Finns mark Midsummer with early potatoes, saunas, and blue lakes

Finns across the country celebrated Midsummer Eve with time-honoured traditions, from early potatoes and saunas to bonfires and flower crowns, Yle reports.

In Helsinki, early new potatoes were sold at Hakaniemi market, while shoppers stocked up on supplies at the Tripla shopping centre. Flower stalls and birch twigs—known as vihta in western Finland and vasta in the east—were also part of the preparations.

Public celebrations included a Midsummer pole erected in Porvoo, a tradition more common in Swedish-speaking coastal regions and Åland. Festivals in Jämsä’s Himos featured performances by artists like Käärijä and Ettan, blending music with the holiday’s fiery elements.

In Rovaniemi, the city hosted its own Midsummer event, where local Ukrainians joined in—finding familiarity in the customs of flowers and bonfires. Meanwhile, Helsinki’s Sompasauna and Kotiharju sauna drew both locals and tourists, including Japanese visitor Miki Ueno, who planned to experience the holiday’s sauna rituals.

The Finnish flag flew in Keuruu under sunny skies, as Midsummer Day is one of the few official flag-flying days when the flag may remain up overnight. Open-air dances, such as the traditional Juhannusdisko at Helsinki’s Lasipalatsi, and quiet moments by the water rounded out the celebrations.