Major Events Gothenburg and West Sweden 2012

The Gothenburg Museum of Art presents, for the first time in Sweden, an exhibition with one of the most celebrated couples of the world of art; Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

As winter paints the natural landscape in beautiful shades of grey, the museum turns inwards and looks at its own collection with fresh eyes. During the autumn, we invite children, young and old on the island of Tjörn to form three groups which will familiarise themselves with the works in the museum's collection, watch and think, and pick out their own collections.

Scandinavia's largest public film festival will attract 200,000 visitors. The 11-day festival is packed with a full film and seminar programme, complete with performances and parties. "Presence" is the main theme for the upcoming festival.

The Boat Show is a meeting place for anyone who loves boats and sailing. This year, there will be an increased focus on sailing, with an entire hall dedicated to yachts and sailing vessels. The ladies will have their own evening and there will be plenty of activities for children. A number of new motorboats and speedboats will also be introduced during the event.

Annual international event with the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping in Scandinavium. The Euro Horse Exhibition is held at the Swedish Exhibition and Congress Centre at the same time.

Taste the West of Sweden at Eriksbergshallen in Gothenburg with the region's best food producers and restaurants, now in its fifth year. Buy top-quality products, try taster platters and get tips from Gothenburg's star chefs.

Witness the arrival of over 10,000 cranes, flying in from Spain to their traditional breeding grounds. The birds perform the famous crane dance – a mix of bowing, hopping and wing-flapping. Watch from the bird tower at the Nature Reserve Centre at Lake Hornborga.

Anu Tuominen (f.1961) turns simple, abandoned or forgotten everyday items, often found at flea markets, into delicate art. She collects objects, orders, sorts, and alters them to dissolve their original function and create something unexpected from the well-known. Objects get a new life when Tuominen staples, lines or hangs them up. Containers, yarn, buttons, postcards, pens and similar items are put together in surprising combinations. Colour and form become a powerful visual language, in which humour is mixed with nostalgia. Anu Tuominen is one of Finland's most talked about conceptual artists.

Annual fashion fair and design competition for up-and-coming local designers of clothes, shoes, accessories and jewellery at Clarion Post, Gothenburg.

TUR is the leading tourism and travel fair in Scandinavia, and an annual meeting place where the Scandinavian travel industry meets suppliers from 100 countries, to establish contacts and do business. It's also a great place to find information about holiday destinations, especially on the Swedish west coast.

Visit artists and craftsmen in their workshops and studios.

The Art Tour begins on the evening of Maundy Thursday and ends on Easter Monday.

The World Synchronised Skating Championships will be held at Scandinavium in April The best 20 teams in the world will take part.

Forever Floydian is the first festival ever dedicated to the music of Pink Floyd. From lunch until after midnight on Staurday 14 Paril 2012 you can hear professionals and amateurs playing music created by the British cult group and its members. There will also be musicals workshops with members from the Swedish tribute band P-Floyd, catering, exhibitions and much more.

At the end of April, Scandinavia's biggest amusement park opens for the summer season! AtmosFear is; Europe's highest, and perhaps the world's most spectacular, Free Fall. From 146 metres above sea level you fall freely at a speed of 110 km/h straight into a dark hole, before the ride is slowed down just before you reach the ground – are you brave enough? The park also offers lots of popular rides for all ages, and a themed restaurant, the Ghost Bar Gasten.

: Takes place in Grebbestad, a small fishing community two hours north of Gothenburg. Now in its seventh year. Watch chefs from across Scandinavia battle it out to take the crown of the speediest opener. Opening, harvesting, boat trips and diving activities are on offer.

In the world heritage area in Tanum you'll find Vitlycke museum, an information centre for the entire world heritage site. On the 1 May, the museum will open its door for the summer season. Vitlycke Museum offers exhibitions, a reconstructed Bronze Age farm, slide shows, a shop and a café/restaurant. Hire a digital guide and get a personal guided tour of the rock carvings on the Vitlycke Rock, and the rocks along the trail Vitlyckestigen. The various images were probably carved into the stone over a time period of 900 years, during the Bronze and Iron Ages. 170 cup marks and almost 300 figures cover the rocks. Among them is the most famous of them all, the Bride & Groom, and something as unusual as a blue whale!
You will also gain insight into the daily life and world view of Bronze Age humans.

Dalsland X-Country is one of Sweden's most popular and fastest growing mountain bike competitions, which attracts both the elite and hobby riders. The course, which is considered one of the most varied and beautiful, winds its way through the natural landscape, along lakes, through forests, and across meadows. The race is about 50 kilometres long, with start and finish in the centre of Bengtsfors. New for 2012 is that you can race individually, not as previously only in teams of two. In 2012, some of the best mountain bike teams in Scandinavia will take part, and there are on-going discussions about whether Dalsland X-Country should be included in the so called Långloppscupen. (the Long Race Cup).

Vårrundan greets the arrival of spring to the mountain of Kinnekulle, in the West of Sweden. The first weekend in May, the doors of artists, craftsmen, coffee shops and restaurants on Kinnekulle open to visitors. Musicians, guides, and various organisations will also be present to demonstrate the area's diversity.

