Vappu celebrations (May Day) kicked off on Saturday evening around the country.
In Finland, vappu is based on working-class traditions, transforming into a spring celebration for university students and workers alike.
In Helsinki, the festivities began with the crowning of Havis Amanda with an oversized student cap, ylioppilaslakki, at 18:00. The statue, representing a mermaid-like figure of a young maiden sculpted by artist Ville Vallgren in 1908, is regarded as a symbol of Helsinki. It’s known as “The Daughter of the Baltic Sea.”
Here are the highlights of the vappu eve in Helsinki.
Havis Amanda was crowned at the Market Square in Helsinki, Finland on April 30 2016. Picture: Tony Öhberg for Finland Today
A man celebrating his first day of starting to receive a pension. Picture: Tony Öhberg for Finland Today
