Stockholm Design Week is back after a missed year, in a new shape. Here is what is free, where the program is, which day the furniture fair lets the public in (the fair’s own FAQ gets it wrong) and how to reach the halls in Älvsjö.
When you need this
- You are planning a Stockholm trip for early February and want to know whether design week is on
- You read that Stockholm Design Week was cancelled and want to know whether it is back
- You are a design fan, not a trade visitor, and want to know what you can actually get into
- You want to visit the Stockholm Furniture Fair and need the public day, the hours and how to get to Älvsjö
- You use a wheelchair, travel with a carer or need a hearing loop at the fair
What Stockholm Design Week is
Every February, showrooms, studios, galleries and other venues across Stockholm open their doors for a week of exhibitions, product launches, talks and parties. That is Stockholm Design Week (SDW). It was started in 2002 by the Stockholm Furniture Fair, and the two still run side by side.
They are different things, and mixing them up is the most common planning mistake:
| Stockholm Design Week | Stockholm Furniture Fair | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | City-wide program of open showrooms, studios, galleries and events | Trade fair for furniture and lighting design |
| Where | Mostly central Stockholm | Stockholmsmässan, Älvsjö, south of the center |
| 2027 dates | 8–14 February | 9–12 February |
| Entry | Free, no ticket; some events by reservation | Paid ticket, bought online |
| Open to the public | Yes, every day | Thursday 11 February, 12:00–18:00 only |
| How often | Every year | Every other year from 2027 |
Both are organised by Stockholmsmässan, the exhibition company owned by the City of Stockholm. The organiser itself describes them as “two epicenters”: a public design week, and a fair built around business and networking.
What changed after the 2026 cancellation
If you followed design news, you may have read that the week was cancelled. That was true for one year only. In October 2025 the organiser called off the February 2026 furniture fair, in consultation with the Swedish furniture industry and its trade association, and the design week with it. Designers and brands ran an unofficial program around the city from 3 to 7 February 2026 instead, so write-ups of a “Stockholm Design Week 2026” describe that grassroots program, not the organiser’s event.
Both return in February 2027, with three changes:
- The fair becomes biennial. From 2027 it runs every other year and is shortened to four days. Don’t plan on a fair in February 2028.
- The design week stays annual. The organiser says it will continue in early February every year, fair or no fair.
- The city is split into clusters. Venues in the same area open on the same evenings, and the organiser says museums, restaurants, shops and cultural institutions will join the showrooms.
Old listings that promise “the fair every February” are now wrong, and so are 2026 headlines that read as if the week ended for good.
Free vs ticketed: what a non-professional can get into
The good news for a design fan with no trade badge: the design week is free. You need no ticket to take part. Some events need a reservation (föranmälan), and the app says under each event whether one is needed. Events run from morning until late evening, and opening hours vary from one to the next.
The furniture fair is the paid part. In 2027 its halls are open to the trade Tuesday to Friday, and to the public for one afternoon. All tickets are sold online; there is no ticket office at the venue. Students can buy a one-day ticket valid on any fair day by showing a student ID or a school certificate at the entrance.
The app and the clusters
There is no printed program and no program on the website. Everything is in the official Stockholm Design Week app, free for iOS and Android. The 2027 program goes live in the app a few weeks before the week; if you already have the app from an earlier year, update it.
Two habits make the week work:
- Book reservation-only events as soon as the program appears. Popular ones fill, and they may be closed to walk-ins by the time you arrive.
- Plan one cluster per evening. Because neighboring venues open on the same evenings, staying in one area beats crossing the city for a single showroom.
The organiser says the SDW Hub, a central meeting point for the week, continues in 2027. Its address had not been published when we checked.
The furniture fair’s public day: Thursday, not Friday
This is where most information online, including the fair’s own, goes wrong. The FAQ on the furniture fair’s website still says the fair is open to the public on Friday and that tickets will be released later. The dated 2027 ticket page and the ticket shop say otherwise: the public day is Thursday 11 February 2027, from 12:00 to 18:00, and tickets are already on sale.
Friday 12 February is a trade day and the fair closes at 15:00, so a member of the public who follows the FAQ arrives on the wrong day. The full 2027 hours are:
| Day | Hours | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 9 February | 10:00–17:00 | Trade |
| Wednesday 10 February | 09:00–18:00 | Trade |
| Thursday 11 February | 09:00–18:00 | Trade; public 12:00–18:00 |
| Friday 12 February | 09:00–15:00 | Trade |
Public-day tickets are dated for the Thursday. Children up to six need no ticket, and there is a cheaper child and youth ticket for ages 7 to 17. Trade tickets rise in price in steps: an early-bird price until 31 October 2026, a regular price until 7 February 2027, and a higher one during fair week. Prices are in the Practical information table below.
Getting to Stockholmsmässan in Älvsjö
The fair is not in the city center, but it is easy to reach. Take the commuter train (pendeltåg) to Älvsjö station, which is right next to Stockholmsmässan. Trains from Stockholm City run 8 to 14 times an hour and take about 9 minutes. From Arlanda Airport, the commuter train to Älvsjö takes about 47 minutes; our guide to getting from Arlanda to Stockholm covers the options.
SL, Stockholm’s public transport, has no fare zones, so the trip from town costs the same as any metro ride. A tap of a contactless card at the gate buys a 75-minute single. Our Stockholm public transport guide explains tickets and passes. Drivers take the E4/E20 and follow the signs to Mässan/Älvsjö.
