Events & Festivals in Stockholm- Spring/Summer 2012

Photo: Erik G Svensson, Stockholm Visitors Board

(ATTENTION: This is the calendar for 2012, to see this year's calendar... click here!) Drum roll please! Here comes one of my more popular annual posts... all to help you plan your summer holidays in Stockholm. This year, it is not summer as usual in Stockholm. First of all there are two festival changes. The organizers of the annual Stockholm Jazz Festival have gotten tired of fighting the weather gods each summer and have now decided to change the festival from an outdoor summer festival to an indoor autumn festival. More on that in September! After changing venues the past two summers, the popular Stockholm Gay Pride Festival comes back home to Tantolunden (a few blocks from the Rival Hotel) where it belongs. Another change to the annual events this year is the fact that Stockholm is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, which means that there will be plenty of sporting events all year long (especially in the summer). I have added some of the larger sporting events to the calendar... but you can check the jubilee's website for a full listing.

April

• 21st- Stockholm Culture Night... throughout the city.
• 28th- Gröna Lund amusement park opens for the season.
• 30th- Walpurgis (Valborg) is celebrated with bonfires. Skansen is a good place to go this evening!

May

• 1st- International Worker's Day (bank holiday). Political demonstrations throughout the city.
• 4th through 17th- World Championships in Ice Hockey at Ericsson Globe Arena. Go Sweden!
• 17th- Ascension Day (bank holiday).
• 22nd- European royalty invade Stockholm for the baptism of Princess Estelle in Stockholm Cathedral (Storkyrkan).
• 24th- the premiere exhibition at the Spritmuseum (Museum of Alcohol)- Absolut Art Collection.
• 25th through 27th- Elitloppet ("the Elite Race"). Harness racing with horses at Solvalla.

June

• 1st through 6th- A Taste of Stockholm (Smaka På Stockholm)- restaurant festival (food, drink & music) in Kungsträdgården park.
• 2nd- Stockholm Marathon.
• 2nd through 10th- 1912-2012 Sailing Regatta in Riddarfjärden.
• 4th through 10th- The Olympic Stadium (Stadion) turns 100! The big party will be on the 9th.
• 6th- the Swedish National Holiday (bank holiday). Once again, Skansen is a good place to go to celebrate.
• 6th through 10th- Early Music Festival in Gamla Stan. Baroque, Renaissance and Medieval music concerts.
• June 8th through July 1st- European Championships in Football. Takes place in Poland and the Ukraine, but sport bars and parks will be bustling in Stockholm... especially as Sweden will be competing! The Rival Hotel will be showing the games on a movie screen in our theater (more info soon)! Go Sweden!
• 12th- Lenny Kravitz concert at Gröna Lund.
• 22nd through 24th- Midsummer celebrations! Arguably, the biggest holiday in Sweden (bank holiday on Friday). The best place to celebrate? Skansen!
• 28th- start (in Stockholm) for the sailing race around Gotland.

July (a little quieter as most Swedes are on vacation during this month).

• 5th through 8th- Swimming competition: Stockholm Summer Games at Eriksdalsbadet.
• 7th- Pearl Jam concert at Globen.
• 10th through 15th- Czech Culture & Beer festival in Kungsträdgården.
• 13th through 15th- Street festival in Kungsträdgården.
• 14th- 1912 Olympic's Jubilee Marathon.
• 22nd- Paul Simon concert at Globen. 

August

• July 30th through August 5th- Stockholm Gay Pride Festival.
• 2nd to 4th & 9th to 11th- Stockholm Oktoberfest (Augustfest?) at Älvsjö.
• 3rd through 5th- Stockholm Music & Arts Festival on Skeppsholmen.
• 9th through 12th- Stockholm Gospel Choir Festival.
• 12th- DN outdoor concert with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
• 14th through 19th- Stockholm Culture Festival (Kulturfestivalen).
• 14th through 18th- Youth Festival (Ung 08).
• 15th- Sweden vs Brazil football game in Råsunda.
• 17th- DN Galan: Diamond League athletics competition at Stadion. 
• 18th- Midnight 10k Run (Midnattsloppet) around Södermalm.
• August 24th through September 1st- Baltic Sea Music Festival.
• 25th & 26th- Stockholm Triathlon.
• 30th- Lady Gaga concert at Globen. Coldplay concert at Stadion. 

September

• 1st- Women's 10K run (Tjejmilen) around Djurgården.
• 15th- Stockholm Half Marathon.
• 29th & 30th- Autumn Market at Skansen.

I will be adding other events as I stumble across them and I will also be writing about most events & festivals in depth as each one approaches in the calendar... so keep checking back!