On the last night of April, Finland’s cities turn into a carnival of white student caps, overalls and sparkling wine — and on 1 May people spread blankets in the parks for picnics that begin early in the morning.
Photo: JIP, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Finland’s entry in this atlas is Vappu, the celebration that begins on the evening of 30 April and continues on 1 May. Together with Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and Midsummer it is one of the four biggest holidays in the country.
At 6 pm on 30 April, students place a white cap on the head of Helsinki’s mermaid statue, and Finland’s biggest carnival begins — caps and overalls in the streets, sima and sparkling wine, and on 1 May picnics in the parks from early morning.
April 30 – May 1, 2027Calculated