April 30 – Double Celebration in Sweden

nPosted on April 30, 2019

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nApril 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. 
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nAt 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. 
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nBut 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!).
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nSome 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:
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nThere 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! 
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nAt 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.
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nI 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.
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nOf course, the uni students also do loads of bonfires and singing, like the rest of the Swedes!
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nAlso on this date:

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• nMay holidays

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• nMay birthdays

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• nHistorical anniversaries in May

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