Stockholm Culture Night (Kulturnatt) 2015

Kulturnatt Stockholm: www.kulturnattstockholm.se  

This Saturday, April 25th, is the sixth annual Culture Night (Kulturnatt) in Stockholm. It has become quite popular! So, what exactly is a Culture Night? Well, it basically is an evening devoted to all things cultural... and FREE! Different cultural institutions in Stockholm are open during the evening (6pm to midnight), including museums, art galleries, libraries, churches, palaces, clubs, theatres, cinemas and more. This festival will have almost 400 events taking place at different locations throughout the city! And, as I mentioned earlier, admission is free... so this is a great opportunity to get cultural without damaging your wallet.

A concert last year, at Gustav Adolfs Torg. Photo by Emma Svensson.

There is a lot to choose from... art & museum exhibitions, concerts, dance, games, guided tours, performances, viewings and parties. Something for every taste! You can find a summary to download/print in English (pdf file) on their website (click here), just scroll down a bit for the link. More detailed information in Swedish along with the full program with actual events can be found by clicking here. Of course, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel... you can stop by and talk to me and I can help you with more detailed information. You can also stop by the Stockholm Visitor Center or Visit Djurgården for more information about what is happening! In past years they have had one official After Party (with live music, DJ's, dancing), but this year they are splitting it up and holding parties at four venues in different parts of the city. Free admission and open until 2am or 3am depending on the venue.

Stockholm Culture Night (Kulturnatt) 2015

Posted by zlatin

Kulturnatt Stockholm: www.kulturnattstockholm.se  

This Saturday, April 25th, is the sixth annual Culture Night (Kulturnatt) in Stockholm. It has become quite popular! So, what exactly is a Culture Night? Well, it basically is an evening devoted to all things cultural... and FREE! Different cultural institutions in Stockholm are open during the evening (6pm to midnight), including museums, art galleries, libraries, churches, palaces, clubs, theatres, cinemas and more. This festival will have almost 400 events taking place at different locations throughout the city! And, as I mentioned earlier, admission is free... so this is a great opportunity to get cultural without damaging your wallet.

A concert last year, at Gustav Adolfs Torg. Photo by Emma Svensson.

There is a lot to choose from... art & museum exhibitions, concerts, dance, games, guided tours, performances, viewings and parties. Something for every taste! You can find a summary to download/print in English (pdf file) on their website (click here), just scroll down a bit for the link. More detailed information in Swedish along with the full program with actual events can be found by clicking here. Of course, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel... you can stop by and talk to me and I can help you with more detailed information. You can also stop by the Stockholm Visitor Center or Visit Djurgården for more information about what is happening! In past years they have had one official After Party (with live music, DJ's, dancing), but this year they are splitting it up and holding parties at four venues in different parts of the city. Free admission and open until 2am or 3am depending on the venue.

Three Festivals Dedicated to Food & Drink This Weekend!

Source: Stockolms Öl & Vin AB. Photo: Örs Gubas

If you are coming to Stockholm this weekend and are interested in fine dining and/or alcoholic beverages... you are in luck! We have three festivals going on in the city that are dedicated to just these very subjects. First out we have two festivals in one... Stockholm Beer & Whisky Festival and The Taste Experience. The latter festival is for wine, champagne, rum, cognac and tequila. Both festivals are are from the 26th through 28th of September (and then once again next weekend- Oct 2nd through 4th). They are both being held at the Nacka Strandsmässan (congress center) located just outside the city center.

Source: Stockolms Öl & Vin AB. Photo: Örs Gubas

The easiest way to get there from the Rival Hotel is by bus 71 or 443 from nearby Slussen (approximately a 15 minute bus ride). The entrance fee (250 SEK) gets you into both festivals. Click here for specific opening hours, ticket information as well as directions. These festivals are very popular with tens of thousands attending every year. At the festivals you will find tastings, classes, exhibitors, competitions, restaurants and bars. Please note that you need to be at least 20 years of age to enter the festival grounds.

