Midsummer Eve in Sweden

This day is a national holiday and you can find the traditional maypole everywhere you go. It is decorated, carried in procession and erected by brute force, ropes and good teamwork. Then comes the ring dancing and singing and holiday fun!

Even on this wet and windy Midsummer I spotted this elderly lady in her garden 'out gathering the seven species of wild flowers to lay under her pillow for a future husband to appear in a dream.' 

The community on Ingmarso island have invented a great tradition of their own. After the dancing, everyone processes down to the pontoon to greet the 4.30 ferry from the mainland. 

This commemorates the time when wives and children spent the 3 summer  months on the island and fathers came out for the Midsummer Eve. Someone said that it was essential to meet the dads to help carry them home after a heavy drinking session on the ferry! Nowadays the ferry captain joins in with the spirit of the event as you can see from this clip - it's rather long but great fun.