Flag days in Sweden 2026 and 2027

Sweden’s general flag days are set by the government in Ordinance (1982:270) on general flag days (förordningen om allmänna flaggdagar). The most recent amendment was made by SFS 2023:516. The ordinance lists 19 flag days, but two of them are election days that only occur in election years. Here are all dates for 2026 and 2027, with weekday, calculated according to the ordinance’s rules.

General flag days year by year

Easter Sunday and Whit Sunday are movable and follow the date of Easter. Midsummer Day is always the Saturday between 20 and 26 June. The Riksdag election takes place every four years, and the next election to the European Parliament is held in 2029, so 2027 has no election days.

The ordinance’s list

This is how the ordinance lists the general flag days:

Who flies the flag on flag days?

The ordinance states which days are general flag days, not that anyone has to fly the flag. State authorities and the Swedish Armed Forces fly the flag on every general flag day, and most municipalities do the same. Riksarkivet points out that when the flag is flown on the official flag days, the Swedish flag is raised on all flagpoles, with flags of the same size.

For private individuals, housing cooperatives and businesses, flying the flag is voluntary. It is also common to fly the flag on other days, for example on birthdays, weddings and school graduations. Family and traditional flag days are described in the guide to flags on holidays.

Times on flag days

The same times apply on flag days as on other days: the flag is raised at 08:00 from 1 March to 31 October and at 09:00 from 1 November to the end of February. It is lowered at sunset, but no later than 21:00. According to the recommendations, this means the flag comes down at 21:00 on Midsummer Day even though the sun has not yet set in large parts of the country. More in the guide to flag rules.

When a flag day and mourning coincide

According to Riksarkivet, flying the flag at half-mast takes precedence if it coincides with a general flag day. This applies both to private bereavements and to national mourning. More in the guide to half-mast.

Other days when many fly flags

Beyond the general flag days, many municipalities and authorities fly other flags on certain days, for example the EU flag on Europe Day on 9 May, the flags of the Nordic neighbours on their national days and the flags of the national minorities on their special days. These are not general flag days but decisions each organisation makes for itself. More in the guide to foreign flags in Sweden.