The traditional countdown clock has been installed at Carolina Rediviva in Uppsala, marking the beginning of the city's annual Valborg (Walpurgis Night) celebrations. According to Uppsala University sources, the digital clock was activated on April 7, 2026, and will count down the 23 days remaining until April 30th.
The installation marks the 15th consecutive year of this tradition, which began in 2012. Technicians David Hansson and Oscar Fridland braved cold northerly winds to mount the clock on the university library building. "The wind is okay, it's worse when it rains," said David Hansson, who has installed the clock every year since the tradition began.
The wind is okay, it's worse when it rains
Viveka Stolt, communications officer at Uppsala University Library, confirmed that the clock signals the start of Uppsala's Valborg festivities. "The clock marks the start of Uppsala's Valborg celebration," Stolt stated. The event typically draws tens of thousands of spectators to Carolinabacken on April 30th to welcome spring.
Historical records suggest the Valborg tradition in Uppsala dates back approximately 70 years, when former rector Torgny Segerstedt and chief librarian Tönnes Kleberg first waved to students switching from winter to spring student caps at 3 PM on the last day of April.
The clock marks the start of Uppsala's Valborg celebration