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While British witches come out to play for Halloween in the UK, in Sweden they wait until April.

Each year on 30 April across the country Walpurgis Eve is celebrated with bonfires, fireworks and singing as spring is welcomed in and the witches come out as winter passes.

In the Swedish capital the most spectacular events are traditionally held around the Skansen open-air museum.

At Skansen, which is home to a zoo with Scandinavian animals and a unique collection of historic buildings, events start off with an afternoon parade and culminate with the lighting of the bonfire and dancing into the night, with plenty of music along the way.

Visitors heading to the museum early can see the animals being fed, with the first to get their dinner being the wolves.

The week leading up to Walpurgis also sees Stockholm hosting an international ice hockey tournament.

With teams from Finland, the Czech Republic and Russia heading to the city's Globe Arena an international atmosphere comes to the city.

In contrast to the aggression of the ice hockey the city's summer canal boat tours start on 29 April, which allow visitors to take in the sights of Stockholm at a gentle pace.


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