What is Juhannus?
In Finland, the longest days of the year are something close to sacred. After a long, dark winter, the sun in June barely sets, and in the far north it does not set at all. Juhannus, Finnish Midsummer, is the celebration of that light, and for many Finns it is the most important weekend of the summer. Midsummer Eve falls on the Friday between June 19 and 25, and Midsummer Day, a public holiday also celebrated as the day of the Finnish flag, on the Saturday after.
The name comes from Saint John the Baptist, whose feast falls at midsummer, but the customs are much older. On Midsummer Eve, Finns light the kokko, a great bonfire, usually on the shore of a lake or the sea, a tradition once meant to ward off evil spirits and bring a good harvest. Old folk beliefs promised that a young woman who looked into a spring at midnight, or put seven kinds of flowers under her pillow, would see the face of her future husband.
Today Juhannus is above all a weekend in the countryside. Cities empty as families and friends head to their mökki, the summer cottages that dot the shores of Finland's lakes, to take saunas, swim in the cold water, grill sausages, fish, row and sit up through the white night. The blue and white flag flies all night from Midsummer Eve. In towns and villages, communities light shared bonfires, hold dances on open-air pavilions and raise decorated midsummer poles in the Swedish-speaking coastal areas.
For visitors without a cottage, the best place to see the traditions is the Seurasaari Open-Air Museum in Helsinki, a forested island of old wooden buildings, where the city's Midsummer Eve bonfires have been lit since 1956.
What to expect
The celebrations run from Midsummer Eve on Friday through the weekend.
Friday afternoon
The exodus
Offices close early and roads fill as people head for the countryside. Shops and restaurants close early in many places, so stock up in advance.
Midsummer Eve
Bonfires and the white night
In the evening, the kokko bonfires are lit by lakes and the sea. At Seurasaari, there are folk dances, music and bonfires on the water. People sauna, swim and stay up through the night.
Midsummer Day
A slow Saturday
Midsummer Day is quiet, the day of the Finnish flag. Cities stay half empty, and cottages are filled with lazy meals, saunas and naps.
Folk dancers at Seurasaari on Midsummer Eve
Photo by Ninara / flickr · CC BY 2.0
Planning your trip
Getting there
Helsinki's airport has flights from across Europe and Asia, and ferries connect the city with Tallinn and Stockholm. Seurasaari is a short bus ride or a pleasant walk from the centre. To reach the lake country, rent a car or take the train to cities such as Tampere, Jyväskylä or Savonlinna.
Where to stay
Cottages in the lake regions are the classic choice. Helsinki's hotels are easier to book over Midsummer, as the city empties, and prices can be lower than usual. Book any countryside accommodation well ahead.
What it costs
The Seurasaari Midsummer evening has a modest ticket, and children under 12 enter free with an adult. Finland is expensive, and cottage rentals for the Midsummer weekend are at their highest prices. Shops close early, so plan food and drink in advance.
Go like you know
- Take a sauna and jump into the lake; it's the heart of a Finnish Midsummer.
- Grill makkara, Finnish sausage, and eat new potatoes with dill and herring.
- Carry insect repellent; mosquitoes love Midsummer as much as Finns do.
- Pick up a Midsummer birch branch, the vihta, to use in the sauna, as Finns have done for generations.
- Sweden's Midsummer, the same weekend, is celebrated with maypoles, dancing and flower crowns.
- In northern Norway, the Sámi festival Riddu Riđđu follows in July under the midnight sun.
Frequently asked questions
When is Juhannus?
Midsummer Eve is the Friday between June 19 and 25, and Midsummer Day is the following Saturday. In 2027, Midsummer Eve falls on Friday, June 25, and Midsummer Day on Saturday, June 26. The bonfires are lit on the evening of Midsummer Eve.
Can I see the midnight sun?
In northern Finland, in Lapland, the sun doesn't set at all around Midsummer. In Helsinki and the south it sets for only a few hours, and the sky stays light through the night. Head north of the Arctic Circle for the true midnight sun.
What is open over Midsummer?
Very little in the cities. Many shops, restaurants and offices close early on Midsummer Eve and stay closed on Midsummer Day. Supermarkets usually open for limited hours. Buy food and drink before Friday afternoon, and check opening times for museums and transport.
