What's on in Stockholm this season
Publish date: 4 June 2024
Summer in Stockholm is big outdoor music festivals, archipelago adventures, chilly ice cream cones, and sunny beach days. Here are the highlights!
June
Adidas Stockholm Marathon 2024 June 1
The Adidas Stockholm Marathon takes place right in the heart of the City and is the biggest event of Stockholm's long-distance running season. The race takes place in early June (the 1st in 2024) and usually has between 15 000 - 20 000 entrants. The start and finish lines are at the Stockholm Olympic Stadium, and the track takes runners through Södermalm, Kungsholmen, Old Town, and Djurgården.
National Day of Sweden June 6
National Day in Sweden (also called "Svenska flaggans dag" which translates to "Day of the Swedish Flag") is celebrated for several reasons. Firstly, on June 6th, 1523, Gustav Vasa was elected king of Sweden after having led an uprising against the invading Danes. Secondly, Sweden's current and previous constitutions were adopted on June 6th (1809 and 1974 respectively). The official celebration is an annual public ceremony and concert at Skansen's Solliden stage, but all over Stockholm you'll be able to find celebrations. Read more in our guide about the National Day in Stockholm.
Midsummer's Eve June 21
Although Sweden's National Day is earlier in June (on the 6th) Midsummer's Eve has become such a beloved holiday that many feel it should become the de facto National Day. Public Midsummer celebrations can be found all around Stockholm, and the Stockholm archipelago. They usually include dancing around a maypole, family-friendly games, and traditional food like pickled herring, early potatoes, and fresh strawberries with whipped cream. Find more tips on things to see and do in our guide about Midsummer in Stockholm.
Concerts, festivals and performing arts this season
Summer in Stockholm is underscored by the many music festivals filling the evenings with live music. Department (June 7-8, Långholmen), The Baltic Sea Festival (August 23-31, Berwaldhallen) Rosendal Garden Party (June 14-16, Rosendals Trädgård), Hosoi (August 11-13, Slakthusområdet), and Stockholm Early Music Festival (June 4-9, Old Town) are just a few examples
New this summer is Sthlm Fields (June 29-July 7, Gärdet), a series of concerts with a festival vibe on Gärdet. Performing artists include Toto, The Hives, Wolfmother, Doja Cat, and Greta van Fleet. Find more festivals in our guide.
Rod Stewart (June 8, Tele2 Arena), Alice Cooper (June 9, Gröna Lund), Nicki Minaj (June 12, Tele2 Arena), Eek-A-Mouse (June 13, Trädgården), Mildlife (June 13, Fasching), Tool (June 25, Tele2 Arena), NE-YO (June 29, Hovet), Hanabie (July 1, Kollektivet Livet) Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band (July 15 & 18, Strawberry Arena), P!nk (July 27, Strawberry Arena), Benjamin Ingrosso (August 9, Stockholm Stadion), Chris Isaak (August 17, Stockholm Waterfront Congress Center), Kaah (August 21, Kulturhuset Stadsteatern), Witch (August 23, Fasching), Morgan Wallen (August 28, Strawberry Arena) and Kornél Kovác, Själen & Off the Meds (August 29, Kulturhuset Stadsteatern).
Between June and September, Parkteatern goes out on a tour of Stockholm's parks offering admission-free stage productions like opera, dance, contemporary circus, theatre, and much more. Check out the full program on Parkteatern's webpage.
Check out our guide to even more upcoming concerts and music festivals here!
July
KSSS Gotland Runt Offshore Race June 30 – July 3
The annual Gotland Runt is the world's largest offshore race with around 250 participating crews. This year the race starts in Sandhamn, on the island of Sandön in the Stockholm Archipelago, taking participants on a 350 Nm track through the Stockholm archipelago, south along the Baltic around the island of Gotland, and back to Sandön. The days leading up to and after the race are a public festival with food, drinks, music, and family-friendly activities.
Street Food Festival 2024 July 26 – 27
The Street Food Festival in Stockholm is the largest event of its kind in Sweden. The festival has free admission and takes place in Norra Hammarbyhamnen on Södermalm. Expect music, family-friendly activities, various food-related competitions, national championships, and lots of delicious food, drinks, and snacks.
