Meeting elves, mischief makers, and a lost captain: I attended a Midsummer Festival in the city of Bodø, where I explored the rich traditions of Midsummer and the captivating story behind it.
It was actually more like a huge coincidence that I ended up visiting the Midsummer Festival in Bodø. I was visiting the Lofoten Islands, and due to some delays of the public transport, I ended up staying an extra day in Bodø, where they happened to be celebrating a Midsummer Festival that very day. This was quite fitting, as Bodø is also the European Capital of Culture in 2024.
About the Background of Midsummer
Midsummer is a celebration particularly celebrated in the Nordic countries of Europe and the Baltic States. In Finland and Sweden, it is even a national holiday. This festival typically takes place around the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (June 20 or 21), celebrating the year’s longest day when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky – especially significant in Northern Europe, where the sun does not set during summer. Midsummer also traditionally represents the midpoint of the harvest season, symbolizing the welcoming of summer. Nowadays, Midsummer celebrations are always scheduled on the weekend, so the dates of the festivities are no longer fixed.
Finding True Love with Flowers
Revelers often create flower wreaths and light bonfires as part of the festivities. According to tradition, you should pick seven different flowers on your way home. If you place these flowers under your pillow, you will dream of your future love.
The Story of the Festival in Bodø
The festival in Bodø, in Norway, offered a variety of activities such as games, workshops, and food, including different types of porridge, both sweet and with sour cream. We also saw people creating and wearing their own floral wreaths.
But the highlight was the evening show that told the story of Midsummer. The story follows a captain who accidently travels through time, landing in the year of 2024 instead of 1874, the year he originally set sail. The captain is trying to find his way back to his ship and his son Edvart, who is waiting alone on the lost ship.
The captain is helped by the elf Jektenissen and meets the Mischief Makers on the way, who make him drink their magical potion. The captain does everything he can to find his way back to his ship, even setting three chimneys in fire, which represent the Sun, the Tree, and the fire goddess Sarahkka (according to Sami mythology, the most powerful icon of all). The highlight of the show was the fireworks at the end, including a burning beacon that guided the captain home to his family. Especially in combination with the singing of the choir, it showed the magical power of Midsummer.
You have read the blog post Visiting a Midsummer Festival in Norway on My Travel Journal-Blog.