Hostkul Tomtebostrand 20253

Bike Decorating and Stone Trolls at Höstkul

In sunny weather this weekend, Tomtebo Strand was filled with children and adults as Höstkul was held for the third year in a row. With cycling as the main theme, the day offered bike decorating, a quiz walk with the chance to win a bicycle, crafts activities and the premiere of the new Troll Trail – all aimed at creating life and community in the new urban district and highlighting cycling as part of sustainable travel.

– It’s great to see how many people came to spend time together in the park, says Therese Ullberg, Project Manager for Tomtebo Strand at the Municipality of Umeå.

– Our vision is for Tomtebo Strand to become a vibrant urban district with sustainability and community at its core – where cycling is a natural way to get around and a key part of sustainable travel. Through days like this, we create a social meeting place and can already start filling the area with life.


The Municipality of Umeå and Coop Tomtebo offered all visitors coffee and refreshments.


Umecom hosted a creative workshop where stone trolls were painted and bicycles were decorated.

Creativity, cycling and community

During the day, children painted colourful stone trolls for the new Troll Trail, the non-profit organisation Umeå Cykeljunta showed visitors how to repair their bicycles, and many people tried team sports together with GUIF and Fritidsbanken. Municipal staff were also on site with a backhoe loader, answering questions from both children and adults about how the roads in the area will be built.

– Both children and adults were curious about the machine. Some of the youngest thought it looked a bit scary, but many were very interested. It’s fun to spark their curiosity and explain that we are building the roads they will one day cycle on, says Sören Karlsson, Operations Technician at the Municipality of Umeå.

Sören Karlsson, Municipality of Umeå, explains the backhoe loader to curious visitors.

Building Community in a New Urban District

In the future, Tomtebo Strand will include around 3,000 homes for approximately 7,000 residents. Through events such as Höstkul, the Municipality of Umeå and its project partners aim to create engagement and a sense of community already at this early stage.

– It will still be some time before housing construction begins, but it feels important to be present now and meet future residents, says Fredrik Westerlund, Business Developer at Peab.
– We want to build a relationship with the area even before everything is completed. The Troll Trail that we created together will remain and can grow over time. In that way, Höstkul will continue to live on and give people a reason to come back, says Sofia Forssén.

In total, 60 stone trolls were painted. Once dry, they will be placed along the Troll Trail. Visitors are welcome to continue adding their own trolls to the trail.

Facts: Höstkul at Tomtebo Strand

  • Held for the third time this year

  • The aim is to create community and spark interest in the new urban district

  • This year’s theme was cycling, reflecting the ambition to develop the area with a focus on sustainable travel and strong cycling infrastructure

  • The Troll Trail – visitors are welcome to keep adding more trolls and life to the trail

  • The day was organised by the Tomtebo Strand partners: the Municipality of Umeå, HSB, NCC, Peab, Riksbyggen, Rikshem, Skanska, Slättö, Umeå Energi and Vakin, in collaboration with Cykeljuntan, GUIF, Stora Coop Tomtebo, Umecom, Umehoj and Fritidsbanken

The winners of the quiz walk will be contacted no later than 30 September 2025.