Festivals & Events in Stockholm - Spring, Summer and Fall 2015

National Day Celebration. Photo: Ola Ericson/imagebank.sweden.se

(EDIT: This is the calendar for 2015, for the current calendar... click here!) Much anticipated, here it comes... my annual calendar of fun events happening in Stockholm with special appeal for visitors. As usual, keep in mind that this is a work in progress and I often add new events as they become known (or I stumble upon them). Not all events are listed, just the larger ones. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel and are looking for more obscure happenings, smaller events or more information on the events listed here, contact me directly and I will see what I can find. While some events listed might not be of interest to you, it is good to know that they are going on as some of them can cause traffic problems (marathon), high occupancy rates at hotels (concerts & matches) and/or closures of businesses (bank holidays). As I write this, several of the event websites aren't up and running yet or haven't been adjusted for 2015. Just check back when we get closer to the actual date.
I have noted the larger arena concerts taking place. There are also many concerts going on all summer long at the Gröna Lund amusement park. Below you will find some of the international artists performing there... but you can check their whole concert schedule with 45+ shows by clicking here (lots of great Swedish artists).

April

• 1st: Stockholm City Bike season starts.
• 3rd-6th: Easter Weekend. Keep in mind that both Friday and Monday are bank holidays in Sweden.
• 10th: "Chess in Concert" at the Ericsson Globe Arena.
• 11th & 12th: Medieval Market at Kungsträdgården.
• 13th: Stockholm football derby. Hammarby vs Djurgården at Tele2 Arena.
• 16th: "The Legend of Zelda" at the Ericsson Globe Arena.
• 17th-19th: "Market Art Fair" at Liljevalchs.
• 18th: Cherry Blossom Day at Kungsträdgården.
• 25th: Alesso concert at the Ericsson Globe Arena.
• 25th: The amusement park Gröna Lund opens for the season (weekends only in the beginning).
• 25th: Stockholm Culture Night. Over 300 free cultural events throughout the city.
• 25th: Women's Health Half Marathon.
• 30th: Walpurgis Eve (Valborgmässoafton) is celebrated throughout the city with bonfires. Skansen is a good place to experience this.

May

• 1st: International Workers' Day (bank holiday). Political demonstrations in the city.
• 2nd: "Stand-Up for Stockholm" with Eddie Izzard at the Ericsson Globe Arena.
• 3rd: Lidingöloppet UltraMarathon. 
• 4th: Stockholm football derby. AIK vs Hammarby at Friends Arena.
• 14th: Ascension Day (Kristi Himmelsfärdsdag). Bank holiday.
• 17th: Norwegian National Holiday. Watch the festivities at Skansen.
• 21st: Ariana Grande concert at the Ericsson Globe Arena.
• 25th: Stockholm football derby. Djurgården vs AIK at Tele2 Arena.
• 29th-31st: Elitloppet. Popular harness racing with horses at Solvalla.
• 30th: Stockholm Marathon.

June

• 3rd-7th: A Taste of Stockholm. Food/restaurant festival in Kungsträdgården.
• 3rd-7th: Stockholm Early Music Festival in Gamla Stan (baroque, medieval and renaissance music).
• 4th: Sam Smith concert at Gröna Lund.
• 6th: Swedish National Holiday. Main celebrations at Skansen.
• 10th: Mariyn Manson concert at Gröna Lund.
• 12th & 13th: Summerburst Festival (contemporary music) at Gärdet.
• 13th: Royal wedding between HRH Prince Carl Philip and Miss Sofia Hellqvist.
• 14th: Sweden vs Montenegro (qualification match for men's European Championships in Football) at Friends Arena.
• 19th-21st: Midsummer Weekend. Arguably, the biggest holiday in Sweden. The best place to celebrate? Skansen!
• 25th-28th: AF Offshore Race. Sailing race with festival at Skeppsholmen. 
• 28th: Billy Idol concert at Gröna Lund.

July (generally a slower month event-wise as most Swedes have their vacation then and leave the city)

• 2nd: Noel Gallagher concert at Gröna Lund.
• 2nd-5th: Stockholm Street Festival at Kungsträdgården.
• 3rd: Alice Cooper concert at Gröna Lund. 
• 9th: Paul McCartney in concert at Tele2 Arena.
• 14th: Robert Plant concert at Gröna Lund.
• 19th: AC/DC in concert at Friends Arena.
• 25th: Roxette in concert in front of Sjöhistoriska.
• 27th- August 2nd: Stockholm Gay Pride Festival.
• 30th: Stockholm Bauhaus Athletics (former DN Galan). International track & Field competition at Stadion.

August

• 1st & 2nd: Continuation of the Stockholm Gay Pride Festival.
• 1st&2nd: Stockholm Music & Arts Festival on Skeppsholmen. 
• 3rd: Lenny Kravitz in concert at Gröna Lund.
• 5th-9th: EuroGames Stockholm. LGBT sporting competition and festival.
• 11th-15th: We Are Sthlm. Europe's largest youth festival. In Kungsträdgården.
• 11th-16th: Stockholm Culture Festival. Free, free, free... everything "cultural".
• 12th-16th: Stockholm Film Festival's 16th annual Summer Cinema (free evening movies in Rålambshovs Park).
• 15th: Midnattsloppet on Södermalm. Evening 10k race (Europe's largest) with festival atmosphere.
• 22nd & 23rd: Stockholm Triathlon. Swimming, running & biking... in the middle of the city.
• 23rd: Stockholm football derby. Djurgården vs Hammarby at Tele2 Arena.
• 24th-30th: Baltic Sea Festival (classical music) at Berwaldhallen.
• 28th & 29th: Popaganda. Pop music festival at Eriksdalsbadet.

September

• 5th: Tjejmilen. Women's 10k run... very popular.
• 8th: Sweden vs Austria (qualification match for men's European Championships in Football) at Friends Arena.
• 12th: Stockholm Half Marathon.
• 12th & 13th: Finnkampen. Annual Sweden vs Finland track & field competition. Stadion.
• 16th, 17th, 20th & 21st: U2 in concert at the Ericsson Globe Arena.
• 24th-26th: Beer & Whisky Festival at Nacka StrandsMässan (also in October).
• 25th-27th: Lidingöloppet. Cross country race.
• 25th: The amusement park Gröna Lund closes for the season. Celebratory concert with Europe!
• 26th: Speedway GP at Friends Arena.
• 26th & 27th: Autumn Market at Skansen.
• 27th: Stockholm football derby. AIK vs Hammarby at Tele2 Arena.

October

• 1st-3rd: Beer & Whisky Festival at Nacka StrandsMässan (also in September).
• 9th-18th: Stockholm Jazz Festival at various locations in the city.
• 12th: Sweden vs Moldavia (qualification match for men's European Championships in Football) at Friends Arena.
• 19th-25th: Stockholm Open (tennis) at Kungliga Tennishallen.
• 26th-30th: Höstlov (autumn break for Swedish school children).
• 30th: Comic Con at Friends Arena.
• 31st: Stockholm City Bike season ends.

November

• 11th-22nd: Stockholm International Film Festival.
• 14th: Madonna in concert at Tele2 Arena.
• 26th-29th: Stockholm International Horse Show at Friends Arena.

Kastellholmen. Photo by Ola Ericson/imagebank.sweden.se