What's on in Stockholm this season
Publish date: 24 April 2024
Springtime in Stockholm means cherry blossom trees, film festivals, the start och the long-distance running season, and arena concerts. Here are the highlights!
April
Thank You For The Music: Abba sing-a-long April 6
The 6th of April marks the 50th anniversary of ABBA winning the Eurovision Song Contest and "Waterloo" catapulting the band into international superstardom. Come and celebrate, and thank ABBA for all the fantastic music, in a free sing-a-long concert in Kungsträdgården with the tribute band Waterloo.
Cherry blossoms bloom in Stockholm mid-April
The cherry blossoms of Kungsträdgården have become a beloved spring milestone. Every spring, usually in mid-April, the trees bloom in a lovely display of bright colors drawing scores of Stockholmers wanting to see the beautiful flowers first-hand and maybe take a picture or two. You'll also find blossoming cherry trees in Södermalm, at Bysis Square, and Luma Square in Hammarby sjöstad. The mild Spring weather makes the season perfect for a lunch or coffee break, so why not have a fika under the cherry blossoms? Read our guides for tips on cafées near Kungsträdgården.
Stockholm International Filmfestival Junior, April 8 – April 14
The kid's edition of The Stockholm International Film Festival focuses on great films for children and young adults. Besides fantastic movies from all over the world, the festival hosts several workshops and courses to inspire the next generation of storytellers and filmmakers.
Stockholm Culture Night April 20
Kulturnatt Stockholm (or Stockholm Culture Night) is an annual culture festival showcasing the city's diverse culture. Dance, art, architecture, literature, music, theatre, and much more. The festival takes place during one evening in April (Saturday the 20th) with over 180 museums, theaters, galleries, libraries, and cultural institutions participating. All events are admission-free, but some must be pre-booked due to limited seats. Please read our guide about Stockholm Culture Night to find some highlights.
Walpurgis ("Valborgsmässoafton") April 30
The celebration of Walpurgis, or Valborgsmässoafton in Swedish, dates back to the Middle Ages. At first, Valborg was celebrated by merchants in the cities (the 30th of April marking the end of their fiscal year) and in the countryside to mark the passing of spring into summer. Typical Walpurgis celebrations can be found in public parks all over Stockholm, with bonfires, food trucks vendor stalls selling snacks and coffee, and family-friendly activities. Walpurgis is also an evening of partying and clubbing; you won’t have to look hard to find a great party with music to your liking. See our Walpurgis guide for more info.
Concerts and performing arts this season
The biggest artist by far to visit Stockholm this season is Taylor Swift (May 17-19, Friends Arena). The American superstar brings the Eras Tour to Stockholm, marking her visit to Sweden with no less than three concerts! Read our guide about Swiftholm to find things to see and do during the week of Swift.
But overall, spring is stacked with great music from a wide range of artists and bands. You'll hear jazz, deathcore, funk, k-pop, power metal, hip-hop, country, doom, indie, AOR and more. Or how about:
Kee Marcello (April 4, Biblioteket Live), The Jesus and Mary Chain (April 6, Münchenbryggeriet), Fletcher (Münchenbryggeriet, April 15) Wig Wam (April 21, Biblioteket Live) Spite (April 24, Stadsgårdsterminalen) Bryan Adams (April 27, Hovet), Tenacious D (April 29, Hovet), Ville Valo (April 29, Berns), Thirty Seconds To Mars (May 1, Hovet), Jazzmeia Horn (May 7, Fasching), Ingested (May 10, Stadsgårdsterminalen), J. Balvin (May 14, Tele2 Arena), Future Islands (May 17, Annexet), 49 Winchester (May 17, Kägelbanan), Ellen Krauss (May 23, Trädgården) and Nelly Furtado (May 24, Gröna Lund).
Check out our guide to even more upcoming concerts and music festivals here!
May
Outdoor season at Stockholm's restaurants (May 1 – September 30)
Although some bars and restaurants in Stockholm have open-air patios or seating areas open all year round, the season officially starts May 1. And as the weather gets warmer you'll see more and more outdoor areas pop up around town. Whether you're looking for a sunny place for dinner, drinks, or a coffee you'll be spoiled for riches. Read our guides on rooftop bars, garden cafées, and sunny open-air restaurants for more tips.
