Helsinki Students’ Singers Welcome Spring in Kaivopuisto for 99th Time

Helsinki will celebrate Vappu, the Finnish spring festival, with a traditional concert in Kaivopuisto Park on May 1st. This year marks the 99th time Ylioppilaskunnan Laulajat (The Student Union Singers) will perform at Ullanlinnanmäki, a high point within the park.

The concert, a long-standing Vappu tradition, will begin at 9:00 AM local time and can be viewed live, according to Yle Uutiset.

Vappu is a celebration observed on April 30th and May 1st, transforming Helsinki into a citywide carnival filled with music and festivities. It is traditionally celebrated by workers and students.

On the eve of May Day, students gather at the Market Square to place a student cap on the head of the Havis Amanda statue, officially starting the celebrations. The following day, people gather in Kaivopuisto Park and on Ullanlinnanmäki for picnics and to enjoy sparkling wine.

Vappu food typically includes sima, a lightly fermented lemon drink; tippaleipä, a crisp, sugary funnel cake; and munkki, soft doughnuts coated in sugar. These treats are designed for sharing outdoors.

The celebration marks a shift from winter to spring in Helsinki, with student overalls reappearing and a general sense of anticipation for warmer weather. Unlike May Day celebrations in some other countries, Vappu in Finland is a broader celebration encompassing student life, a public holiday, and an opportunity to gather outdoors after the cold months.

In addition to the concert and picnic, parades and other events are held throughout the city during Vappu. Events scheduled for 2026 include a May Day brunch sailing trip, a May Day lunch, and a May Day season at Paasitorni.