Festivals in August

Photo by Yanan Li, Stockholms Visitors Board

July is the month when most Swedes have their summer vacation and, therefore, most Stockholmers leave the city for their summer homes or trips abroad. Because of this, there aren't many big festivals in the city during July. But Stockholmers are returning to the city now and festival season is starting!

• First out is the finals of the Women's Euro-Championships in Football(Soccer). It will be held at the new Friends Arena on July 28th. While this isn't a festival per se, it will hopefully be a festival atmosphere. Especially if Sweden, who has been playing quite well, makes it to the finals. Fingers crossed! Edit: :( 
• The gay pride festival, called simply Stockholm Pride, kicks off on Wednesday, July30th and runs through Saturday, August 3rd. This is Scandinavia's largest gay pride festival and it attracts people from far and wide. Besides the festival area, filled with restaurant tents and live performances from big name artists, the big event is the pride parade which takes place on Saturday. Stockholmers tend to come out in the hundreds of thousands to see the parade snake through the city.
• On the same weekend, August 2nd-4th, the Music & Art Festival will be taking place on the island of Skeppsholmen. A varied line-up of artists will be performing, though the big ticket name is Prince (performing on Sunday evening).
• Next out are two side-by-side festivals. The main one is the Stockholm Culture Festival (August 13th-18th). This covers everything cultural... with music, art, literature, live performances and much more going on throughout downtown Stockholm. The best part is that it is all free (no admission)! Going on simultaneously (August 13th-17th) is the youth festival We Are Sthlm (formerly known as Ung08) in Kungsträdgården park. 

Those are the big festivals, but there are even other smaller festivals as well as concerts and sporting events going on in August. Check the full calendar by clicking here.

Photo by Yanan Li, Stockholm Visitors Board