Cooking class at Chef's Secrets, Taste of Stockholm

The third festival is called Taste of Stockholm. This festival runs from the 26th through 28th of September and is dedicated to the gastronomic world of fine dining. They describe themselves as "foodie heaven"! At the festival you can try the signature dishes of some of Stockholm's best restaurants as well as visit their farmers' market and see different exhibitions. Two program points not to be missed are the Electrolux Taste Theatre and Chef's Secrets. At the Theatre you can enjoy presentations from both Swedish and international chefs where they will either be preparing signature dishes or challenging themselves by preparing dishes with ingredients from a "mystery box". The Chef's Secrets are your opportunity to prepare a dish alongside a top chef. A unique experience! More information. The festival will take place in Wasahallen, located on the island of Djurgården right next to the Museum of Spirits. The easiest way to get to the festival from the Rival Hotel is with the Djurgårds Ferry. For more information on tickets, program and hours... click here!

Taste of Stockholm by Electrolux

Three Festivals Dedicated to Food & Drink This Weekend!

Posted by zlatin

Source: Stockolms Öl & Vin AB. Photo: Örs Gubas

If you are coming to Stockholm this weekend and are interested in fine dining and/or alcoholic beverages... you are in luck! We have three festivals going on in the city that are dedicated to just these very subjects. First out we have two festivals in one... Stockholm Beer & Whisky Festival and The Taste Experience. The latter festival is for wine, champagne, rum, cognac and tequila. Both festivals are are from the 26th through 28th of September (and then once again next weekend- Oct 2nd through 4th). They are both being held at the Nacka Strandsmässan (congress center) located just outside the city center.

Source: Stockolms Öl & Vin AB. Photo: Örs Gubas

The easiest way to get there from the Rival Hotel is by bus 71 or 443 from nearby Slussen (approximately a 15 minute bus ride). The entrance fee (250 SEK) gets you into both festivals. Click here for specific opening hours, ticket information as well as directions. These festivals are very popular with tens of thousands attending every year. At the festivals you will find tastings, classes, exhibitors, competitions, restaurants and bars. Please note that you need to be at least 20 years of age to enter the festival grounds.

Cooking class at Chef's Secrets, Taste of Stockholm

The third festival is called Taste of Stockholm. This festival runs from the 26th through 28th of September and is dedicated to the gastronomic world of fine dining. They describe themselves as "foodie heaven"! At the festival you can try the signature dishes of some of Stockholm's best restaurants as well as visit their farmers' market and see different exhibitions. Two program points not to be missed are the Electrolux Taste Theatre and Chef's Secrets. At the Theatre you can enjoy presentations from both Swedish and international chefs where they will either be preparing signature dishes or challenging themselves by preparing dishes with ingredients from a "mystery box". The Chef's Secrets are your opportunity to prepare a dish alongside a top chef. A unique experience! More information. The festival will take place in Wasahallen, located on the island of Djurgården right next to the Museum of Spirits. The easiest way to get to the festival from the Rival Hotel is with the Djurgårds Ferry. For more information on tickets, program and hours... click here!

Taste of Stockholm by Electrolux

Kulturfestivalen - Stockholm Culture Festival 2014

Concert venue GAT, photo by Emma Svensson

The next big festival is just around the corner... The Stockholm Culture Festival (Kulturfestivalen), August 12th to 17th. This is one of my favorite festivals. Not only are there lots of things to see/do/experience, but it is all free! The only exceptions are the walking tours which, due to limited availability, cost 20 SEK to reserve a spot. For 6 days and evenings, the parks and squares of downtown Stockholm transform into concert venues, outdoor cinemas, circus tents and playgrounds for children. Food & drink tents as well!

Swedish artist Edda Magnason, one of the many performers at Kulturfestivalen.
Photo courtesy of kulturfestivalen.se 

The theme for this year's festival is "Barcelona" with many of the artists, shows and events coming from the Catalonian city (as well as Swedish artists and shows, of course!). In fact the festival is presented in part with The City of Barcelona, Institute Ramon Llull and the Catalonian government. This is a celebration of the close & friendly relationship between the two cultural cities. As I mentioned earlier, there are hundreds of things to choose from... something for everyone, whatever your age or interests. Dance, theatre, art, film, circus, food, cultural walks and literature are all well represented at the festival. For an English program of the highlights, visit their website and scroll down a bit to find a downloadable program in PDF format. Otherwise, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, stop by and talk to me or my colleagues for more information.

