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Sweden Invites the World to Experience Midsummer Through Live Streams

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This year, many annual Swedish Midsummer Festivals will be canceled, due to the coronavirus pandemic. But it is still possible to experience this major Scandinavian holiday, recognizing summer and the summer solstice, through live streams from all over Sweden on Friday, June 19.


Photo: Anna Hållams/imagebank.sweden.se

To prevent the spread of the coronavirus, this year’s Midsummer festivities in Sweden will look a little different. All major Midsummer events in Sweden have been canceled, but Swedes will still celebrate this special day in smaller groups, with family or close friends. In fact, this year’s Midsummer will be even more special because the nationwide celebration - from Skåne in the south to Swedish Lapland in the north - will be shared with everyone through Visit Sweden’s Facebook live streams. Local Swedish hosts will guide the viewer through activities and share their very personal Midsummer traditions: from their take on the infamous frog dance around the Midsummer pole to skiing under the midnight sun.

Visit Sweden Facebook Live Stream Schedule (US/Eastern Time)
5 am Flower-wreath making in Skåne 
7 am Midsummer lunch in West Sweden 
9 am Dancing around the Midsummer pole in Dalarna 
1 pm Flower picking and evening dip in Roslagen 
6 pm Midnight sun and skiing in Swedish Lapland 

Midsummer Live Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/265902574468529/  

Midsummer Celebration in New York City
The Consulate General of Sweden, in collaboration with Battery Park City Authority, typically hosts the annual Swedish Midsummer Festival in New York, which is the largest official Midsummer celebration in the world outside of Sweden. This popular event, dating back to 1996 and drawing thousands of visitors every year, has been postponed until 2021. Instead, the Consulate General of Sweden will honor the Swedish tradition on social media during the week of June 15 leading up to Midsummer's Eve.

Swedish Midsummer – the Origins
In agrarian times, Midsummer celebrations in Sweden were held to welcome summertime and the season of fertility. It was not until the 1900s, however, that this became the most Swedish of all traditional festivities. Midsummer Night, one of the lightest of the year, was considered a magical night, as it was the best time for telling people’s futures. Also that night, it was said, water was turned into wine and ferns into flowers. Many plants acquired healing powers on that one night of the year.

Swedish Midsummer – the Movie
Last year, many Americans had their first encounter with the tradition in Ari Aster’s horror movie “Midsommar.” The live streams will be a chance to see what Swedish Midsummer really is like - some may recognize the Midsummer pole and dancing, Swedes’ special connection with nature as well as the light, beautiful nights. 

Social Media Hashtag
#MidsummerLive

Links, Recipes and Information 

Visit Sweden Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VisitSweden/

Photos and Videos
https://imagebank.sweden.se/my-selections/dq02imbtb https://contentbank.visitsweden.com/selection/60acd6b0aa7b39003bfce397089cd5be  

YouTube Links  
Hero:  https://youtu.be/6SC8ccxX-44 
Trailer: https://youtu.be/A3bpkApXoW4  
Small frogs’ dance: https://youtu.be/tz9PJb4XkmY 
Classics on the table: https://youtu.be/UGbBPhJnkA8

Press Contact
Melinda Martino, Senior PR Manager, Visit Sweden US
E-mail: melinda.martino@visitsweden.com, Phone: 917-340-9330

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