Yesterday was Valborgmässoafton a date celebrated in memory of the princes Walpurgis later Saint Valborg who helped bring christendom to the Germans. Later her cult became particularly associated with lighting fires to ward of witchcraft (which actually is a pagan practice which predates her).
The celebration I attended yesterday was a postmodern version. The pagan fire was actually set alight by people dressed as witches, announced by marching drums, playing samba rhythms which was then followed by a band playing Swedish music with a country flavour. Most people have no idea of why the fires are lighted or who Valborg was but this does not stop the celbration from being considered a very important date in the calender.
But at least it was a good fire – despite the rain.