Everything you need to know about Midsummer in Dalarna

Light summer nights, flowers in your hair, raising the Maypole, traditional clothing and music, these are the things most often associated with the Midsummer holiday, celebrating the start of the summer. And, for a lot of people, Midsummer in Dalarna, central Sweden, is symbolic of a Swedish summer.

In Dalarna, where there are usually large-scale Midsummer celebrations with thousands of visitors, this year’s Midsummer will also be celebrated in a different way. The celebrations might take place digitally, or on a smaller scale than usual.

We’ve compiled a list of everything you need to know about Midsummer in Dalarna so you’re ready for the celebrations whenever the opportunity comes.

1 Join in and dress the Midsummer pole

The day before the celebrations, people usually get together to dress the maypole. They make vines and garlands from birch and flowers. In a lot of places, anyone who wants to join in and help out is welcome.

2 Traditional clothing

There are lots of different traditional clothes and costumes, and almost every area has its own variety. Often, there’s also several varieties of every local costume and, for example, aprons for everyday use, for funerals, and for festivities. Every costume you will see being worn is a beautiful, handmade work of art. They’re often handed down and have been made by the person’s mother or grandmother. For anyone wanting to celebrate Midsummer in traditional clothing, Dalarna’s handicrafts shops have them available for hire.

3 Music and songs

Music is an important part of the Midsummer celebration. There is local folk music for the raising of the maypole and dance music which is often centred around the violin. There are ‘walking songs’ and others that go with the local folk music. *Gärdebylåten’ (from Rättvik in Dalarna) is one of the best known in Sweden and often played on Midsummer.

4 Midsummer food

Of course, there should be food with festivities. What kind of specialities will you find on the Midsummer table? Everything from gravlax, different types of herring and potato salad to Swedish strawberries for dessert. The table should ideally be laid with summery bouquets and Swedish flags.

5 Midsummer isn’t only celebrated on Midsummer’s Eve

Every village has its own Midsummer traditions and most of them have their own Midsummer celebrations. This means that there are a huge amount of possibilities to see the maypole being raised and experience the party feeling over and over again. The first festivities usually take place as early as the Wednesday or Thursday of Midsummer week and then carry on for up to four weeks after Midsummer. It reaches maximum intensity in the afternoon, so you literally can celebrate from morning to evening if you really want to go for it.

6 Cow Midsummer - the Midsummer after-party

‘Cow Midsummer’ is celebrated a couple of days or weeks after the Midsummer holiday itself at several locations around Dalarna. Exactly when the celebrations start varies from village to village and hill farm to hill farm, but the time is traditionally known to signify the middle of the fäbod (hill farm/shieling) summer. The biggest Cow Midsummer festival takes place in Dala-Floda during the ‘Cow Festival’ on the second weekend in July. They tell a story there of how no one cared about celebrating Midsummer in the village because all the girls were still up in the hill farms with the animals. So, when they came back with the cows in the beginning of July, it was even more of a celebration and the cow festival was born!

Take the chance to experience the nature

Midsummer is a wonderful time to explore nature, with its long days. Breathe in the pure summer air, smell the scent of pine needles, and hear the sounds of the rapids. Enjoy the miraculous views and find places you would otherwise never have time to find, maybe in one of Dalarna’s many expansive nature reserves?