Independence Day in Sweden is celebrated annually on June 6. This national holiday is also called the Day of the Swedish Flag and has a long history—and two reasons for the date. The date is based on the crowning of the first Swedish king nearly five centuries ago and the adoption of the country’s constitution in 1809.

Flag Day History

Swedes celebrate Flag Day (similar to an “Independence Day”) in memory of the founding of the kingdom of Sweden by the coronation ceremony of Gustav Vasa on June 6, 1523, and the adoption of the nation’s constitution on June 6, 1809.

The day has been celebrated as the Day of the Swedish Flag since 1916 when national-romantic winds were blowing through the country and folklore societies, and local history museums were established. According to the website, Sweden – Sverige, which is the country’s name in Swedish, this celebration honors both the flag and the nation.

Although the day was observed nationwide throughout the 20th century, the government did not officially recognize National Day until 1983. Subsequently, the date became a national holiday in 2005, allowing schools, banks, and public institutions to close for the occasion.

Low Key Celebration

The Local SE, a website that presents Swedish news in English, notes that few Swedes actually care about the holiday, likely because it was “artificially created.” This holiday even replaced another existing celebration previously held at the same time.

Still, Swedes do make an effort to mark the holiday. Scandinavian Perspectives explains:

“Every year, the King and Queen of Sweden take part in a ceremony at Skansen, Stockholm’s open-air museum, where the yellow and blue Swedish flag is run up the mast, and children in traditional peasant costumes present the royal couple with bouquets of summer flowers.”

The Cultural Trip agrees that Swedes maintain a relaxed view of the holiday; however, they still seize the opportunity to celebrate:

“Come June 6, many Swedes stock up on booze, gather with friends, and celebrate having an extra day off. It’s not that they lack national pride—it’s simply Swedes’ nature to approach things in a more laid-back manner.”

Holiday From a Holiday

Indeed, although the king and queen of Sweden do usually celebrate National Day at Skansen, the well-known museum in the nation’s capital, in 2017, they took a holiday from the holiday. While they still celebrated Flag Day, it was outside of their usual setting: They were on vacation.

This time, they celebrated National Day in the small Swedish city of Växjö, where the royal couple were honored guests and enjoyed the music of Joakim Larsson, a member of Småland’s Opera. Once the royals departed, the festivities continued with ample activities for kids and food and drink for adults.

Though they may not express their patriotism for Independence Day with the same fervor as U.S. citizens do towards July 4th, Swedes still appreciate the opportunity to celebrate their heritage, and National/Flag Day provides them with the perfect occasion to do so.