The Springpride parade in Eskilstuna has been cancelled for 2026 due to a shortage of volunteers and workforce, according to local reports. The event, which has been running since 2007 and typically attracts thousands of visitors to central Eskilstuna, was scheduled to take place on May 16 this year.
Hanna Karlsson, chairperson of RFSL Eskilstuna, confirmed the cancellation, stating, 'We would have preferred to take a different path.' The organization cited a lack of voluntary workforce as the primary reason for being unable to organize the event, which traditionally includes a parade, concerts, lectures, and dancing.
We would have preferred to take a different path.
Karlsson expressed optimism that pride celebrations would return to the city in 2027. The cancellation marks the first time since the event's inception in 2007 that Springpride will not be held in Eskilstuna. Both local newspaper Eskilstuna-Kuriren and public broadcaster SVT Sörmland reported on the cancellation, with the news first breaking on March 9, 2026.