Performance venue Sergels Torg, photo by Dennis Wernersson.

The festival is concentrated in the downtown area... in the squares Gustav Adolfs Torg (GAT), Sergels Torg, Brunkebergs Torg and Norrbro and the street Drottninggatan. All these squares and streets are within a 10-15 minute walk from each other so it is very easy to get around. They are also easy to get to from the Rival Hotel... 3 subway stops, a 10 minute bus ride or else a 30 minute walk through the old town. There is another festival going on at the same time in the park Kungsträdgården. This one is called We Are Sthlm and is aimed at youths between 13 and 19 years of age and features lots of music, culture, sports and entertainment. So if you are travelling with teen-agers, you can just drop them off at this festival before heading to the Culture Festival to enjoy yourselves.

Kulturfestivalen - Stockholm Culture Festival 2014

Posted by zlatin

Concert venue GAT, photo by Emma Svensson

The next big festival is just around the corner... The Stockholm Culture Festival (Kulturfestivalen), August 12th to 17th. This is one of my favorite festivals. Not only are there lots of things to see/do/experience, but it is all free! The only exceptions are the walking tours which, due to limited availability, cost 20 SEK to reserve a spot. For 6 days and evenings, the parks and squares of downtown Stockholm transform into concert venues, outdoor cinemas, circus tents and playgrounds for children. Food & drink tents as well!

Swedish artist Edda Magnason, one of the many performers at Kulturfestivalen.
Photo courtesy of kulturfestivalen.se 

The theme for this year's festival is "Barcelona" with many of the artists, shows and events coming from the Catalonian city (as well as Swedish artists and shows, of course!). In fact the festival is presented in part with The City of Barcelona, Institute Ramon Llull and the Catalonian government. This is a celebration of the close & friendly relationship between the two cultural cities. As I mentioned earlier, there are hundreds of things to choose from... something for everyone, whatever your age or interests. Dance, theatre, art, film, circus, food, cultural walks and literature are all well represented at the festival. For an English program of the highlights, visit their website and scroll down a bit to find a downloadable program in PDF format. Otherwise, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, stop by and talk to me or my colleagues for more information.

Performance venue Sergels Torg, photo by Dennis Wernersson.

The festival is concentrated in the downtown area... in the squares Gustav Adolfs Torg (GAT), Sergels Torg, Brunkebergs Torg and Norrbro and the street Drottninggatan. All these squares and streets are within a 10-15 minute walk from each other so it is very easy to get around. They are also easy to get to from the Rival Hotel... 3 subway stops, a 10 minute bus ride or else a 30 minute walk through the old town. There is another festival going on at the same time in the park Kungsträdgården. This one is called We Are Sthlm and is aimed at youths between 13 and 19 years of age and features lots of music, culture, sports and entertainment. So if you are travelling with teen-agers, you can just drop them off at this festival before heading to the Culture Festival to enjoy yourselves.

Culture Night (Kulturnatt) in Stockholm- 2014

(EDIT: Click here for this year's information) This Saturday, April 26th, is the fifth annual Culture Night (Kulturnatt) in Stockholm. It has become quite popular! So, what exactly is a Culture Night? Well, it basically is an evening devoted to all things cultural... and FREE! Different cultural institutions in Stockholm are open during the evening (6pm to midnight), including museums, art galleries, libraries, churches, palaces, clubs, theatres, cinemas and more. To break it down in numbers, this festival will have almost 400 events taking place at over 1000 different locations throughout the city! And, as I mentioned earlier, admission is free... so this is a great opportunity to get cultural without damaging your wallet.

The After Party last year! Photo by Robert Höglund/Kulturnatt

There is a lot to choose from... art & museum exhibitions, concerts, guided tours, performances, viewings and parties. Something for every taste! You can find a list of venues, with a map, to download in English on their website (click here), just scroll down to "information". More detailed information in Swedish along with the full program with actual events can be found by clicking here.