Stockholmsmässan says each event can set its own security rules, such as bag restrictions or access controls, and publishes them on the event’s site. Dogs are not allowed in the exhibition areas, apart from certified assistance dogs.
Accessibility
The organiser publishes no accessibility information for individual design-week venues, so for showrooms and galleries in town, ask the venue through the app listing before you go.
The fair’s venue is better documented:
- All restaurants, conference rooms and exhibition halls have ground-level access, and there are lifts and accessible toilets near the entrances
- Carers (ledsagare) and sign-language interpreters get in free, up to two per person, with proof of the client’s need
- At events with limited accessibility, wheelchair users may be offered free entry; ask before the visit
- A few loan wheelchairs are available at the main-entrance information desk, they cannot be booked in advance
- Hearing-loop receivers for some halls can be borrowed against ID
- About 25 parking spaces are reserved for disabled-permit holders
Our guide to getting around Stockholm in a wheelchair covers step-free transport in town.
February practicalities
Dress for the cold. Stockholm’s normal February temperature is −1.0 °C, and much of design week is spent walking between venues after dark. Our guide to Sweden in February covers the rest of the month’s calendar, and what to wear in Stockholm covers clothing.
Two other things fall inside the 2027 week. Shrove Tuesday is 9 February, the last day of the semla season (the cardamom bun with almond paste and cream). And if you buy design in shops during the week and live outside the EU, ask before paying whether the shop offers tax-free: the minimum is 200 kr including VAT, and the form must be stamped before you leave the EU. See our VAT refund guide for how it works.
For design beyond the week, our Swedish design guide covers the museums and design centers where you can see and buy Swedish design the rest of the year. That guide mentions the week in passing; this page is the one for the week itself.
Practical information
| Item | Detail (checked 2026-10-15) |
|---|---|
| Stockholm Design Week 2027 | 8–14 February; mostly central Stockholm; free, some events by reservation |
| Program | Free SDW app (iOS, Android) only, a few weeks before the week |
| Stockholm Furniture Fair 2027 | 9–12 February, Stockholmsmässan, Älvsjö; online tickets only |
| Fair public day | Thursday 11 February, 12:00–18:00 |
| Public ticket | 155 SEK; ages 7–17: 55 SEK; 0–6 free |
| Trade ticket, 1 day | 215 SEK to 31 Oct 2026; 275 SEK to 7 Feb 2027; 325 SEK 8–12 Feb |
| Trade ticket, 2 days | 315 / 375 / 425 SEK on the same dates |
| Student ticket, any 1 day | 155 SEK with student ID |
| Carer or interpreter at the fair | Free, up to two per person |
| Getting there | Commuter train to Älvsjö, about 9 min from Stockholm City |
| Next fair after 2027 | Biennial: not in 2028; design week planned every year |
FAQ
When is Stockholm Design Week 2027?
Stockholm Design Week 2027 runs from 8 to 14 February, mostly in central Stockholm. The Stockholm Furniture Fair runs alongside it from 9 to 12 February at Stockholmsmässan in Älvsjö. There was no official design week in 2026; the organiser cancelled both events in October 2025 and relaunched them for 2027 in a new format.
Is Stockholm Design Week open to the public?
Yes. The design week is open to professionals and the public alike, and you need no ticket to take part. Some events require a reservation, which the official app shows under each event. Opening hours vary from morning until late evening. Only the Stockholm Furniture Fair, out in Älvsjö, needs a paid ticket.
Where can I find the Stockholm Design Week program?
Only in the official Stockholm Design Week app, which is free for iOS and Android. The organiser publishes no program online. The 2027 program appears in the app a few weeks before the week, and venues are grouped into city clusters that open on the same evenings. If you already have the app, update it.
Can the public visit the Stockholm Furniture Fair?
Yes, on one afternoon. In 2027 the public day is Thursday 11 February, 12:00–18:00, with a dated public ticket bought online; children up to six need none. The fair’s FAQ still says Friday, but the dated ticket page and ticket shop say Thursday. The other days and hours are for trade visitors.
Was Stockholm Design Week cancelled?
Only in 2026. In October 2025 the organiser cancelled the 2026 furniture fair, in consultation with the Swedish furniture industry, and the design week with it. Designers ran an unofficial program in February 2026 instead. Both return in 2027: the design week stays annual, while the fair now runs every other year.
How do I get to Stockholmsmässan in Älvsjö?
Take the commuter train to Älvsjö station, right next to Stockholmsmässan. Trains from Stockholm City run 8 to 14 times an hour and take about 9 minutes; from Arlanda Airport the trip is about 47 minutes. SL has no fare zones, so an ordinary SL single ticket or contactless card tap covers the trip from the city.
Related guides
- Swedish design: where to see it and buy it — the museums and design centers the rest of the year
- Nationalmuseum — Sweden’s museum of art and design, open during the week
- Sweden in February — weather, school holidays and what else is on
- Stockholm public transport — SL tickets for the metro and the train to Älvsjö
- Where to stay in Stockholm — neighborhoods and their transport links
Facts verified 2026-10-15. Sources: Stockholm Design Week, Stockholm Furniture Fair and Stockholmsmässan, SL, SMHI, Sveriges riksdag, Tullverket and Dezeen — full register in this topic’s source file. Dates and prices are for February 2027. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.