Flag days in Finland

Flag days are divided into official and customary flag days.

The official flag days are mentioned in the decree on flag flying. On official flag days, government agencies and institutions as well as public buildings in the Åland Islands must fly the Finnish flag. Flag flying is also recommended for all other parties. There are seven official flag days each year. In addition, the flag is flown on any election days and on the day on which the President of the Republic takes office.

The customary flag days are days which the Board of the University Almanac Office has decided to include in the State Calendar of Finland. Entry in the State Calendar is preceded by the establishment of flag flying on the day, either through several successive flag flying recommendations by the Ministry of the Interior or by other means.

Official flag days:

Kalevala Day, Finnish Culture Day (28 February)
May Day, Day of Finnish Labour (1 May)
Mothers’ Day (second Sunday in May)
Defence Forces Flag Day (4 June)
Midsummer Day, Day of the Finnish Flag (the Saturday between 20 and 26 June)
Fathers’ Day (Second Sunday in November)
Independence Day (6 December)
The day of national elections, municipal elections, the election of Members of the European Parliament or an indicative national referendum.
The day on which the President of the Republic takes office.

Customary flag days:

J. L. Runeberg’s Day (5 February)
Minna Canth’s Day, Equality Day (19 March)
Mikael Agricola’s Day, Day of the Finnish Language (9 April)
National War Veterans’ Day (27 April)
Europe Day (9 May)
J. V. Snellman’s Day, Finnish Heritage Day (12 May)
Remembrance Day, (third Sunday of May)
Eino Leino’s Day, Day of Poetry and Summer (6 July)
Finnish Nature Day (last Saturday in August)
Miina Sillanpää’s Day, Day of Civic Participation (1 October)
Aleksis Kivi’s Day, Finnish Literature Day (10 October)
United Nations Day (24 October)
Swedish Day, Gustav Adolf’s Day (6 November)
Children’s Day (20 November)
Jean Sibelius’ Day, Finnish Music Day (8 December)

Åland has three of its own official flag days:

Day of Demilitarisation of Åland (30 March)
Åland Flag Day (last Sunday in April)
Åland’s Autonomy Day (9 June)

The Saami have 12 official flag days of their own:

Saami National Day (6 February)
The establishment of the Saami Parliament in Finland (2 March)
The Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, a traditional Saami holiday (22–28 March, or if it coincides with Palm Sunday or Easter Day, the Sunday preceding Palm Sunday)
Midsummer Day, public holiday (Saturday between 20 and 26 June)
UN International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (9 August)
The adoption of the Saami Flag (15 August)
The establishment of the Saami Council (18 August)
The establishment of the Saami Parliament in Sweden (26 August)
The establishment of the Saami Parliament in Norway (9 October)
The establishment of the Delegation for Saami issues in Finland (9 November)
Birthday of Isak Saba, the first Saami parliamentarian (15 November)
Birthday of Elsa Laula Renberg (29 November)

Every Finn has the right to fly the national flag whenever they consider it appropriate. Flag flying is a dignified way of expressing joy and celebration, as well as respect or sorrow.

Flag flying begins at 8 a.m. and ends at sunset, in the summer no later than 9 p.m. On the Day of the Finnish Flag, the flag is raised at 6 p.m. on Midsummer Eve and is flown until 9 p.m. on Midsummer Day.

On Independence Day and an election day when voting ends after sunset, the Finnish flag is lowered at 8 p.m. In regions of polar night, the Ministry of the Interior recommends flying the flag in the winter from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Private citizens are granted leeway in flag flying due to working hours, for example.

Provisions concerning the Finnish flag

Act on the flag of Finland 380/1978

Decree on flying the Finnish flag 383/1978

Government decision on the colours of the Finnish flag 827/1993