Dates for public holidays and flag days in Sweden are important to know, both to understand when holidays are happening and when businesses might be closed. Our full list means you’ll always be in the know!
What is a flag day in Sweden?
Flag days are days that have been decreed as dates on which to the national flag. On flag days in Sweden, businesses are not closed nor are there special hours.
All national institutions must fly the flag on these dates, while private institutions and people are not obligated to do so (though many do). The flag must be raised at sunrise and lowered at sunset, and must never touch the ground while being taken to the flagpole.
The birthdays of adult royals are non-obligatory flag days. Some public holidays are also flag days, such as Easter, Christmas, and Midsummer’s Day.
What is a public holiday in Sweden?
Public holidays are national holidays when public offices, institutions, and administrative buildings are closed. Many restaurants, grocery stores, and shop are open, but exactly which ones change year-to-year so check individual websites for holiday opening hours if you’re not sure.
Here are the public holidays, flag days, and important dates to know in Sweden 2020.
Also, you can download all these dates for your Apple Calendar!
January in Sweden
Flag Day? | Holiday? | Date | Holiday Name |
 |  | 1 January | New Year’s Day: Nyårsdagen |
| 5 January | Twelfth Night: Trettondagsafton | ||
| 6 January | Epiphany: Trettondedag jul | |
| 24 January – 3 February | Goteborg International Film Festival | ||
| 28 January | Name day of the King: Konungens namnsdag |
February in Sweden
Flag Day? | Holiday? | Date | Holiday Name |
| 3 – 9 February | Stockholm Design Week | ||
| 4 – 8 February | Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair |
March in Sweden
Flag Day? | Holiday? | Date | Holiday Name |
| 12 March | Name day of the Crown Princess: Kronprinsessans namnsdag | |
| 20 March | Spring equinox |
April in Sweden
Flag Day? | Holiday? | Date | Holiday Name |
| 9 April | Maundy Thursday: Skärtorsdagen | ||
| 10 April | Good Friday: Långfredagen | |
| | 12 April | Easter Sunday: Påsk |
| 13 April | Easter Monday: Annandag påsk | |
| 23 April – 23 May | Ramadan | ||
| 30 April | Walpurgis Night: Valborgsmässoafton | ||
| 30 April | Birthday of the King: Konungens födelsedag |
May in Sweden
Flag Day? | Holiday? | Date | Holiday Name |
| | 1 May | International Worker’s Day |
| | 21 May | Ascension Day: Kristi himmelsfärds dag |
| 22 May | The Friday after Ascension Day: Himmelsfärdsdag fredag. (Not a holiday but maybe be given by some employers). | ||
| 29 May | Veterans Day: Veterandagen | |
| 30 May | Stockholm Marathon | ||
| 30 May | Pentecost Eve: Helgdagar (Not an official public holiday. It is traditionally a non-working day, so many businesses are closed). | ||
| | 31 May | Whit Sunday: Pingstdagen |
| 31 May | Mother’s Day: Mors dag |
June in Sweden
Flag Day? | Holiday? | Date | Holiday Name |
| 1 June | Whit Monday: Annandag pingst. (Previously a holiday). | ||
| | 6 June | National Day of Sweden: Sveriges nationaldag |
| 19 June | Midsummer Eve: Midsommarafton. (De facto holiday). | |
| | 20 June | Midsummer’s Day: Midsommardagen |
| 20 June | Summer solstice | ||
| 23 June – 27 July | Bergman Week | ||
| 26 – 28 June | Lollapalooza Festival |
July in Sweden
Flag Day? | Holiday? | Date | Holiday Name |
| 27 July – 2 August | Stockholm Pride | ||
| 14 July | Birthday of the Crown Princess: Kronprinsessans födelsedag |
August in Sweden
Flag Day? | Holiday? | Date | Holiday Name |
| 8 August | Name day of the Queen: Drottningens namnsdag | |
| 13 – 15 August | Way Out West Festival |
September in Sweden
Flag Day? | Holiday? | Date | Holiday Name |
| 22 September | Autumn equinox |
October in Sweden
Flag Day? | Holiday? | Date | Holiday Name |
| 24 October | United Nations Day: FN-dagen | |
| 31 October | Halloween |
November in Sweden
Flag Day? | Holiday? | Date | Holiday Name |
| 1 November | All Saint’s Day: Alla helgons dag | |
| 6 November | Gustavus Adolphus Day: Gustav Adolfsdagen | |
| 8 November | Father’s Day: Fars dag | ||
| 29 November | First advent |
December in Sweden
Flag Day? | Holiday? | Date | Holiday Name |
| 6 December | Second advent | ||
| 10 December | Alfred Nobel Day: Nobeldagen | |
| 13 December | St Lucy’s Day: Luciadag | ||
| 20 December | Third advent | ||
| 21 December | Winter solstice | ||
| 23 December | Birthday of the Queen: Drottningens födelsedag | |
| 24 December | Christmas Eve: Julafton | |
| | 25 December | Christmas Day: Juldagen |
| 26 December | Second Day of Christmas: Annandag jul | |
| 31 December | New Year’s Eve: Nyårsafton |
Add all these dates for your Apple Calendar!