What is Midsummer?
Midsummer celebrates the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. In Sweden it is one of the biggest celebrations of the year, and Midsummer Eve (midsommarafton), although not an official public holiday, is a day off for most people.
The midsummer pole (midsommarstång) is decorated with leaves and flowers and raised in the afternoon; then everyone dances around it, including the famous “Små grodorna” (“The little frogs”), hopping like frogs.
When is Midsummer? Dates for 2026 and 2027
2026
- Friday 19 June 2026Midsummer Eve in Sweden
- Sunday 21 June 2026Summer solstice
2027
- Monday 21 June 2027Summer solstice
- Friday 25 June 2027Midsummer Eve in Sweden
Midsummer Eve in Sweden always falls on the Friday between 19 and 25 June, and Midsummer Day on the Saturday after it. Finland follows the same rule; in Estonia and Latvia the celebrations are on fixed dates, 23 and 24 June.
How people celebrate
- Making flower crowns and raising the midsummer pole.
- A buffet of pickled herring, new potatoes with dill, and the first Swedish strawberries, with drinking songs.
- An old custom: pick seven kinds of wild flowers and sleep with them under your pillow to dream of your future love.
Good to know
- Cities empty out on Midsummer Eve, and many shops and restaurants close: plan ahead.
- Open-air museums such as Skansen in Stockholm hold public celebrations that anyone can join.
- Bring a warm layer and insect repellent: evenings by the water can be cool, and the mosquitoes love the long light.