Trädgården opens for the season (early May)
Trädgården on Södermalm is one of Stockholm's most popular summer clubs. Located under the Johanneshov bridge, the club has an unmistakable bloc party vibe, pumping club and house music until the sun sets, and then continuing the party at Under Bron nightclub into the night. Trädgården usually opens in May and keeps the party going until late September.
Stockholm Book Weekend (May 11-14)
Stockholm Book Weekend (Stockholm Bokhelg) is a free festival dedicated to fantastic reads. More than 100 publishers, booksellers, museums, and institutions will fill Stockholm's streets and squares with the spirit of great literature. The festival is free and through a city map, visitors navigate between literary conversations, signings, book purchases, and releases.
Stockholm Art Week (May 17-19)+ Market Art Fair (May 14-19)
During one week in May, Stockholm Art Week shines a light on the city's museums, galleries, art spaces, and cultural institutions. Experience unique exhibitions, guided tours, events, and happenings as Stockholm's art scene comes to the forefront. The same week, Liljevalchs and Spritmuseum hosts Market Art Fair. The fair is the Nordic region's leading contemporary art fair, with over 100 participating artists and 47 galleries.
Elitloppet – Trotting Race (May 24-26)
Elitloppet is the world’s premier trotting race and one of Sweden’s top sporting events. Thousands flock to the festival at Solvalla horse racing track each year, to experience the world’s fastest horses and finest spectators.
Drömmen festival May 25
Summer's festival season starts in late May with the new festival Drömmen ("The Dream") at Stockholm's Olympic Stadium. The festival celebrates the music we all love, with beloved artists like Carola, Boney M, Bonnie Tyler, Pernilla Wahlgren, Kate Ryan and Arvingarna.
Spring at the museum
Exhibition highlights this season are:
- Brickwrecks (February 1 - September 29, The Vasa Museum) features Lego models of eight world-famous shipwrecks, including the Vasa. In the exhibition, visitors can sink the Vasa, test out different archaeological methods and, of course, build their creations.
- Nordbor - Nordic Life (February 10, Nordiska museet), Nordiska Museet's new permanent exhibition, is the museum's largest production to date. The exhibition is a diorama spanning over 500 years, about life, death, family, love, work, traditions, and everyday life in the Nordic region.
- Famous photographer Cindy Sherman visits Fotografiska with her latest exhibition Tapestries (February 10 - June 9). Tapestries displays Sherman's "distorted selfies", originally posted on the photographer's Instagram page, as huge woven tapestries.
- In The Family and the Slaves (February 17 - September 1, Stadsmuseet/The City Museum) artist Carl Johan De Geer confronts and interprets shocking revelations about his family's involvement in the slave trade during the 18th century.
- Akira Minagawa and Minä Perhonen’s design philosophy is explored in Design = Memory (February 22 - August 18, Nationalmuseum), from the first ideas to final products and even beyond; The experiences and memories of the garment's wearer play an integral role.
- Magnificent Product (May 17 - October 13, Moderna Museet) explores the work of American artist, filmmaker, performer and writer Vaginal Davis. In her pioneering and incredibly diverse oeuvre, punk meets glamour, queer activism meets racial justice, and resistance meets joy.
Due to repairs, the Museum of Natural History is closed until further notice. But in February the museum opens a pop-up exhibition in The Mall of Scandinavia shopping mall (February 1 - May 18).
Check out our extensive guide to Exhibitions in Stockholm for more museum highlights!
Stockholm for runners
Although some races and competitions occur during winter, the running season starts in earnest in March. The Adidas Premiärhalvan - half marathon (March 24) has become an unofficial inauguration of the fun run -and race season in Stockholm, and several other competitions take place during spring.
Varvetmilen (April 27), STHLM Trail Run (April 27), Tough Viking (May 4), Run for Pride (May 16), and Vårruset (May 22) to name a few. Check out our guide on races in Stockholm, and see if there are any you would like to sign up for!
For even more happenings in Stockholm, don't miss our continuously updated Stockholm Events Calendar!