The official After Party (live music, DJ's, dancing), with free admission of course, will take place at the iconic Stockholm City Hall (Stadshuset)... where the Nobel dinner/party takes place every year. It starts at 10:30pm and goes on to 3am. Last year they had over 7000 people at the party. The City Hall is located on Kungsholmen. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, stop by and talk to me and I can explain in more detail about the different events. Otherwise, stop by the Stockholm Visitor Center or Visit Djurgården for more detailed information about what is happening!

Culture Night (Kulturnatt) in Stockholm- 2014

Posted by zlatin

(EDIT: Click here for this year's information) This Saturday, April 26th, is the fifth annual Culture Night (Kulturnatt) in Stockholm. It has become quite popular! So, what exactly is a Culture Night? Well, it basically is an evening devoted to all things cultural... and FREE! Different cultural institutions in Stockholm are open during the evening (6pm to midnight), including museums, art galleries, libraries, churches, palaces, clubs, theatres, cinemas and more. To break it down in numbers, this festival will have almost 400 events taking place at over 1000 different locations throughout the city! And, as I mentioned earlier, admission is free... so this is a great opportunity to get cultural without damaging your wallet.

The After Party last year! Photo by Robert Höglund/Kulturnatt

There is a lot to choose from... art & museum exhibitions, concerts, guided tours, performances, viewings and parties. Something for every taste! You can find a list of venues, with a map, to download in English on their website (click here), just scroll down to "information". More detailed information in Swedish along with the full program with actual events can be found by clicking here.

The official After Party (live music, DJ's, dancing), with free admission of course, will take place at the iconic Stockholm City Hall (Stadshuset)... where the Nobel dinner/party takes place every year. It starts at 10:30pm and goes on to 3am. Last year they had over 7000 people at the party. The City Hall is located on Kungsholmen. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, stop by and talk to me and I can explain in more detail about the different events. Otherwise, stop by the Stockholm Visitor Center or Visit Djurgården for more detailed information about what is happening!

Baltic Sea Festival and Free Ballet/Opera in the Park!

The Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Photo by Micke Wiberg

More culture comes to Stockholm this weekend and coming week. Firstly, we have the annual Baltic Sea Festival... an annual music festival featuring world class singers and musicians from the world of opera and symphony music. The main artists are the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Royal Opera Orchestra and Royal Opera Chorus. The festival kicks off tonight (Friday, August 23rd) with a performance of "Romeo & Juliet" by Berlioz and ends on Friday, August 30th with an evening of Stravinsky (The Rite of Spring, Petruschka and Firebird) performed by the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, conducted by Valery Gergiev. Plenty of great performances in the days inbetween as well... click here for the full program! The majority of the perfomances take place at Berwaldhallen, which is located on the outskirts of the Östermalm district (closest subway station is Karlaplan on the red line). There are two performances of Mozart's Magic Flute taking place at Drottningholm's Court Theatre (instead of Berwaldshallen)... these are sold out!

An earlier indoor performance of Giselle with Hampus Gauffin och Mayumi Yamaguchi
Photo by Carl Thorborg, Kungliga Operan

But... if you are thinking to yourself "I don't want to be inside on a beautiful summer evening", or perhaps you are on a budget, then we have some free perfomances taking place during the next two weekends under the stars. The Royal Opera will be performing in the Park Theatre (Parkteatern) in the park Vitabergsparken. On Friday & Saturday (Aug 23rd & 24th) the Royal Ballet will perform parts of the classic Giselle as well as the modern Time Themes. Performances start both evenings at 6pm and last 40 minutes. The following weekend (Aug 30th & 31st) it is time for opera... with pieces of classic opera performed by Royal Opera soloists accompanied by their Orchestra. Performances start both evenings at 6pm and last an hour and 10 minutes. Vitabergsparken is located on the island of Södermalm (home of the Rival Hotel) and the closest subway station is Skanstull on the green line.

Baltic Sea Festival and Free Ballet/Opera in the Park!

