22-24 Feb A Passion for Food exhibition in Göteborg
A date for the diary of any foodie is the Passion for Food exhibition held in the gastronomic city of Göteborg. The exhibition held at Eriksbergshallen enables visitors to Taste the West of Sweden by showcasing the region's best food producers and restaurants. Buy top-quality produce, try taster platters and get tips from Göteborg's star chefs. www.westsweden.com

March Cranes Dance at Lake Hornborga
Witness an amazing spectacle: the arrival of over 10,000 cranes flying in from Spain to their traditional breeding grounds. Once arrived the cranes perform the famous Crane Dance – a mix of bowing, hopping and wing-flapping that is part of the mating ritual - as well as the unforgettable "big lift" at dusk when the birds take off. This is best witnessed from the bird tower at the Nature Reserve Centre.  www.hornborga.com
              
13-16 March TUR 2007, Göteborg
 This is Scandinavia's leading trade show in the travel and tourism industry and it’s open to the general public from 15-16 March. The show is held at Svenska Mässan in Göteborg. www.swefair.se

18-23 March - ISU World Figure Skating Championships
Göteborg will host one of the world's biggest sporting events when the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2008 takes place in the Scandinaviaum arena. Scandinavium is the second largest indoor arena in Sweden. www.goteborg.com/worlds2008

14 – 20 April - International Science Festival Göteborg
Experiments, shows and seminars. Theme: Game, Gamble & Play
www.vetenskapsfestival.com

23-27 April - Göteborg Horse Show
An annual international event with the FEI World Cup in dressage, show jumping and driving. At the same time, the Euro Horse exhibition takes place at Svenska Mässan, Göteborg.  www.goteborghorseshow.com  

19 April - Oyster Festival
West Sweden produces some of the world’s finest oysters and an Oyster Festival, held on 19 April, is dedicated to celebrating this delicacy in Grebbestad, two hours north of Göteborg. Oyster-openers battle it out in the Nordic Championships and the whole family can get acquainted with this sought-after shellfish through opening, picking and boat trip activities. www.westsweden.com
            
26 April-12 Oct - Liseberg Amusement Park Summer Season
It’s the greatest amusement park in Scandinavia and Sweden’s number one tourist attraction with around three million visitors per year. www.liseberg.se

April 30 - Walpurgis Eve
Walpurgis Night, when spring is welcomed with bonfires, choral singing and fireworks. The festivities go on in many locations.
        
17 May - Göteborgsvarvet (Göteborg half-marathon) 
With its 40 000 participants it is one of the world’s biggest events for runners. Take part and soak up the atmosphere all along the way, on the main boulevard Avenyn and hear the hearty encouragement of spectators and around thirty musical bands. Göteborgsvarvet is not just a sports event but a celebration for the whole family. Kids have their own running event on the following day. www.goteborgsvarvet.com
             
29 May – HBT-GBG Festival
June  A festival that gives everyone interested the possibility to get a broad aspect of culture created by and for lesbians, transsexuals, gay and bisexuals. This is the second year the festival is running.
          
6 June Sweden’s’ National Day

6 June  Summer concert with Sweden’s National Symphony Orchestra
Traditional open-air concert with the Göteborg Symphony Orchestra. And 6 June is the National Day of Sweden. Slottsskogen City Park. www.gso.se

20 June - Midsummer’s Eve
Midsummer is one of the most popular holidays in Sweden – it’s a celebration of summer and of the long light nights. Most Swedes take to the countryside for public and private parties, which comprise dressing the Midsummer Pole with fresh leaves and flowers for children and grown-ups alike to dance around. Midsummer is celebrated all over Sweden the weekend nearest Midsummer’s Day itself, 24 June. Below are examples of public midsummer celebrations in West Sweden on 21 June, and more to be find on www.westsweden.com

Läckö Castle
Traditional Midsummer celebrations take place at Läckö Castle on the shore of Lake Vänern, about two hours north-east of Göteborg. Läckö Castle is a 17th century fairytale castle complete with turrets and spires and an enchanting setting on Lake Vänern. There are magnificent public rooms and furniture, popular summer exhibitions and a famous castle garden. Opera and concerts are also held here. www.lackoslott.se
        
Nääs Castle
Traditional Midsummer Celebrations at Nääs Castle, 30 minutes outside Göteborg (Lerum). Nääs Slott is a well-preserved, 19th century manor house in Rococo style and has a world famous crafts centre offering courses and exhibitions. www.naas.se
                       
28 June- 28 Sept - Gardens of Göteborg
This international garden exhibition will take place at four beautiful venues in and around the city: Trädgårdsföreningen Horticultural Society Gardens, Göteborg Botanical garden, Gunnebo House and Gardens and Liseberg amusement park. Leading Swedish as well as international landscape architects and garden designers will participate.
www.goteborgslustgardar.se

30 June - Match Cup Sweden
6 July The Swedish Match Cup resurrects under a new name – Match Cup Sweden. Some 100,000 visitors throng the cliffs and quaysides of Marstrand to follow the gripping match races which attract sailing competitors from the Olympics, World and European Championships and America’s Cup. www.gkss.se
       
1- 6 July - Partille Cup, Göteborg
Some 14,500 youngsters get together for the annual handball tournament in Göteborg. www.savehof.se

4-5 July - Bruce Springsteen concerts in Göteborg
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band will be back at Ullevi Stadium in Göteborg. www.goteborg.com

