Finland 108 years – Tampere filled with festive spirit

Independence Day celebration at Frenckell Square

Tampere will celebrate Finland’s Independence Day with a public celebration open to all at Frenckell Square on 6 December 2025 from 5:00 pm to 5:35 pm. The celebration will feature the legendary band Yö and will be hosted by actor Matti Leino.

The Tampere Workers’ Association Band, the Tampere Male Choir, and the Pirkanpojat Boys’ Choir and Tampereen Naislaulajat Choir will also perform on stage. Mayor Ilmari Nurminen will give the celebratory speech.

At the end of the celebration, the buildings in the Central Square area will be illuminated with magnificent Moomin light installations. The installations, based on Tove Jansson’s original drawings, are from the book Moominland Midwinter (1957). The installations will enliven the atmosphere of the Christmas Market and bring the magic of winter to Central Square until 7 January 2026. The lights will be on daily from 4 pm to 10 pm.

Admission to the event is free. Large crowds are expected, so please use public transport or walk to the venue.

Children’s Independence Day Dance at Tampere Hall

Independence Day is also celebrated with the traditional Children’s Independence Day Dance, which fills Tampere Hall’s with a fun party atmosphere. This year’s theme for the dance is “The Whole World Celebrates.” The event is divided into two parts and you can participate on Saturday, 6 December from 1 pm to 3 pm or from 3 pm to 5 pm. The program content is the same for both parts. The event will be hosted in both Finnish and English.

DJ Sara-Maaria and the children’s music group Loiskis will entertain the partygoers, taking them on a musical journey around the world. The stage will also feature students from the Razzmatazz dance school and the Flamma fire art group, which will light up the party with its LED light show. There will also be an art workshop by Rulla and a festive program by the Children’s Parliament.

The Independence Day celebration will be hosted by Veera Degerholm, known from Pikku Kakkonen, together with the children of the Children’s Parliament. The event will feature a speech by Deputy Mayor Ilkka Porttikivi and a greeting from the Children’s Parliament.

Admission to the event is free.

Wreath laying ceremony at Kalevankangas

A traditional Independence Day ceremony will be held at the Kalevankangas Cemetery on 6 December starting at 11 am. The program will begin with an F18 Hornet flyover at Kalevankangas. The ceremony will continue with the traditional wreath laying at the graves and a speech by Mayor Ilmari Nurminen.

This will be followed by a festive parade, which will start at the end of the Kalevankangas cemetery, at the intersection of Kalevantie and Salhojankatu, at around 11:35 am. The parade will proceed along Salhojankatu to Kaleva High School, from where it will continue towards Kaleva Church. The parade will be followed by a church service at Kaleva Church at 12 noon. The ceremony is organized by the Tampere Citizens’ Celebration Committee.

Parade route