Gothenburg is at its prettiest in May, when spring has arrived in earnest. Come and experience the atmosphere in Gothenburg city centre, where 200,000 spectators cheer on the runners and around 50 different musical entertainers line the route.
GöteborgsVarvet, one of the biggest running events in the world, is a half marathon (21097.5 metres). Participants must be 17 years or above.

The harbour of Gothenburg is filled with exciting, fun, and interesting maritime activities for both young and old.

Culture created by and for lesbians, transsexuals, gay and bisexuals. The LGBTQ Festival is a unique art and culture festival in Gothenburg, with focus on lifestyle norms and the situation of LGBTQ individuals, in an artistic and cultural context.

Skara Sommarland offers a nerve-racking ride on "Tranan" (the Crane), a unique rollercoaster which has been praised by enthusiasts from all over the world. Also available: adventure pool, rides, cart-racing and more.

Celebrate herring and Sweden's National Day on Klädesholmen in Bohuslän! Enjoy a herring lunch on the harbour pier, to the accompaniment of sea gulls shrieking and lapping waves. The programme also includes activities like make your own midsummer herring, visits to the herring factory, and a heritage walk around the island, which as early as in 1594 was described as an old fishing village by Bishop Jens Nilsen. One of the highpoints of the Day of the Herring is the presentation of the award Herring of the Year 2012.

Traditional open air concert with the Göteborg Symphony Orchestra in Slottsskogen City Park at 2 pm, free entrance.

The rock star and style icon, Lenny Kravitz, has since his debut album 22 years ago produced an impressive number of gold and platinum recordings. He has won 7 Grammys and is the only artist to win the title "Best Male Rock Vocal Performance" four years in a row at this prestigious ceremony. Now you have the opportunity to see Lenny Kravitzat Scandinavia's biggest amusement park, Liseberg.

Celebrate Midsummer at Slottsskogen City Park, The Garden Society of Gothenburg, Gunnebo House and Gardens, Nääs Castle or on one of the islands.

The sailing race Bohusracet is a real challenge for any sailor, and sometimes referred to as the 'Vasaloppet at Sea'. The format is called short-handed, which means that boats that would normally be sailed by a crew of 5-8, are instead sailed by two persons. The race, which lasts for up to 40 hours, starts in Uddevalla, continues south to Marstrand and up along the Bohuslän coast to Norway, before turning back down towards the finish in Smögen. From Byfjorden outside Uddevalla it is possible to watch the spectacular starts, either from land or on-board one of the passenger boats.

Nordisk Seglats continues the sailing festival in Uddevalla after Bohusracet. In the guest harbour, around 30 beautiful sailing vessels gather; a wonderful sight for any lover of classic boats. The more than 9-metre long wooden ships are traditionally built and rigged. Each year, young sailing enthusiasts meet up at Nordisk Seglats to sail together between three Scandinavian countries. Next year, the boats will visit harbours in Hals in Denmark, Uddevalla in Sweden, and Risör in Norway. The ships will arrive on the 1 July, and be open to the public the following day, before a spectacular, collective departure for Norway on the 3 July.

Enjoy the goddess of pop - Madonna at Ullevi 4 of july. One of the greatest entertainers of all time is coming to Sweden again with her "Madonna World Tour 2012". With a three decades long career and a brand new album, she will offer a grand show.

One month prior to the Olympics Games, the Women's World Match Racing Championships will be held in Långedrag, Gothenburg. This world championship will be especially important, as Women's Match Racing will become an Olympic discipline at the Olympic Games in London. The build-up to the Olympic Games will culminate with the World Championships. This will also be the last opportunity for the top teams to compete before the Olympic Games, and in the same type of boat that will be used in London, the Elliot.

Sweden's biggest annual youth handball tournament.

Some 100,000 visitors gather on the cliffs and quaysides of Marstrand to follow the gripping match races which attract competitors from the Olympics, World and European Championships, as well as from America's Cup.

Åmåls Blues Fest is a four-day international blues festival which has grown to become of the most popular in Sweden since the start in 1992. Everything is centrally located by the beautiful shore of Lake Vänern.

Hova town centre in July. A magic transformation is about to take place. A small 21st century village is travelling back in time - back to the medieval days. Suddenly the park is full of market stalls, knights in shining armour, witty jesters, and merry musicians skipping down Main Street playing tunes on their flutes. Visitors and local citizens dress up in medieval clothing in order to fit into the atmosphere.

Trollhättan is a town by the southern tip of Lake Vänern. This is where the Days of the Falls, one of Sweden's most popular and well-attended festivals, is held every year. The floodgates are opened and the water is released into its former channel. This impressive sight is a reminder of the huge forces the engineers have managed to tame, using locks and power stations. When the gates are opened, the river regains some of its original fierceness, as 300,000 litres of water a second cascades along the river channel. During the Days of the Falls, the town is teeming with activities. Genuine family entertainment is on offer, with a program containing activities suitable for visitors of all ages. The water roars down the falls several times a day, and this is your opportunity to experience this amazing force of nature. The falls are especially spectacular after dark, when they are lit.

