Gothenburg's Culture Festival (Kulturkalaset) is a six-day-long street party that takes place on August 16-21 at various locations throughout the city centre. It features loads of entertainment such as live music, open-air film screenings, food stalls, market stalls, children's activities, a carnival parade and much more. All activities are free of charge!

Among this year's many events, two of the highlights are a performance by the Gothenburg Opera with choir, orchestra and soloists on the opening day at Götaplatsen, as well as the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra's one day show with a children's concert and a "Popical" with Timo Räisänen.

Other artists who will perform at Götaplatsen include for example the Bohuslän Big Band with Jennifer Brown, Maia Hirasawa, and the Göteborg Wind Orchestra's interpretation of Queen.

Kungstorget's festival stage will re-emerge and will be hosting several concerts. Bookings include among others Sahara Hotnights, the Soundtrack of Our Lives, Daniel Adams-Ray, Daniel Lemma, Kajsa Grytt, stand-up comedy, a hard-rock evening, a Tribute to Prince and the Rix FM festival.

Trädgårdsföreningen is the main location for children activities during the festival. A sample of the activities on offer includes: nature theatre, water colour workshops, fairytale readings in different languages, the Swap-O-Rama Kids edition (clothes and toys swap events), and opportunities to try capoeira, budo, baby salsa and tennis.

The annual arts handicraft market, Upmarket, will also be located in Trädgårdsföreningen.
 
At Kanaltorget down by the Göteborg Opera, the focus is on sustainable lifestyles. This area targets a young crowd with dance, debates, workshops and markets. Every night Klubb Klotet will put on DJs and live music acts.

Other program points are the East Indiaman Götheborg at Stenpiren, a mini carnival with Hammarkullekarnevalen on the Avenyn, and an international food market on Gustav Adolfs torg.

Many of Gothenburg's largest museums have free entry during the festival. These include the Museum of World Culture, Göteborg Museum of Art, Konsthallen, Röhsska Design Museum, and Gothenburg's City Museum.

The Culture Festival is hosted by the City of Gothenburg, Region Västra Götaland and Göteborg & Co. Last year over 925,000 people visited the festival.

More information is available at the festival's homepage (English translation available through Google).

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