Summer is an excellent time to visit Scandinavia – the cultural region of Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Given its location in northern Europe, this part of the world experiences almost around-the-clock daylight during the summer months. For this reason, Scandinavians make a point to enjoy the warm weather months with festivals and events designed to celebrate food, drink, music and culture. Many of the world’s best food festivals are held throughout Scandinavia each year, and they offer visitors the perfect chance to try a smorgasbord of local foods, such as fresh seafood, seasonal salads and savory meatballs. These events also provide a great way to learn about culinary trends, discover new cooking methods and connect with foodies and chefs from around the world.

10 Best Food Festivals in Scandinavia

A Taste of Stockholm

Stockholm, Sweden
May/June

Courtesy of A Taste of Stockholm

Located at the Kungsträdgården festival grounds, A Taste of Stockholm is one of the largest food festivals in Sweden typically drawing more than 300,000 attendees each year. This five-day event features a wide variety of local foods, as well as beer and wine tastings, and it brings together chefs and food industry professionals from throughout Sweden to showcase their culinary skills. The event celebrates sustainability with its Stockholm Green initiative. Don’t miss the chef duel, which provides plenty of high-stakes entertainment.

Midsummer Festival of Saint Hans

Located throughout Denmark
June

Courtesy of My New Danish Life

The Midsummer Festival of Saint Hans takes place near the summer solstice in locations throughout Denmark. The Midsummer Festival is named after Sankt Hans, known as John the Baptist, and it is celebrated with a home-cooked meal followed by a community bonfire. Throughout the years, the event has kept many of its traditions, including songs, food and drinks.

Gladmat Food Festival

Stavanger, Norway
July

Courtesy of Gladmat Food Festival

The Gladmat Food Festival is a celebration of the region’s food culture. Gladmat means “happy food” in Norwegian, which sets the tone for this fun-loving four-day event. With more than 250,000 people expected each year, this festival brings together local food producers, restauranteurs and food enthusiasts for food exhibitions, cookery courses, treasure hunts, food trails and local food competitions.

Trøndelag Food Festival

Trondheim, Norway
July

Courtesy of Trøndelag Food Festival

The Trøndelag Food Festival is located in Trondheim, the third most populated city in Norway located on the Trondheim Fjord at the mouth of the River Nidelva. Trondheim is known as the “home of Nordic flavors” given its easy access to local-produced, high-quality foods from the land and sea. The Trøndelag Food Festival usually draws more than 250,000 people, and food samples are provided by 200+ local farmers and food producers. The booths and stages are decorated with classic Norwegian designs. Cooking classes are available with special themes, such as food preservation, fermentation techniques and shellfish preparations. Don’t miss the Trondheim Brewery Festival, which takes place during the same time.

Crab Festival on Atoy

Atløy, Norway
July

Courtesy of Crab Festival on Atoy

Volunteers catch more than 2,000 kg of crab for the annual Crab Festival on the island of Atløy in Norway. The fresh crabs are then boiled for the event’s popular crab table or made into specialty dishes, such as crab tortillas and shellfish platters. The best part about this event is that attendees can eat as much crab as they’d like. The festival also features activities for the whole family, including live performances, music and dancing.

Malmo Festival

Malmö, Sweden
August

Courtesy of Malmo Festival

The Malmö Festival offers visitors the chance to experience the flavor and culture of Scandinavian cuisine in the historic city of Malmö, Sweden’s third most populated city. Each summer, the festival brings people together to enjoy food, music and art. This event is one of the largest city festivals in northern Europe. Everyone is welcome, and there are plenty of free activities and performances for people of all ages.

Copenhagen Cooking & Food Festival

Copenhagen, Denmark
August

Courtesy of Copenhagen Cooking & Food Festival

The Copenhagen Cooking & Food Festival features some seriously delicious food, and it recognizes the talented people who work hard to produce it. This 10-day event lets chefs, cooks and foodies join forces to celebrate Copenhagen’s diverse and ever-evolving food scene. The program features both Danish and international cuisines, and there is a focus on ‘food of the wild’ or raw, locally-sourced foods, such as seaweed, plants, fruits and vegetables. The festival also offers food-related conferences and symposiums aimed at inspiring industry professionals.

Bergen Food Festival

Bergen, Norway
September

Courtesy of Bergen Food Festival

The Bergen Food Festival is located in Norway’s second-largest city situated in the west coast county of Vestland. This event is one of the biggest ‘local’ food festivals in Norway. Attendees can meet food producers, buy high-quality, fresh products and get inspired by great regional chefs. The event also features presentations from the producers about their food, which is typically produced from local, raw materials.

Matstreif Food Festival

Oslo, Norway
September

Courtesy of Matstreif Food Festival

The Matstreif Food Festival is an annual event organized by Innovation Norway on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. With 150+ exhibitors, the event showcases some of the best local food and drink producers from Norway. The farmers’ market offers small-scale, locally-produced goods. This two-day event also features cooking demonstrations, competitions and family-friendly activities. From elk burgers to fresh salmon, this festival highlights Norwegian dishes that will have you coming back for more.

Great Swedish Beer Festival

Malmö, Sweden
October

The Great Swedish Beer Festival is held at Slagthuset in Malmö. 100+ Swedish craft beer breweries are celebrated at this annual event, and 4,500+ visitors are expected to attend one of the festival’s two sessions. Attendees are welcome to meet brew masters, taste a wide variety of beers and enjoy the company of other beer lovers from around the world.

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