A train of lights, the World Floorball Championships and Swedish hip hop. This year the opening ceremony of the Christmas City will be something out of the ordinary.

Christmas is fast approaching and for the eleventh year in a row Christmas City opens up its doors in central Gothenburg. This means that the streets of the city is alight with the glow of a thousand lights, the Singing Christmas Tree begins its carolling again and this year’s Christmas movie is shown at Götaplatsen, as tradition dictates.

This year, visitors will be a part of something extraordinary, when the World Floorball Championships and hundreds of participating youths are a part of the festivities.

The Christmas City and the World Floorball Championship are both declared opened with a long train of lights, walking from Gustav Adolfs Torg to Götaplatsen. In total 350 youths from 16 different floorball teams will help brighten up the winter darkness along Avenyn.

– With the participants of the Championship as a part of the train of lights the teams intensify the special experience with youthful joy through standard-bearers, flags and lights, says Jörgen Odh, responsible for the World Floorball Championships opening ceremony. 

The celebrations continue at Götaplatsen, with a performance by rapper Linda Pira, who is considered one of Sweden’s best rappers.

The night ends with the premiere of this year’s Christmas movie “Julia’s dream” – which will be shown on the wall of the Museum of Art at Götaplatsen according to tradition. 

Christmas City Gothenburg and The World Floorball Championships wish everyone welcome to the grand opening in the spirit of Christmas and floorball!

Set times for the opening ceremony:

16.30 The train of lights leaves Gustav Adolf Torg.

17.00 The train of lights arrives at Götaplatsen

17.05 Banners are given to the participating countries.

17.10 The opening ceremony begins. The president of the International Floorball Federation, Tomas Eriksson, gives the opening speech. The chairman of the Gothenburg Municipality executive board, Anneli Hulthén, declares Chrismas City Gothenburg and the World championship officially open.

17.40 Performance by Linda Pira.

17.50 The premiere of the Christmas movie

18.00 The opening ceremony is over

Note! The times are still preliminary, for more information: visit www.goteborg.com