4 – 6 July - World youth athletic games
Ullevi stadium
    
5 – 13 July - Hova Jousting Week
Each year, a medieval week is held in Hova, about two hours from Göteborg, to celebrate a famous battle. A jousting festival with all manner of activities for the whole family is part of nine days of events attracting over 100,000 visitors. See the biggest medieval parade in the Norse countries as villages turn out in costume. There is also a medieval playground called ‘Barnens Riddarland’ for the little knights and princesses. www.riddarveckan.com
       
10-13 July - BluesFest in Åmål
The Åmål BluesFest has become an international festival in its genre and one of the most prestigious in Sweden. www.bluesfest.net
        
13 -19 July - Gothia Cup
The largest and most international youth football event in the world, with competitors from 50-60 countries in over 1,350 teams.
www.gothiacup.se

12-13 July - Evert Taube Festival, Ängön
Visitors enjoy their favourite Evert Taube songs in the Bohuslän archipelago. The performing artists are some of Sweden´s finest such as Sven-Bertil Taube and Peter Harryson. It was on the island of Ängön that famous Swedish singer/songwriter, Evert Taube, wrote some of his finest songs during the 1940’s. www.taubespelen.com
         
18-20 July - Falls Days in Trollhättan
Water is allowed into the Trollhättan Falls and there are activities and entertainment for the whole family. www.vastsverige.com/trollhattan
       
9 August - Dalsland Canoe Marathon
The Dalsland Canoe Marathon takes place over 55 km through the connected system of waterways which make up the Dalsland Canal. www.kanotmaraton.se

7-9 Aug - Way out West, Göteborg
The music festival that started in Göteborg in 2007 was a success with a great line up of international names. The festival will be back in 2008 at Slottskogen City Park, central Göteborg.  (www.wayoutwest.se).
         
8 – 10 Aug - Göteborg Jazz Festival
Annual international jazz festival with some 30 participating bands, starting with a parade along the main boulevard Avenyn. www.gothenburgjazzfestival.com

12- 17 Aug Göteborg Culture Festival
The city is buzzing as the festival takes over the central city for six days. At the festival venues with outdoor stages, there will be several hundreds of music concerts, entertainment and culture activities, all with free admission. The children will have their own festival at Trädgårdsföreningen Horticultural Society Gardens. www.goteborg.com

15 - 24 Aug - Göteborg Dance & Theatre Festival
This is Sweden's leading event focusing on contemporary performing arts from all over the world. International companies are invited to present a selection of the best and most interesting performances within the fields of contemporary dance, theatre new circus and performing art. www.festival.goteborg.se

16 Aug - Tjörn Runt sailing race
Almost 1,000 boats take part in this 27.5 mile sailing race round the island of Tjörn.  www.tjornrunt.nu
                  
22-24 Aug - Open House at the Orust ship yards  - A floating boat exhibition.
The ship yards of Ellös, Henån and Kungsviken on Vindön open to visitors during three days. Oppna Varv is one of Sweden’s most popular boat exhibitions when more than 180 boats, from 7.5 metres to 20 metres, and many companies from the boat industry show their latest products in four different ship yards on the Orust island.

18-21 Sep - Gothenburg Masters – Ladies European Tour
Lycke Golf course, near the scenic island of Marstrand and about one hour from Göteborg,  will host the Göteborg Masters at the Ladies European Tours. The golf course is designed by Johan Henrikson and the golf pro Helen Alfredsson.

22 Sept - Opening of the lobster season
The first day of the lobster season is the first Monday after 20 September, this year 22 September. Lobsters safaris, followed by lobster suppers, are arranged at a number of places in along the coast. www.westsweden.com
   
25-28 Sept  - Göteborg Book Fair
International book and culture fair at Svenska Mässan Exhibition and Congress Centre.
 
Oct - Lights in Alingsås
Six international designers come together in Alingsås and in workshops with around 70 people from around the world they create “Lights in Alingsås”. www.alingsas.se

13 Dec - Lucia Day – Queen of Lights
December 13 is Lucia Day, and the longest night of the year. Lucia is a symbol of light in the dark Swedish winters. Each year, a Lucia (Queen of Light) is chosen from every establishment countrywide, from schools to clubs. The elected girl is dressed in a white gown with a crown of candles in her hair, and she delivers coffee, cat-shaped buns (’lussekatter’) and glögg. There are several Lucia concerts in churches and concerts hall all over Sweden on 13 December.

16 Nov-23 Dec - A Göteborg Christmas with Swedish Style
Spectacular light arrangements generate an atmospheric Christmas Lane from Liseberg park, via Götaplatsen square all along the main boulevard Avenyn to the harbour, covering more than three kilometres with innovative and stylish light attractions in a Christmas theme. The large Christmas market at Liseberg features some 80 rustic market stalls and shops selling arts and crafts and festive foods. The park is illuminated by almost five million lights on trees and buildings. Several children’s attractions are open and Santa is there. There are more Christmas markets in the downtown area and further outside the city in pleasant surroundings. Most restaurants serve a Christmas buffet “julbord” with a maritime flair.
www.goteborg.com

Pre view 2009…
September 2009
The Kosterhavet Marine National Park will be inaugurated in September 2009.
On the west coast of Sweden, on the border to Norway, Sweden’s first marine national park is underway. The marine environment here is influenced by the Atlantic and it includes habitats and species found nowhere else in Swedish waters. This area, Kosterhavet, is also a valuable recreational resource - it is one of Sweden’s most visited tourist destinations - and is an important inshore fishery, mostly for prawns and Norwegian lobsters. Protecting and maintaining the natural and economic wealth of Kosterhavet is one of the great challenges in planning this new national park. The Kosterhavet Marine National Park will be inaugurated in September 2009.