Midsummer (Nordic Midsummer Eve) 2027: what people eat

Midsummer (Nordic Midsummer Eve) is Friday 25 June 2027. Midsummer in Sweden and Finland is held on the Friday (the eve) and Saturday between 19 and 26 June, and the long table is the centre of it: pickled herring, new potatoes with dill and sour cream, then strawberries. In Finland the day also means barbecue at the lake.

Source: Midsummer, Midsommarafton.

Also known as Midsommar, Midsommarafton, Juhannus, Juhannusaatto.

What people eat for Midsummer (Nordic Midsummer Eve)

Pickled herring and new potatoes

Sweden

The Swedish midsummer starter: several kinds of pickled herring with boiled new potatoes, fresh dill, and sour cream with chives.

Source: Midsummer.

Dish guide: Sild (pickled herring)Dish guide: Inlagd Sill (Pickled Herring)Dish guide: Pickled Herring (Marineret Sild)SturehofStockholmPelikanStockholm

Meatballs, prinskorv and salmon

Sweden

Main dishes at the Swedish midsummer table: meatballs served without gravy, small fried sausages (prinskorv), salmon or grilled spare ribs.

Source: Midsummer.

Dish guide: Köttbullar (Swedish meatballs)Dish guide: Spaghetti and meatballs

Midsummer strawberries

Sweden

Fresh strawberries end the meal, as a strawberry layer cake or plain with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Source: Midsummer.

Snaps

Sweden

A small glass of spiced spirit drunk by the adults at the table between songs.

Source: Midsummer.

SturehofStockholmSpritmuseum RestaurantStockholm

Midsummer barbecue

Finland

Grilled food is part of the Finnish midsummer, which many people spend at a lakeside cottage outside town, beside the bonfire.

Source: Midsummer.

Dish guide: Kansas City barbecue sauceDish guide: Zhizi kaorou (Beijing griddle barbecue)Dish guide: Santa Maria-style barbecue

Our city guides where it is celebrated

StockholmSwedenGothenburgSwedenHelsinkiFinland