Finnish president and spouse receive May Day greetings in Helsinki

The Finnish president and first lady are receiving traditional May Day greetings outside the Presidential Palace in Helsinki on Wednesday, as reported by national broadcaster Yle. The event follows the annual May Day concert by the Ylioppilaskunnan Laulajat choir, now in its 99th year.

President Alexander Stubb and Suzanne Innes-Stubb are greeting well-wishers in the capital’s Ullanlinna district. The celebrations began with the choir’s open-air performance in Kaivopuisto park, a long-standing tradition marking the arrival of spring.

Elsewhere in Finland, May Day festivities include a classic car parade in Joensuu, where residents gathered at the town square for morning celebrations. Weather conditions across the country are reported as sunny.

The May Day concert by the Ylioppilaskunnan Laulajat, a student choir, has been held annually since 1925, drawing crowds to Helsinki’s Ullanlinna ridge. The event is a staple of Finland’s May Day (Vappu) celebrations, which blend labour day observances with student traditions.