Sweden's National Day

Sweden's National Day History

National Day is a celebration of Sweden as an independent nation state. The day also commemorates the crowning of King Gustac Vasa in 1523 and the adoption of the Constitution on the same day in 1809. Sweden has only been celebrating this holiday since 1983.

National Day is celebrated on June 6. In 2004, the Swedish Parliament voted to make the day a public holiday, greatly increasing the interest in celebrating the day.

Top facts about Sweden's National Day

• In 1893 Sweden presented Midsummer Day as a Swedish national holiday, so for a time Sweden had two days dedicated to itself. Most Swedes prefer to use Midsummer Day as a patriotic holiday, having found the top-down organisation of National Day too trite.
• National Day of Sweden honours Gustav Vasa, a king who was elected in 1523. It also honours the government reform that occurred in 1908.
• National Day sometimes falls on a Saturday, meaning that Swedes do not get an extra day off, unlike Whit Monday the holiday that National Day replaced.
• At 13:15 on National Day, 50,000 yellow and blue balloons are released from Skeppsbron, below the Royal Castle.
• Sweden is the home of my ancestors, and I have reserves a special place in my heart for Sweden. - Carl Anderson, Nobel Prize winning physicist.

In the News and Trending in the EU for Sweden's National Day

Sweden's National Day Top Events and Things to Do

• Attend the balloon release at 13:15 from Skeppsbron, below the Royal Castle, to see 50,000 yellow and blue balloons floating through the skies of Stockholm.
• Eat some Swedish food, have you tried lingonberries? They are used in meatballs, pancakes, porridge and black pudding. Or pickled herring, the king of Swedish cuisine.
• Sing the Swedish national anthem, watch out for the umwelts.
• Read a book from one of Sweden’s highly regarded authors. Our favourites include:
  1) The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
  2) Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindquist
  3) The Road by Harry Martinson
• Watch some Swedish TV shows or films. Scandinavia has produced many Netflix and boxset hits in the last five years. Our favourites include
  1) The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo 92009)
  2) Let the Right One In (2008)
  3) The Girl Who Played With Fire Bridge (2009)