What are the Finnish public holidays, flag days, and just good-to-know days in 2021? From the days where offices are closed to important festivals, we have your full list here so you don’t miss out on anything!
Here are the public holidays, flag days, and important dates to know in Finland 2021.
Also, you can download all these dates for your Apple Calendar!
January Holidays in Finland
Flag Day? |
Holiday? |
Date |
Holiday Name |
| 1 January | New Year’s Day: Uudenvuodenpäivä |  |
|
| 6 Jan | Epiphany: Loppiainen | |
February Holidays in Finland
Date |
Holiday Name |
Flag Day? |
Holiday? |
| 5 February | Birthday of national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg: Runebergin päivä (Unofficial but customary flag day) |
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|
| 28 February | Day of Finnish Culture: Kalevala | |
March Holidays in Finland
Date |
Holiday Name |
Flag Day? |
Holiday? |
| 19 March | Day of Equality: tasa-arvon päivä Birthday of playwright Minna Canth: Minna Canth päivä (Unofficial but customary flag day) |
|
April Holidays in Finland
Date |
Holiday Name |
Flag Day? |
Holiday? |
| 2 April | Good Friday: Pitkäperjantai | |
|
| 4 April | Easter Sunday: Pääsiäispäivä | |
|
| 5 April | Easter Monday: 2. pääsiäispäivä | |
|
| 9 April | Day of the Finnish Language: suomen kielen päivää Mikael Agricolan Day: Mikael Agricolan päivää (Unofficial but customary flag day) |
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| 12 April – 12 May | Ramadan | ||
| 15 – 25 April | April Jazz | ||
| 27 April | National War Veteran’s Day: Kansallinen veteraanipäivä (Unofficial but customary flag day) |
|
May Holidays in Finland
Date |
Holiday Name |
Flag Day? |
Holiday? |
| 1 May | Walpurgis: Vappu | |
|
| 9 May | Europe Day: Eurooppa-päivä (Unofficial but customary flag day) |
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|
| 9 May | Mother’s Day: Äitien päivä | |
|
| 12 May | Day of Finnish Identity: suomalaisuuden päivä (Unofficial but customary flag day) |
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| 13 May | Ascension Day: helatorstai | |
|
| 15 May | Helsinki Marathon | ||
| 17 May | Commemoration Day of Fallen Soldiers: Kaatuneitten muistopäivä (Unofficial but customary flag day) |
|
|
| 23 May | Whit Sunday / Pentecost: Helluntaipäivä | |
|
| 24 May | Whit Monday |
June Holidays in Finland
Date |
Holiday Name |
Flag Day? |
Holiday? |
| 4 June | Day of Finnish Defense Forces: Puolustusvoimain lippujuhlan päivä | |
|
| 24 June | Midsummer’s Eve: Juhannusaatto (An unofficial holiday but shops remain open) |
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| 25 June | Midsummer: Juhannuspäivä Day of the Finnish Flag: Suomen lipun päivä |
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|
| 28 June – 4 July | Helsinki Pride |
July Holidays in Finland
Date |
Holiday Name |
Flag Day? |
Holiday? |
| 6 July | Celebration of poetry and summer: Runon ja suven päivä Birthday of poet Eino Leino: Eino Leinon päivä (Unofficial but customary flag day) |
|
|
| 10 – 14 July | Full Moon Dance Festival |
August Holidays in Finland
Date |
Holiday Name |
Flag Day? |
Holiday? |
| 13 – 15 August | Flow Festival | ||
| 19 August – 5 September | Helsinki Festival |
September Holidays in Finland
Date |
Holiday Name |
Flag Day? |
Holiday? |
| 9 – 19 September | Helsinki Design Week |
October Holidays in Finland
Date |
Holiday Name |
Flag Day? |
Holiday? |
| 10 October | Day of Finnish Literature: suomalaisen kirjallisuuden päivä Birthday of national writer Aleksis Kivi: Aleksis Kiven päivä (Unofficial but customary flag day) |
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|
| 24 October | Day of the United Nations: Yhdistyneiden kansakuntien päivä (Unofficial but customary flag day) |
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|
| 31 October | Halloween |
November Holidays in Finland
Date |
Holiday Name |
Flag Day? |
Holiday? |
| 6 November | All Saint’s Day: Pyhäinpäivä | |
|
| 6 November | Finnish Swedish Heritage Day: Ruotsalaisuuden päivä Gustavus Adolphus Day: Gustavus Adolphuksen päivä (Unofficial but customary flag day) |
|
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| 14 November | Father’s Day: Isänpäivä | |
|
| 28 November | First advent |
December Holidays in Finland
Date |
Holiday Name |
Flag Day? |
Holiday? |
| 5 December | Second advent | ||
| 6 December | Finnish Independence Day: Itsenäisyyspäivä | |
|
| 8 December | Day of Finnish Music: Suomalaisen musiikin päivä Birthday of composer Jean Sibelius: Jean Sibeliuksen päivää (Unofficial but customary flag day) |
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|
| 12 December | Third advent | ||
| 13 December | St Lucy’s Day: Lucian päivä | ||
| 19 December | Fourth advent | ||
| 24 December | Christmas Eve: Jouluaatto (An unofficial holiday, included in most collective business agreements) |
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| 25 December | Christmas Day: Joulupäivä | |
|
| 26 December | Second Day of Christmas: 2. joulupäivä or Tapaninpäivä | |
|
| 31 December | New Year’s Eve: Uudenvuodenaatto |
Add all these dates for your Apple Calendar!
What is a flag day in Finland?
Flag days are days that have been decreed as dates on which to fly a specific flag – usually the national flag. On flag days in Denmark, businesses are not closed nor are there special hours. You’ll see flags flying from the front of buses across the country.
All national institutions must fly the flag on these dates, while private institutions and people are not obligated to do so (though many do).
There are many unofficial flag days when it is nevertheless customary to fly the flag; these have been noted in the calendar below. Many of these days are culturally important and celebrate both an institution (e.g. “Finnish music”) on the birthday of a major contributor to that institution (e.g. composer Jean Sibelius).
Unlike in most other Nordic countries, Easter and Christmas are not flag days. Finnish people are welcome to fly the flag privately on any day they deem important, including family birthdays and weddings.
What is a public holiday in Finland?
Public holidays are national holidays when public offices, institutions, and administrative buildings are closed. Some private businesses were also closed while others stay open, including a fair number of restaurants, shops, and grocery stores. This changes year-to-year so check individual websites for holiday opening hours if you’re not sure.