Festivities on Thursday, May Day Eve, will culminate in the traditional capping of Helsinki’s Havis Amanda statue.
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The Havis Amanda statue being washed before the capping ceremony on May Day Eve 2025. Image: Tiina Jutila / Yle
May Day Eve, or Vappuaatto, is being celebrated across Finland on Thursday, with events taking place in cities and towns nationwide.
In Helsinki, the main event is the traditional placing of the student cap (ylioppilaslakki) on the Havis Amanda statue next to Market Square. The ceremony, organised this year by the Student Union of the University of Helsinki (HYY), is carried out by a student volunteer group known as the Manta Crew.
The programme in the capital begins at 3:45pm, when Mayor Daniel Sazonov (NCP) opens the event. The statue will be ceremonially washed before the cap is placed on its head at around 6pm, marking the official start of the celebrations.
The capping ceremony typically draws tens of thousands of people to central Helsinki, with large crowds gathering around the Market Square and Esplanade park.
Similar traditions take place in other cities, including Tampere, Turku, Jyväskylä and Oulu, where statues are also ceremonially capped.
Warm weather expected
Favourable weather is expected to boost turnout, with temperatures in parts of southern Finland forecast to rise above 20 degrees on May Day. Coastal areas such as Helsinki may feel cooler due to sea breezes.
Yle meteorologist Aleksi Lohtander advised those heading to outdoor celebrations, such as Kaivopuisto, to bring a jacket.
Sunny conditions are also expected across much of the country on Friday.
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Students in Tampere took advantage of the sunny weather to start their Vappu celebrations a bit earlier than usual. Image: Sanni Isomäki / YleMay Day picnics
Many people are also expected to gather for the customary May Day picnics, where traditional foods and drinks, such as cured fish, potato salad, meade and funnel cake (tippaleipä), play a central role.
Nutritionist Tarja Himberg, noted that sugary drinks commonly consumed during Vappu can significantly increase overall energy intake without making people feel full. Solid foods tend to contain more protein and fibre than drinks, helping you stay full for longer.
However, she added that celebrations are part of a balanced lifestyle.
“After a May Day picnic, there is no need to discipline or punish yourself for overindulging. For most people, returning to their usual eating routine is enough. It is a good idea to drink water,” Himberg said.
Celebrations continue on Friday, when people traditionally gather in parks such as Kaivopuisto in Helsinki to mark May Day.
Friday, 1 May is an official public holiday in Finland, known as Vappu (May Day).
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Thousands of people converge on Kaivopuisto in Helsinki every May Day for the traditional picnic. File photo from 2024. Image: Henrietta Hassinen / Yle