From December 12 to 14, 2025, Breads of the Creative Cities joined the Lucia celebrations in Norrköping, Sweden, as part of the city’s winter festival Vinterköping, hosted by Norrköping – UNESCO Creative City of Music.
As part of the festivities, BoCC coordinated a dedicated exhibit exploring bread cultures across the northern BoCC network. The stand brought together Knowledge Keepers and traditional breads from Sweden and Latvia, offering visitors a chance to experience the depth and diversity of Nordic and Baltic baking traditions.
From Norrköping, Landerholms Bakery showcased two emblematic Swedish holiday breads:
- St. Lucia Buns (Lussekatter), a saffron-flavored sweet roll traditionally prepared for the Lucia holiday, symbolizing light and celebration during the darkest days of the year.
- Vörtbröd, a malted spiced loaf made with wort, typically enjoyed during the Christmas season.
From Tukums (Latvia) – the most recent city to join the BoCC platform – family-run bakeries brought forward handcrafted sourdough breads made with locally grown grains and slow fermentation techniques:
- Mixed sourdough loaves, often enriched with kefir or pumpkin, reflect the rhythm of rural Latvian life and its deep agrarian roots.
- Traditional rye breads, prepared with natural starters and baked in wood-fired ovens, stand as symbols of self-reliance, cultural memory, and sustainable craftsmanship.
These breads not only represent culinary heritage, but also embody values of community, resilience, and respect for land and tradition — qualities at the heart of BoCC’s mission.
The event also marked the launch of the BoCC North Booklet, a new publication showcasing the work of bakers, farmers, and millers from northern cities in the network: Norrköping, Östersund, Kuhmo, Bergen, and Tukums. By profiling the people behind these practices, the booklet celebrates local food systems and encourages inter-city collaboration through shared food heritage.
BoCC’s participation at Vinterköping reaffirmed its commitment to documenting, connecting, and supporting bread cultures that continue to evolve while honoring centuries-old knowledge.
