.

Other links, recipes and information