Valborgsmässoafton or simply “Valborg” (Walpurgis Night in English) is part of the Swedish cultural events calendar and is celebrated on the last day of April, followed by the public holiday of May Day on May 1st.
Where does the name come from?
The night is named after a British Saint and is celebrated all over Europe, but ironically, it’s not widely known or celebrated in the UK. Walpurgis Night is the English translation of Walpurgisnacht, one of the Dutch and German names for the night of 30th April, the eve of the feast day of Saint Walpurga, an 8th-century English woman who moved to Germany to evangelize the Germans, became an abbess and was canonized in 870 by Pope Adrian II. Walpurgis Night is the name for the eve of her day, which coincides with May Day.
Witches night
The night is also called Hexennacht in German or heksennach in Dutch, literally “Witches’ Night”. As with most European traditions, Walpurgis Night has its roots in ancient pagan customs and festivals. The original pagan festival heralded the onset of the growth season. It attempted to ward off evil, ensure fertility and cleanse the land of the dried and dead of winter.
How to celebrate
The classic way to celebrate Valborg is around a bonfire, usually organised in a common space by local municipalities. The bonfire also helps Swedes keep warm as nights are still chilly at this time of year. If you are lucky, there will also be a local choir singing traditional Swedish songs and even some fireworks. It’s common to meet up with friends for dinner before heading over to the nearest bonfire. It’s also a great way to take the temperature on your local neighbourhood and feel a sense of community by bumping into people you know, half- know or just recognize, and stopping for a spontaneous chat – atypical Swedish behaviour that is totally acceptable on Valborg!
Where to celebrate
One of the biggest and oldest Walpurgis celebrations in the country is hosted at Stockholm’s famous outdoor museum Skansen. Any students looking for a party, or visitors keen for a taste of the ‘real’ Valborg, should head to Uppsala. Events there range from raft racing along the city’s Fyris River to a “donning of the caps” ceremony which signals spring, as well as choirs and bonfires. University city Lund is also a great place to celebrate Valborg with an all- day folk festival at city park “Stadsparken”.
Party night
This Swedish annual celebration of spring is usually a big party night, especially for young people. For many Swedish teenagers, this night is their first experience with alcohol and underage binge drinking is common. Valborg is also the Swedish King’s birthday (Carl XVI Gustaf), but that’s just coincidence!
Enjoy!
Credits: Aline Lessner/imagebank.sweden.se
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