Posted by zlatin

The Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Photo by Micke Wiberg

More culture comes to Stockholm this weekend and coming week. Firstly, we have the annual Baltic Sea Festival... an annual music festival featuring world class singers and musicians from the world of opera and symphony music. The main artists are the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Royal Opera Orchestra and Royal Opera Chorus. The festival kicks off tonight (Friday, August 23rd) with a performance of "Romeo & Juliet" by Berlioz and ends on Friday, August 30th with an evening of Stravinsky (The Rite of Spring, Petruschka and Firebird) performed by the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, conducted by Valery Gergiev. Plenty of great performances in the days inbetween as well... click here for the full program! The majority of the perfomances take place at Berwaldhallen, which is located on the outskirts of the Östermalm district (closest subway station is Karlaplan on the red line). There are two performances of Mozart's Magic Flute taking place at Drottningholm's Court Theatre (instead of Berwaldshallen)... these are sold out!

An earlier indoor performance of Giselle with Hampus Gauffin och Mayumi Yamaguchi
Photo by Carl Thorborg, Kungliga Operan

But... if you are thinking to yourself "I don't want to be inside on a beautiful summer evening", or perhaps you are on a budget, then we have some free perfomances taking place during the next two weekends under the stars. The Royal Opera will be performing in the Park Theatre (Parkteatern) in the park Vitabergsparken. On Friday & Saturday (Aug 23rd & 24th) the Royal Ballet will perform parts of the classic Giselle as well as the modern Time Themes. Performances start both evenings at 6pm and last 40 minutes. The following weekend (Aug 30th & 31st) it is time for opera... with pieces of classic opera performed by Royal Opera soloists accompanied by their Orchestra. Performances start both evenings at 6pm and last an hour and 10 minutes. Vitabergsparken is located on the island of Södermalm (home of the Rival Hotel) and the closest subway station is Skanstull on the green line.

Next Week: Culture Festival, Outdoor Cinema & Midnight Run!

I am on vacation next week... off to Spain for a friend's birthday. I wanted to leave you with some tips of fun things happening in the city during my absence!

GAT Stage, kulturfestivalen.stockholm.se

First up is the fun Kulturfestivalen (Culture Festival). I am sad to miss this! This festival runs from 13th through the 18th of August and encompasses all things cultural. Best of all... it is all free! No admission fees. It is a little hard to write about since there are so many things going on, but basically the festival takes place in the downtown area around the squares Gustav Adolfs Torg, Brunkebergstorg and Sergels Torg. The program (click here) runs from midday until late in the evenings and you can find something for every taste... cabaret, opera, salsa, literature, street performances, dance, Bollywood, vintage punk reinvented, nightclubbing and much, much more. The best thing is to check the program linked above and pick your favorites. If I was in Stockholm this week, I wouldn't miss disco legends The Pointer Sisters! Side by side with this festival is another one called We Are Sthlm. This one is aimed at the youngsters (13-19 yrs of age) with lots of live music and takes place in Kungsträdgården from the 13th to the 17th of August.

Source: The Pointer Sisters

If cinema is more your cultural cup of tea, then you are in for a treat. The Stockholm Film Festival has their annual Outdoor Summer Movies next week. They will be showing a great movie every evening (August 14th to 18th) under the stars. And it is free! The evening starts with fun activities at 6pm and the movie starts showing at 8:30pm. Popcorn, soda pop and other snacks are sold there... but you can pack your own picnic basket. Be aware that some of the movies have an age limit. Movies include The Fly, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Kids Are All Right. All movies are in English with Swedish subtitles except for A Royal Affair on the 14th (Danish with Swedish subtitles). This all takes place in Rålambhovs Park on Kungsholmen.

Photo by Yanan Li, Stockholm's Visitors Board

Finally... Saturday, August 17th is the date for the annual Midnight Race (Midnattsloppet). This is a late evening 10K race around the island of Södermalm (where the Rival Hotel is located). More than just a run, it always has a festival like atmosphere... with DJ's and Samba & Dixie bands playing along the route. There is a costume competition as well! So, even if you aren't running (36,000 others are!), come down and cheer them on while enjoying some great music and festivities! The main race starts at 9:30pm and ends when it ends... though the finishing line is on the street Hornsgatan. Just a few blocks from the hotel! One word of caution: don't plan on travelling around Södermalm by car or bus this evening as many roads will be cordoned off. Stick to walking or the subway.

