Valborg (Sweden)
Valborg , short for Valborgsmässoafton , German Walpurgis , is celebrated in Sweden on April 30th. The annual spring festivals take place on this day, especially in the eastern parts of Sweden. Fires are often lit at Valborg in the evening, which according to old belief should drive the witches away.
Valborg is derived from the name of Walburga , who was born in the 8th century and later canonized . She was canonized about 100 years after her death on May 1st.
Valborg as an academic holiday
Valborg is also celebrated with dignity at various Swedish universities. Here Swedish students take the day as an opportunity, the characteristic for their respective university student caps that Studentmössa to put on and represent with their respective university. Every year on April 30th, students from the student bodies of Uppsala University's science and technology faculties organize a boat race in which students from all over the country take part. You will then go down the river Fyrisån in competition with self-built rafts .
Web links
- Website about the boat race "Forsränningen". Retrieved April 30, 2013 (Swedish).