On Midsummer’s Day, maypoles are raised in villages and cities across Sweden, becoming the heart of the celebrations as both children and adults gather to dance around them.
Food plays a central role in the festivities. The classic Midsummer table features a variety of pickled herring, served with freshly harvested new potatoes, dill, soured cream and finely chopped red onion. This is often followed by something from the grill – perhaps tender spare ribs or fresh salmon – before ending on a sweet note with the season’s first strawberries and cream.
To drink, you’ll find chilled beer and schnapps, often flavoured with herbs and spices. And no Midsummer feast is complete without a few traditional drinking songs, happily sung together before each sip.
Midsummer celebrations in West Sweden and Gothenburg 2026
