Holidays and Flag Days to Know in Finland 2020

What are the public holidays, flag days, and just good-to-know days of Finland in 2020? From the days where offices are closed to important festivals, we have your full list here so you don’t miss out on anything!

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.

Here are the public holidays, flag days, and important dates to know in Finland 2020.

Also, you can download all these dates for your iCal!

January in Finland

Flag Day?	Holiday?	Date	Holiday Name
		1 January	New Year’s Day: Uudenvuodenpäivä
		6 Jan	Epiphany: Loppiainen

February in Finland

Flag Day?	Holiday?	Date	Holiday Name
		5 February	Birthday of national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg: Runebergin päivä (Unofficial but customary flag day)
		28 February	Day of Finnish Culture: Kalevala

March in Finland

Flag Day?	Holiday?	Date	Holiday Name
		19 March	Day of Equality: tasa-arvon päivä Birthday of playwright Minna Canth: Minna Canth päivä (Unofficial but customary flag day)

April in Finland

Flag Day?	Holiday?	Date	Holiday Name
		9 April	Day of the Finnish Language: suomen kielen päivää Mikael Agricolan Day: Mikael Agricolan päivää (Unofficial but customary flag day)
		10 April	Good Friday: Pitkäperjantai
		12 April	Easter Sunday: Pääsiäispäivä
		13 April	Easter Monday: 2. pääsiäispäivä
		22 – 26 April	April Jazz
		23 April – 23 May	Ramadan
		27 April	National War Veteran’s Day: Kansallinen veteraanipäivä (Unofficial but customary flag day)

May in Finland

Flag Day?	Holiday?	Date	Holiday Name
		1 May	Walpurgis: Vappu
		9 May	Europe Day: Eurooppa-päivä (Unofficial but customary flag day)
		10 May	Mother’s Day: Äitien päivä
		12 May	Day of Finnish Identity: suomalaisuuden päivä (Unofficial but customary flag day)
		16 May	Helsinki Marathon
		17 May	Commemoration Day of Fallen Soldiers: Kaatuneitten muistopäivä (Unofficial but customary flag day)
		21 May	Ascension Day: helatorstai
		31 May	Whit Sunday / Pentecost: Helluntaipäivä

June in Finland

Flag Day?	Holiday?	Date	Holiday Name
		1 June	Whit Monday
		4 June	Day of Finnish Defense Forces: Puolustusvoimain lippujuhlan päivä
		19 June	Midsummer’s Eve: Juhannusaatto (An unofficial holiday but shops remain open)
		20 June	Midsummer: Juhannuspäivä Day of the Finnish Flag: Suomen lipun päivä
		22 – 28 June	Helsinki Pride

July in Finland

Flag Day?	Holiday?	Date	Holiday Name
		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 in Finland

September in Finland

October in Finland

Flag Day?	Holiday?	Date	Holiday Name
		10 October	Day of Finnish Literature: suomalaisen kirjallisuuden päivä Birthday of national writer Aleksis Kivi: Aleksis Kiven päivä (Unofficial but customary flag day)
		24 October	Day of the United Nations: Yhdistyneiden kansakuntien päivä (Unofficial but customary flag day)
		31 October	Halloween

November in Finland

Flag Day?	Holiday?	Date	Holiday Name
		1 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)
		8 November	Father’s Day: Isänpäivä
		29 November	First advent

December in Finland

Flag Day?	Holiday?	Date	Holiday Name
		6 December	Finnish Independence Day: Itsenäisyyspäivä
		6 December	Second advent
		8 December	Day of Finnish Music: Suomalaisen musiikin päivä Birthday of composer Jean Sibelius: Jean Sibeliuksen päivää (Unofficial but customary flag day)
		13 December	Third advent
		13 December	St Lucy’s Day: Lucian päivä
		20 December	Fourth advent
		24 December	Christmas Eve: Jouluaatto (An unofficial holiday, included in most collective business agreements)
		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 iCal!