Midsummer's Eve on June 23 is the evening before St. John's Day, also known as Jonsok in Norwegian.
Is Midsummer Eve a Public Holiday?
Midsummer Eve is not a public holiday. Businesses have normal opening hours.
The Midsummer's Eve bonfire is one of the oldest known bonfire celebrations in Norway. In older times, people also used to light bonfires at other Church festivals such as Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost. The flames were believed to guard against evil spirits, which, according to old folklore, were particularly active on Midsummer's Eve.
Improved Fire Protection
Regulations for fire protection have been strengthened in the past decades, and today, there are far fewer bonfires than before. In some areas, people organize large public fires, while others still make bonfires on private properties.
While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. If you find an error, please let us know.