Stockholm Pride July 29 – August 3
The largest Pride celebration in Northern Europe has been around since 1998. Festivities are spread across Stockholm, during the last week of July/the first week of August, under this year's theme "Stronger together". The main festival area is at Östermalms IP, with concerts, shows, workshops, panel discussions, and other events. The Pride Parade, at the end of the week, is the obvious highlight of the celebrations.
Summer at the museum
Exhibition highlights this season are:
- Borderlands (April 20-April 27 2025, The Cell) is the inaugural exhibition at The Cell, the newly opened joint venture between The National Museum of Science and Technology, and Karolinska Institutet. Explore three unique artworks, utilizing advanced science like DNA sequencing, by Helen Pyners.
- The international photography award Prix Pictet come to Fotografiska with the exhibition Human (May 14-August 18, Fotografiska). Twelve distinguished photographers, selected by the esteemed jury, unveil their unique approaches to the human story and how we interact with the world around us.
- 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. The exhibition on Moderna is part of a larger Vaginal Davis focus, with sister exhibitions at Nationalmuseum and Index, for example.
- Déplacé·e·s (May 23-January 12 2025, Kulturhuset Stadsteatern) by French artist JR is a series of public artworks and installations about the millions of children that have been forced to leave their homes due to conflicts, natural disasters, and climate change.
- L'ART BRUT (June 1-September 1, Millesgården) asks the question "what is art, and who gets to make that distinction? The French expression l’art brut, or 'raw art', was coined by French artist Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985). The term refers to the works of creators outside the established art world and its academic structure.
Check out our extensive guide to Exhibitions in Stockholm for more museum highlights!
August
Crayfish season starts early August
The season for kräftskivor ("Crayfish parties") coincides with the crayfish fishing season in Swedish waters. Historically, this has meant the first Wednesday in August (which would mean August 2 in 2023) but the regulation surrounding crayfish fishing has changed over the years. A classic kräftskiva-buffet usually includes large plates of crayfish boiled with dill umbel, peeled and eaten by hand, with sides like västerbottepaj (Västerbotten cheese pie), bread, crispbread, and Swedish cheese. Drinks include shots of traditional brännvin (for example akvavit and snaps) beer, and non-alcoholic soft drinks. Read more about kräftskivor and restaurants where you can have a typical crayfish buffet in our guide.
Stockholm Culture Festival August 14-18
Stockholm's Culture Festival is the city's largest admission-free festival. The festival offers a packed program of activities and entertainment for the whole family, in six central locations: Sergels Torg, Kungsträdgården, Karl XIIs Torg, Skeppsbron, Norrbro, and Gustav Adolfs Torg.
Summer cinema in Rålambshovsparken August 14-18
The Outdoor Summer Cinema, organized by the Stockholm International Film Festival has become a beloved late-summer tradition in Rålambshovs. Five days, five classic films, thousands of film lovers. The screenings are free; all you need to bring is a picnic blanket.
Midnattsloppet ("The Midnight Race") August 17
Midnattsloppet is an annual fun run in mid to late August but has become just as much a bloc party encompassing all of Södermalm. Many restaurants, cafés, and shops along the track take the opportunity to join in on the fun with smaller events and special deals. The race itself is divided into several classes; a shorter race for kids, 5 or 10-km tracks, a track for para-athletes, and a masquerade race.
Summer in the archipelago
Although there are destinations in the Stockholm archipelago that are open all year round, many islands are inaccessible during the winter and fall. But in June, when Strömma and Waxholmbolaget switch to their summer timetables (June 17 for Strömma, June 21 for Waxholmsbolaget), a day trip out to Sandön, Möja, or Utö becomes much more accessible. Read more in our guides to find the perfect archipelago destination, just for you.
- Discover the Stockholm archipelago - First time in the archipelago? Read about the most popular islands and destinations, perfect for an uncomplicated day trip.
- Be adventurous in the Stockholm archipelago - Experience unique nature and remote islands. Find exciting ways to explore the archipelago and some of its most far-away destinations.
- Archipelago attractions - The archipelago has a rich history and culture. Find museums and attractions in the archipelago.
- Gastronomic archipelago - Let your tastebuds guide you to the archipelago's best restaurant, serving locally sourced ingredients and classic dishes.
For even more happenings in Stockholm, don't miss our continuously updated Stockholm Events Calendar!