Walpurgis Night

April 30, 2014 - Walpurgis Night or Valborg has German roots and is the night bonfires are lit to ward off the witches (again with the witches!) or scare of the wolves and other beasts before putting sheep out to pasture for the spring.  I love how Swedes embrace and celebrate holiday traditions.

 

Either way it's a fun tradition where family, friends and neighbors, across Stockholm and the rest of Sweden, gather together with their torches to light a HUGE bonfire and sing traditional Swedish folk songs to welcome spring.  Despite the fact that spring has sprung around the city, Walpurgis Night is always cold (everyone said it would be)... we even woke up to snow on May 1st. 

Audra (pink coat and hat), Gabriella (Sofia's buddy), Sofia (white hat), Leo (Gabriella's brother)

With a bag full of winter gear we headed to Skansen, Stockholm's large outdoor museum, the place to always celebrate Swedish holidays in a family atmosphere.  From 8-9pm opera singers preformed several songs ending with a rendition of The Barber of Seville.  Someone gave an enthusiastic speech (in Swedish) welcoming spring... something about equality and the sun shining on all of us... even Leo, our fourth grade Swedish friend said 'even if you understand Swedish, this is a really boring speech'!  In very punctual Swedish fashion, the speaker wrapped up at 8:59, torches were lit on stage, marched over to the big brush pile and the bonfire was lit while the choir sang in the background. 

One of the traditional songs:  Vintern Rasat Ut (direct translation: winter tumbled out).

 

As the fire caught, the wind was whipping and smoke was billowing.  The experienced folks at Skansen had the big fire hoses out to spray the perimeter of the bonfire.  Apparently around 9:45pm the old windmill on the far side of the amphitheater caught fire from a spark but the fire was quickly put out. 

the view of Stockholm from the Skansen hilltop