Major events 2018 in Gothenburg and West Sweden

Photographer: Jonas Ingman - M2B AB
January 26 - February 5: Gothenburg International Film Festival, Göteborg
As the leading film festival in the nordic countries, the Gothenburg festival brings films from all over the world to Gothenburg.

Photographer: Fotograf Claes Jakobsson
February 20 - 25: Gothenburg Horse Show
Gothenburg Horse Show - 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

Photographer: Jonas Ingman - Bruksbild
February: Passion for Food Exhibition
Passion for Food Exhibition - Taste the West of Sweden in Gothenburg with the region's best food producers and restaurants. Buy top-quality products and try taster platters.

Photographer: Jesper Anhede
March - April: Dancing cranes at Lake Hornborga
Witness the arrival of over 10,000 cranes, flying in from Spain to their traditional breeding grounds. The birds perform the famous crane dance at Lake Hornborga – a mix of bowing, hopping and wing-flapping.

Photographer: press
End April – Begin Oct: Summer Season at Liseberg
At the end of April, Scandinavia's biggest amusement park opens for the summer season! There is something for everyone at Liseberg, where you’ll find the most fun in Scandinavia. Lots of attractions in summer, Halloween and in winter offer thrills, spills and laughter for kids and grown-ups.

Photographer: Dick Gillberg/Göteborg & Co
April 18 - 22: International Science Festival Gothenburg
With hundreds of activities and about 70,000 visits The International Science Festival in Gothenburg is one of Europe’s leading popular science events and the only one of its kind in Sweden.

Photographer: Vitlycke museum
Begin April – End October: Vitlycke Museum, Tanumshede
All over the world people have carved and painted on rocks and in caves. Here at Vitlycke museum and Tanum people from the Bronze Age have carved thousands of images into the smooth rocks of the landscape. This pictorial treasure is so rich in content and so distinctive that it is among the world’s cultural heritages on the Unesco World Heritage List

Photographer: Hanna Thorén Karlsson
May 5: The Nordic Oyster Opening Championships in Grebbestad
On Saturday 5 May Scandinavia’s best oyster openers will be in Grebbestad to compete in the Nordic Oyster Opening Championship. This is where the Nordic elite will open 30 oysters in the shortest possible time and with as little blood spilt as possible, and display them nicely on a platter, all under the critical eyes of the panel of judges. The Grebbestad Open Championship in Oyster Opening will take place on the same day, and the winner of this championship qualifies immediately for a place in the Nordic Championship as well as for the Swedish Championship.

Photographer: Jonas Ingman - M2B AB
May 19: Göteborgsvarvet – Half Marathon, Göteborg
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 along Göteborgsvarvet.

Photographer: Jesper Anhede
June: Skara Sommarland opens for the summer season
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.

Photographer: None
June 22: Midsummer
Celebrate midsummer in Gothenburg and West Sweden.
July 2 - 7: Partille Cup, Partille
During one week every year, nearly 19 000 participants from 50 countries come to participate in the cup. Partille Cup is the world’s largest handball tournament for young people.
July: Hova Medieval Week
Hova town centre in July. 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.

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

Photographer: Tony Berg
July 12 - 15: Åmåls Blues Fest, Åmål
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.

Photographer: Taubespelen
July 14 - 15: Evert Taube Festival, Tanumstrand
Visitors can enjoy their favourite Evert Taube songs in the Bohuslän archipelago. 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. More information - taubespelen@telia.com

Photographer: Gothia Cup
July 15 - 21: Gothia Cup, Gothenburg
During one week in July every year over 4,000 matches are played between 1,500 teams from 60 countries from all over the world. Gothia Cup is the world’s biggest football tournament for young people.

Photographer: Dan Ljungsvik
August: Lysekil Women’s Match, Lysekil
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.

Photographer: Mikael Almse
August 9 - 11: Way Out West, Gothenburg
The three-day festival - Way Out West - is a must for all music-loving, culturally oriented young minds. The festival take place in Slottskogen city park in Gothenburg.

Photographer: Maria Ljungberg
August 11: Dalsland Canoe Marathon+
The Dalsland Canoe Marathon+ is an annual canoe race set on the sparkling glacial lakes and lush old growth forests of the Dalsland valley. The 55 km race runs through four of these lakes with water pure enough to drink.

Photographer: Tjörn Triathlon
August 25- - 26: Tenson Tjörn Triathlon 11.3
This is one of Sweden’s biggest and highest ranked triathlon competitions. It consists of 1900m swimming, 90km cycling, and 21km running. Most participants bring their families along to the competition and stay for a few days. Each year, more and more triathletes spend a week in the area, trying out the competition venues before the event. As always, the last weekend in August Tjörn holds a Triathlon Festival for all the family, where everyone aged 3 and above can compete.

Photographer: sbt
August: Open Shipyards on Orust
Around 150 boats of between 25 and 65 feet are shown in four harbours - Ellös, Kungsviken, Henån and Vindön. Different types of equipment and accessories are on display in Ellös, where about 85 exhibitors showcase their products. Each year, Open Shipyards attracts 20 – 22,000 boating enthusiasts from all over the world here to see what Swedish and international manufacturers have to offer when it comes to big boats and sailing equipment.

Photographer: Icebug
August 31 - September 2: IcebugXperience
IcebugXperience, a one-of-a-kind trail running and hiking race throughout the stunning coastal landscape of Bohuslän, Sweden.
Run or walk a 75-kilometre distance during a course of three days. Experience beautiful trails alongside the ocean, over granite slabs, in deep forests and through picturesque villages. Then eat and sleep like the locals and enjoy good company from all over the world.

Photographer: Mikael Almse
September 27 - 30: The Book Show, Gothenburg
The Göteborg Book Fair is the largest cultural event in Scandinavia. Established in 1985, the Book Fair receives around 100,000 visitors every year.

Photographer: Patrik Gunnar Helin
September-November: Lights in Alingsås
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.

Photographer: Dick Gillberg
Mid-November - December: 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.
Events and highlights in Gothenburg 2018