January: Film festival and World Cup in ice hockey
2024 begins with the future stars of ice hockey. During the Christmas holidays 2023/2024, the Junior World Cup in men’s ice hockey will be played in Gothenburg. Expect a big hockey party in town when tomorrow’s stars meet to fight for the gold!
January 26 –February 4, it’s time for the audience at the Göteborg Film Festival to experience film together at cinemas across the city! The program offers blockbusters, indie gems, documentaries, exciting seminars and much more. The festival opens with a grand opening party on January 26 at the Clarion Hotel Draken.
February: Equestrian sports, boat fair and exciting exhibitions
February 21–25, the world elite in equestrian sport returns to the Scandinavium arena in the central event district in Gothenborg! Gothenburg Horse Show is one of the world’s leading indoor equestrian competitions and always very popular with visitors.
At the Hasselblad Center, a new photo exhibition opens on February 10: Anders Petersen – City Diary. Petersen is one of Sweden’s most important and internationally recognized photographers with a great influence on Nordic photography. On the same day, the gallery Röda sten konsthall opens the exhibition Crossing the Blue Bridge with works by Selma Selman. Read about all upcoming must-see exhibitions in our guide.
The Gothenburg Boat Show is West Sweden’s largest meeting place for boating and water life, and is held at The Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre February 3–11. February 22 it’s time for the first international basketball match in Gothenburg in over 20 years. The Swedish men’s national team then meets Bulgaria in the Partille Arena.
March: Rock concerts and Champions League football
The month of March offers a variety of concerts at Gothenburg’s many live music venues, especially if you’re into metal, hard rock, and punk. Take a look at our event calendar under the music category.
Local football club BK Häcken’s women’s team has progressed from the group stage in the UEFA Champions League. On March 20, they play the quarter-final against Paris Saint-German at the Bravida Arena. The football tournament Future Cup attracts almost 300 youth teams from all over Scandinavia. This year it runs from March 31 to April
Local football club BK Häcken’s women’s team has progressed from the group stage in the UEFA Champions League. On March 20, they play the quarter-final against Paris Saint-German at the Bravida Arena. The football tournament Future Cup attracts almost 300 youth teams from all over Scandinavia. This year it runs from March 31 to April 1.
April: Hanami spring celebration and The International science festival
Gothenburg’s botanical garden is a fantastic year-round destination, where you can experience all the seasons of the year. Every year spring is celebrated in the park with a big cherry blossom festival – Hanami on April 28.
The Gothenburg International Science Festival April 16–21, is a popular science meeting place fo curious people of all ages! Here you’ll find everything from children activities to interesting lectures with world-leading researchers. Every year, an average of 50,000 people visit the festival, which is one of Europe’s leading popular science events.
May: Göteborgsvarvet half marathon and fantastic art exhibitions
Between May 12 and 19, it’s time for “the varvet week“. Throughout this period, you can participate in different types of exercise races for different ages and abilities, such as the popular Minivarvet 18–19 May. Saturday, May 18, the week is crowned by the Göteborgsvarvet, which is the world’s largest half-marathon. Run with or cheer along the course’s 21 km.
Ilon Wikland is one of Sweden’s most beloved illustrators. From May 25, 2024, the Gothenburg Museum of Art will show the largest exhibition to date with 400 original illustrations from Astrid Lindgren’s children’s books. In May, you should also head to the island Tjörn north of Gothenurg, when the world-famous Pilane sculpture park opens for the season and the Nordic Watercolor Museum opens for an exhibition with Hans Op de Beeck on May 26.
June: National day celebrations, Pride week and electric car racing
On the Swedish National Day, June 6, there are several options if you want to celebrate! In the city park Slottsskogen, the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra offers a traditional concert in the open air. At the indoor arena Scandinavium, it’s instead Sir Rod Stewart who offers the audience a string of hits from his long career.
June 10–16, the annual art and culture festival West Pride is held in Gothenburg. The festival creates safe spaces for LGBTQI people and highlights criticism of norms and the life situation of LGBTQI people. The racing competition STCC is making a comeback in Gothenburg 2024. On June 8-9, the world’s first 100% electric national championship will take place on an exciting so-called “Head 2 Head” track next to Ullevi.
July: Internationel youth competitions and tournaments
Every year, Gothenburg is the host city for several of the world’s largest youth sports tournaments.
The Partille World Cup is the world’s largest and most international handball event. Annually, the event is attended by 20,000 participants from 50 countries divided among 1,100 teams. This year the cup will be played July 1–6. The Gothenburg Youth Games in athletics will be held for the 29th year in a row, July 5–7, on brand new tracks at the arena Slottsskogsvallen!
July 9–13, Europe’s best junior female golfers will compete for the team European Championship title at Gothenburg Golf Club. Come and cheer on the Swedish national team to a medal! Gothia Cup is the world’s largest youth football tournament. Every year it welcomes 35,000 participants with almost as many fellow travelers. It’s played on pitches all over Gothenburg July 14–20.
August: Way Out West, Gothenburg Culture Festival and veteran athletics
August 8–10, the music festival Way Out West takes over the city park Slottsskogen. The festival has been organised in the park since 2007, and attracts visitors from all over Sweden and large parts of the rest of the world. The completely vegetarian festival works actively with sustainability in all dimensions, and the climate forum Greentopia is arranged on the festival grounds for the third year in a row in 2024.
29 Aug–1 Sep, you are welcome to extend the summer with Gothenburg’s Culture Festival! A free and sustainable city festival with a wide program that suits all tastes and ages.
Gothenburg will also host the World Masters Athletics Championships in 2024. It’s a major event that runs for two weeks, August 13–25, and has around 8,000 participants from over 100 nations.
September: Gothenburg Book fair,and challenging races
The Gothenburg Book Fair, September 26–29, is the biggest cultural event in the Nordics! Every year 80,000 visitors enjoy the program full of seminars, talks and author meetings – and not least a fair full of literature for all ages and interests.
In September, there is the opportunity to participate in several challenging races in the Gothenburg area, such as Gothenburg’s Trailrun and the obstacle course Toughest, both of which start from Kviberg’s park.
October: Halloween and autumn school breaks
No autumn without Halloween at the amusement park Liseberg! Since its inception in 2015, the season, with a lovely mix of chills and tingles, has become hugely popular among both young and old. Come to Gothenburg at the turn of October/November and enjoy a spookily decorated park, terrifying horror houses and breathtaking rides. The Universeum science center also invites you to spooky activities and discoveries during the autumn.
November-December: Christmas throughout the city
In November every year, the Christmas celebrations in Gothenburg begin with lots of atmospheric activities: Sweden’s largest Christmas market at Liseberg, traditional Christmas concert, seasonal food, shimmering Christmas lights and Christmas shopping. Keep an eye out here on goteborg.com as it approaches!