Next Week: Culture Festival, Outdoor Cinema & Midnight Run!

Posted by zlatin

I am on vacation next week... off to Spain for a friend's birthday. I wanted to leave you with some tips of fun things happening in the city during my absence!

GAT Stage, kulturfestivalen.stockholm.se

First up is the fun Kulturfestivalen (Culture Festival). I am sad to miss this! This festival runs from 13th through the 18th of August and encompasses all things cultural. Best of all... it is all free! No admission fees. It is a little hard to write about since there are so many things going on, but basically the festival takes place in the downtown area around the squares Gustav Adolfs Torg, Brunkebergstorg and Sergels Torg. The program (click here) runs from midday until late in the evenings and you can find something for every taste... cabaret, opera, salsa, literature, street performances, dance, Bollywood, vintage punk reinvented, nightclubbing and much, much more. The best thing is to check the program linked above and pick your favorites. If I was in Stockholm this week, I wouldn't miss disco legends The Pointer Sisters! Side by side with this festival is another one called We Are Sthlm. This one is aimed at the youngsters (13-19 yrs of age) with lots of live music and takes place in Kungsträdgården from the 13th to the 17th of August.

Source: The Pointer Sisters

If cinema is more your cultural cup of tea, then you are in for a treat. The Stockholm Film Festival has their annual Outdoor Summer Movies next week. They will be showing a great movie every evening (August 14th to 18th) under the stars. And it is free! The evening starts with fun activities at 6pm and the movie starts showing at 8:30pm. Popcorn, soda pop and other snacks are sold there... but you can pack your own picnic basket. Be aware that some of the movies have an age limit. Movies include The Fly, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Kids Are All Right. All movies are in English with Swedish subtitles except for A Royal Affair on the 14th (Danish with Swedish subtitles). This all takes place in Rålambhovs Park on Kungsholmen.

Photo by Yanan Li, Stockholm's Visitors Board

Finally... Saturday, August 17th is the date for the annual Midnight Race (Midnattsloppet). This is a late evening 10K race around the island of Södermalm (where the Rival Hotel is located). More than just a run, it always has a festival like atmosphere... with DJ's and Samba & Dixie bands playing along the route. There is a costume competition as well! So, even if you aren't running (36,000 others are!), come down and cheer them on while enjoying some great music and festivities! The main race starts at 9:30pm and ends when it ends... though the finishing line is on the street Hornsgatan. Just a few blocks from the hotel! One word of caution: don't plan on travelling around Södermalm by car or bus this evening as many roads will be cordoned off. Stick to walking or the subway.

Stockholm Culture Night (Kulturnatt)

kulturnattstockholm.se 

(EDIT: Links and info from 2013, for current info... click here!) This Saturday, April 20th, is Culture Night (Kulturnatt) in Stockholm. This is the fourth annual Culture Night in Stockholm and it has become quite popular! So, what is a Culture Night? Well, it basically is an evening devoted to all things cultural... and FREE! Different cultural institutions in Stockholm are open during the evening (6pm to midnight), including museums, art galleries, libraries, churches, palaces, clubs, theatres, cinemas and more. To break it down in numbers, this festival will have around 350 events taking place at over 90 different locations throughout the city! And, as I mentioned earlier, admission is free... so this is a great opportunity to get cultural without damaging your wallet.

Photo by Robert Höglund, Kulturnatt Stockholm

So there is a lot to choose from... art & museum exhibitions, concerts, guided tours, performances, viewings and parties. Something for every taste! You can find a program to download in English on their website (click here) in which they have hand picked events where knowledge of the Swedish language isn't necessary. More detailed information in Swedish along with the full program can be found by clicking here.

Photo by Robert Höglund, Kulturnatt Stockholm

The official After Party, with free admission of course, will take place at the iconic Stockholm City Hall (Stadshuset)... where the Nobel dinner/party takes place every year. It starts at 10:30pm and goes on to 3am. The City Hall is located on Kungsholmen. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, stop by and talk to me and I can explain in more detail about the different events.

