Showing posts with label Walpurgis Night. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Walpurgis Night. Show all posts

April 30 - Walpurgis Night

    Posted on April 30, 2022

This is an update of my post published on April 30, 2011:




It's May Day Eve tonight! Time to eat, drink, and be merry around a roaring bonfire!

Some people dress up like witches and go out into the streets in a sort of wandering carnival.

Some folks watching the bonfires may be dressed like witches, too.


There's dancing, “capping” (wearing special caps  and putting similar hats onto statues), entertainment, speeches...and sometimes pranks, as well.

This holiday is called various names in various countries, including Valborg in Sweden, Vappu in Finland, Hexennacht in Germany, Volbrioo in Estonia, and the čarodejnice in the Czech Republic.


What's it all about? Well, it's another spring festival—another way of celebrating the return of sunshine and warmer temperatures. It seems to me that this holiday is a cross between Halloween and Mardi Gras—but with the added benefit that the next day, May Day, is also celebrated by many!








(Last Saturday)



(Last Saturday in April)



National Sense of Smell Day
(Last Saturday in April)






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April 30 – Double Celebration in Sweden

Posted on April 30, 2019

April 30 is the birthday of Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden. If past years are any indication, the day might start off with a salute to the king from the armed forces, choral singing, and the Changing of the Guard. Children in attendance have an opportunity to present flowers to their king. 



At midday there might be a 21-gun salute, followed by a luncheon and reception for the entire government, including County Governors. In the evening there will be a banquet at the Royal Palace at the capital city, Stockholm. 



But April 30 is also Valborg - aka Walpurgis Night. This welcoming of spring is a public event. It usually involves a community bonfire and often features a speech by a local celebrity. Of course there is choral singing (Swedes are pretty big on choral singing!).

Some Swedish universities do Valborg in a big way - and all day. At Uppsala, things start off at 10 in the morning with the Running of the Falls, when floats of all shapes and sizes and colors float down the Fyris River and go down two falls. That sounds super dangerous, but I guess we're not talking Niagara Falls here! Instead, we are talking about very low falls, probably artificial:


There are also "Champagne Races" where students both drink and spray at one another sparkling wine - don't worry, the walls and floors of the university buildings are covered with plastic! - sometimes with enough spilled champagne students are literally wading through it! 

 At 3 in the afternoon, there is the Donning of the Caps. This seems a bit calm after "facing" waterfalls in homemade floats and sloshing and splashing and spraying sparkling wine: everyone gathers together in front of the University Library, and the Vice-Chancellor waves her white student cap. The masses of students all wave their caps (many decorated with Walpurgis pins, collectables created by the university) in response, and then put the caps on.

I guess, back in the day, students wore their special student caps every day. In winter they wore black caps, and in spring and summer they wore white - and that is why donning the white caps was a big "welcome spring" deal.

 Of course, the uni students also do loads of bonfires and singing, like the rest of the Swedes!




Also on this date:































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April 30, 2011 - Walpurgis Night



It's May Day Eve tonight! Time to eat, drink, and be merry around a roaring bonfire!

Some people dress up like witches and go out into the streets in a sort of wandering carnival.

There's dancing, “capping” (wearing caps decorated with pom poms, and putting similar hats onto statues), entertainment and speeches...and sometimes pranks, as well.

This holiday is called various names in various countries, including Sweden, Finland, Germany, Estonia, and the Czech Republic.


What's it all about? Well, it's another spring festival—another way of celebrating the return of sunshine and warmer temperatures. It seems to me that this holiday is a cross between Halloween and Mardi Gras—but with the added benefit that the next day, May Day, is also celebrated by many!
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