Ystad International Military Tattoo -
The Tattoo was originally a military drum call. It dates back to the seventeenth century when British drummers in the Netherlands were sent out into the towns to order the soldiers to return to barracks. This was known as Doe den tap toe and signaled the innkeepers to ‘turn off the taps’, stop serving beer, and send the soldiers home. Over the centuries, the process became more of a show and gained a large following; the first Swedish tattoo was held in the 1970s and in 1999, following three years of preparation, the first Ystad International Military Tattoo took place.
The obvious location was the parade ground of the vacated Ystad Barracks; the last regiment, the 4th Anti-Aircraft Artillery, having left in 1996.
From the very beginning, the organizers and participants have set their sights on realizing a tattoo that offers relevant music, dynamic and color with spectacular lighting – the classic Edinburgh Tattoo has been the benchmark. By being faithful to these ambitions the Ystad International Military Tattoo has quickly gained recognition as one of the leading tattoos in Europe.