Stockholm Culture Night (Kulturnatt)

Posted by zlatin

kulturnattstockholm.se 

(EDIT: Links and info from 2013, for current info... click here!) This Saturday, April 20th, is Culture Night (Kulturnatt) in Stockholm. This is the fourth annual Culture Night in Stockholm and it has become quite popular! So, what is a Culture Night? Well, it basically is an evening devoted to all things cultural... and FREE! Different cultural institutions in Stockholm are open during the evening (6pm to midnight), including museums, art galleries, libraries, churches, palaces, clubs, theatres, cinemas and more. To break it down in numbers, this festival will have around 350 events taking place at over 90 different locations throughout the city! And, as I mentioned earlier, admission is free... so this is a great opportunity to get cultural without damaging your wallet.

Photo by Robert Höglund, Kulturnatt Stockholm

So there is a lot to choose from... art & museum exhibitions, concerts, guided tours, performances, viewings and parties. Something for every taste! You can find a program to download in English on their website (click here) in which they have hand picked events where knowledge of the Swedish language isn't necessary. More detailed information in Swedish along with the full program can be found by clicking here.

Photo by Robert Höglund, Kulturnatt Stockholm

The official After Party, with free admission of course, will take place at the iconic Stockholm City Hall (Stadshuset)... where the Nobel dinner/party takes place every year. It starts at 10:30pm and goes on to 3am. The City Hall is located on Kungsholmen. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, stop by and talk to me and I can explain in more detail about the different events.

Culture, Youth and Summer Cinema Festivals 2012

Gustav Adolf Torg stage, photo by Thomas Karlsson

Stockholm is just recovering from the Pride festival and already next week we have three festivals simultaneously! The largest of the three is The Culture Festival (Kulturfestivalen). This is one of my absolute favorite festivals in Stockholm... there is lots to see & do, good people-watching opportunities and (most importantly) it is 99% free-of-charge! The festival runs from the 14th to 19th of August and its location is concentrated in the downtown area. Most events are to be found in three squares: Gustav Adolfs Torg (in front of the Royal Opera), Brunkebergstorg and Sergels Torg. All three squares are very close to each other and easy to walk between. There are lots of fun events to choose from... Brazilian Samba Party, circus artists, African dance show, opera gala, concerts and other live performances. One highlight should be the concert on Thursday evening with Ola Salo and the Radio Symphony at Gustav Adolfs Torg. Click here for a full program of events. If you are traveling with children then make sure to visit Brunkebergstorg during the day for their Maxat för Mini... lots of activities for children!

Ola Salo, photo by Emma Svensson

There are two other smaller festivals going on at the same time in Stockholm. Next door to the Culture Festival you have Ung08, a youth festival, taking place in Kungsträdgården. It is basically a free music festival geared for youths age 15 to 19. The second festival (and another personal favorite) is the outdoor Summer Cinema Festival (Sommarbio). Every evening at 8:30pm, between the 15th and 19th of August, they will be showing a classic movie in the great outdoors at the park Rålambshovsparken. The theme this year is monster movies and they have some great ones lined up... from Jaws to Fellowship of the Ring. Click here for the schedule, but be aware that Pan's Labyrinth is in Spanish with Swedish subtitles and Let the Right One In is in Swedish with no subtitles. Otherwise the others are in English with Swedish subtitles. Bring a picnic basket, bottle of wine and a blanket and enjoy some great cinema (free admission).
If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, stop by and talk to me to get more information about these festivals!