Visitors can enjoy their favourite Evert Taube songs in the Bohuslän archipelago. The performing artists are some of Sweden's finest, and include Sven-Bertil Taube. It was on the island of Ängön that the famous Swedish singer/songwriter, Evert Taube, wrote some of his most popular songs in the 1940s.

Sweden's biggest annual youth football tournament.

With more than 65 million albums sold in the United States and 200 million sold worldwide, Bruce "The Boss" Springsteen is one of the world's all-time musical legends. He has earned numerous awards for his work, including 20 Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes and an Academy Award. Despite being massively popular throughout the 1980s with hits such as 'Born In The USA' and 'Nebraska', Bruce Springsteen is widely regarded as one of the most influential songwriters of the 20th century.

With 400,000 SEK in prize money, Lysekil Women's Match is the world's biggest match racing competition for women. In match racing, the crews compete in pairs, in exciting duels that are easy for spectators to understand and follow. Lysekil is the perfect place for match racing, as the sailing action takes place very close to the rocks in the centre of the town. In 2009, the event attracted 100,000 visitors. Twelve of the world's best female match racing skippers race every summer in Lysekil Women's Match. In 2012, this event will be held for the seventh time, and it's a competition that is getting increasingly interesting, as ladies' match racing will be a new event in the Olympic Games 2012 in London. Watch the exciting sailing races, visit the Havsbad Park and enjoy a variety of activities for all the family, good food, and concerts.

This music festival started in Gothenburg in 2007, and was an immediate success, with a great line-up of international names. The festival will be back in 2012, at Slottskogen City Park, central Gothenburg.

Sweden's biggest, the world's longest and toughest canoeing competition. This annual marathon takes paddlers through 55km of waterways through Dalsland's picturesque countryside. The race is longer than any other canoe marathon in the world, and attracts 600 participants, including both the canoeing elite and those who paddle for the exercise and fun. It takes around 4.5 hours for the elite to finish the race and the slowest canoes/kayaks usually reach the finishing line after 12 hours. The event also offers a number of activities on land, for both participants and spectators.

This festival offers a packed programme of top-class entertainment on stages and venues across the heart of the city. A free event, suitable for all ages. Music, open-air dance floors, great food, an arts and crafts market, and activities galore are all found here.

For the third time, the "Multi Art Event" Dragonfly Festival offers ambient and acoustic music, art, film, food and people in natural surroundings at Ekehagen's Ancient Village. Around one hundred performers from Sweden and the rest of Europe, including José Gonzalez, Little Dragon and Kultiration. A green festival in the right sense of the word.

The Tjörn Runt is an annual sailing race attracting all kinds of sailors, both amateur and professional. It has been held on the third Saturday of August every year since 1964. About 500 sailing vessels of every type sail the 28-nautical mile long course around the island of Tjörn, which is located on the Swedish west coast, 40 km north of Gothenburg. 2013 will be the 50th anniversary of this event

Tjörn Triathlon is a tough challenge, beautifully framed by the smooth rocks, salty ocean, and open landscape of Bohuslän. A triathlon consists of three stages: swimming, cycling, and running, which are performed consecutively. A Duathlon consists of three stages: running, cycling, and running, which are also performed consecutively. In 2011, two events for athletes with physical disabilities will be held for the first time.

The show, the 17th in a row, runs from the 24th until 26th of August and attracts new exhibitors and visitors as well as "old ones". Approx. 150 yachts with a length of between 25 and 65 ft will be on display in the four participating harbours, Ellös, Kungsviken, Henån and Vindön. In Ellös you will also find app. 85 exhibitors of various equipment and accessories. Open Yards on Orust is a real success story according to both visitors and exhibitors. Every year around 20 – 22,000 boating enthusiasts from near and far travel to Orust to see what Swedish and international manufacturers have to offer in terms of larger yachts and marine equipment.

Welcome to the 24th annual Jazz Festival in Gothenburg city centre. Three days of swing, New Orleans jazz, gospel and blues, at eight different venues.

The 27-30 September, the Book Show returns for the 28th year in a row!

Every year, leading illuminators from different parts of the world gather in Alingsås. During a week-long workshop, they work together with students from around 15 countries, to light up an urban area in an exciting way.

The lobster season begins on the first Monday after the 20th September, this year it's the 24th September. Lobster safaris, followed by lobster suppers, are arranged at a number of locations along the coast.

In addition to shellfish menus and reasonably priced accommodation, hotels and restaurants along the Bohuslän coast offer shellfish safaris with focus on mussels, lobsters, or oysters. The Shellfish Journey begins on the first day of the lobster season. Many of the hotels have spas offering traditional Bohuslän treatments.

The cranes return to Lake Hornborgasjön after visiting more northerly parts. To watch the cranes dance is a special and amazing experience.

A Gothenburg Christmas. Scandinavia's largest Christmas market at the amusement park Liseberg offers innovative, stylish illuminations and rides along the central three-kilometre long Lane of Light.