How to celebrate Valborg

Valborg is celebrated on the evening of 30th April and is part of the Swedish cultural events calendar. This spring celebration is happily followed by the May 1^st public holiday (aka May Day or Labour Day), making for a great holiday weekend in Sweden.

Where does the name come from?

The full name is  “Valborgsmässoafton” in Swedish or “Walpurgis Night” in English. The night is named after a British Saint who moved to Germany to evangelize the Germans, became an abbess and was canonized in 870 by Pope Adrian II. Ironically, Saint Walpurga is not widely known or celebrated in the UK. The night is also called Hexennacht in German or heksennach in Dutch, which literally means “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 dead of winter.

How to celebrate

The classic way to celebrate Valborg is by gathering around one of the many bonfires organised in common spaces by local municipalities. The bonfire also helps keep visitors warm as nights are still chilly in Sweden at this time of year. If you are lucky, there will also be a local choir singing traditional Swedish songs and even some fireworks to accompany the bonfire.  It’s common to meet up with friends for dinner before heading over to the nearest bonfire.

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 where Valborg is a week-long event. 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.

Valborg activities for families in Stockholm

FamGo is a curated online guide to family activities in Stockholm which helps international parents discover what to do with kids in the city. They have put together a very handy guide on where to find your nearest bonfire and other Valborg activities this week. See  https://www.famgo.se/en/walpurgis-night-stockholm.  FamGo’s helpful website also covers museums, indoor play, outdoor activities, swimming, and seasonal events in both English and Swedish.

Wishing you a very happy Valborg weekend!

Photo credit: Lola Akinmade Åkerström/imagebank.sweden.se

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