Culture, Youth and Summer Cinema Festivals 2012

Posted by zlatin

Gustav Adolf Torg stage, photo by Thomas Karlsson

Stockholm is just recovering from the Pride festival and already next week we have three festivals simultaneously! The largest of the three is The Culture Festival (Kulturfestivalen). This is one of my absolute favorite festivals in Stockholm... there is lots to see & do, good people-watching opportunities and (most importantly) it is 99% free-of-charge! The festival runs from the 14th to 19th of August and its location is concentrated in the downtown area. Most events are to be found in three squares: Gustav Adolfs Torg (in front of the Royal Opera), Brunkebergstorg and Sergels Torg. All three squares are very close to each other and easy to walk between. There are lots of fun events to choose from... Brazilian Samba Party, circus artists, African dance show, opera gala, concerts and other live performances. One highlight should be the concert on Thursday evening with Ola Salo and the Radio Symphony at Gustav Adolfs Torg. Click here for a full program of events. If you are traveling with children then make sure to visit Brunkebergstorg during the day for their Maxat för Mini... lots of activities for children!

Ola Salo, photo by Emma Svensson

There are two other smaller festivals going on at the same time in Stockholm. Next door to the Culture Festival you have Ung08, a youth festival, taking place in Kungsträdgården. It is basically a free music festival geared for youths age 15 to 19. The second festival (and another personal favorite) is the outdoor Summer Cinema Festival (Sommarbio). Every evening at 8:30pm, between the 15th and 19th of August, they will be showing a classic movie in the great outdoors at the park Rålambshovsparken. The theme this year is monster movies and they have some great ones lined up... from Jaws to Fellowship of the Ring. Click here for the schedule, but be aware that Pan's Labyrinth is in Spanish with Swedish subtitles and Let the Right One In is in Swedish with no subtitles. Otherwise the others are in English with Swedish subtitles. Bring a picnic basket, bottle of wine and a blanket and enjoy some great cinema (free admission).
If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, stop by and talk to me to get more information about these festivals!

Upcoming Festivals & Events

Photo by Yanan Li, Stockholm Visitors Board

I have posted about all of the festivals and events this summer, but I thought I would give a little reminder for the big events in the upcoming weeks.

• Stockholm Gay Pride (July 30th to August 4th)- very popular annual festival. Pride Park is located in the park Tantolunden. Here there will be performances from both Swedish and international artists, as well as restaurants and bars. Lots of parties at different venues all week long! The Pride parade is on Saturday afternoon and is a big event in Stockholm with thousands coming out to watch.
• Stockholm Music & Arts Festival (August 3rd to 5th)- new festival on the island of Skeppsholmen. A great line-up of artists to perform: Marianne Faithful, Laleh, Patti Smith, Emmylou Harris, Björk among others. Should be interesting!
• Royal Philharmonic (August 12th)- free outdoor concert in Gärdet, starts at 2pm. Come early to get a good seat (see picture below).
• Culture Festival (August 14th to 19th)- culture, art, music, live performances throughout the city. Best of all? Free entrance to 99% of the events! Always popular...

So... lots of fun events coming up in the calendar! I will write about some of these, with more information, as we get closer to the actual dates.

(Royal Philharmonic) Photo by Jeppe Wikström, Stockholm Visitors Board

Upcoming Festivals & Events

Posted by zlatin

Photo by Yanan Li, Stockholm Visitors Board

I have posted about all of the festivals and events this summer, but I thought I would give a little reminder for the big events in the upcoming weeks.

• Stockholm Gay Pride (July 30th to August 4th)- very popular annual festival. Pride Park is located in the park Tantolunden. Here there will be performances from both Swedish and international artists, as well as restaurants and bars. Lots of parties at different venues all week long! The Pride parade is on Saturday afternoon and is a big event in Stockholm with thousands coming out to watch.
• Stockholm Music & Arts Festival (August 3rd to 5th)- new festival on the island of Skeppsholmen. A great line-up of artists to perform: Marianne Faithful, Laleh, Patti Smith, Emmylou Harris, Björk among others. Should be interesting!
• Royal Philharmonic (August 12th)- free outdoor concert in Gärdet, starts at 2pm. Come early to get a good seat (see picture below).
• Culture Festival (August 14th to 19th)- culture, art, music, live performances throughout the city. Best of all? Free entrance to 99% of the events! Always popular...

So... lots of fun events coming up in the calendar! I will write about some of these, with more information, as we get closer to the actual dates.

(Royal Philharmonic) Photo by Jeppe Wikström, Stockholm Visitors Board