Tampere student celebrations last three weeks with over 100 events

Tampere’s student community is marking vappu—the Finnish spring festival—with a three-week-long series of events, reports Yle. Organised by the Tampere Student Union (TREY), the celebrations began on 14 April and will continue until May Day on 1 May.

The festival, billed as “Finland’s biggest wappu,” includes over 100 activities, blending playful traditions with academic culture. On a single day, events ranged from nostalgic schoolyard games to elaborate engineering student pranks.

Playground games and adult treasure hunts
One afternoon event, Vika koulupäivä (Last School Day), brought students to Sorsapuisto park for childhood games like shadow tag and rope skipping. Organised by teaching students, the alcohol-free gathering also featured a treasure hunt—though the prizes, such as spring party supplies, were aimed at adults.

For students like Emmi Nikumatti, attending daily events is part of earning the coveted Emäteemu title, a badge of honour for completing the Teemunkierros (Theme Tour) challenge. “You just have to keep going,” she said. Her favourite so far? A bus crawl through Pirkanmaa’s rural bars, organised by history students.

Engineering pranks and Hervanta traditions
Later, at Tampere University’s Hervanta campus, first-year engineering students showcased their jäynät—elaborate but good-natured pranks—judged in the Jäynäbox competition. The best prankster earns the first dip in the Tammerkoski river during the traditional teekkarikaste (engineering student baptism) on May Day.

Milla Pasonen, an environmental engineering student, admitted the festivities leave little time for studies. “Short answer: no. Long answer: well, no,” she laughed. Many students rush to finish coursework before vappu begins.

Cross-disciplinary fun
Since Tampere’s universities merged in 2019, the celebrations have expanded beyond engineering traditions. Rosa Rautiainen, TREY’s wapputirehtööri (vappu director), noted that events now draw students from all fields—whether for rap battles, street choir performances, or simply shared springtime revelry.