Date and time
June 19, 2026
0:00
Bonfires and raising of the maypole
A small raft bonfire will be lit by the bridge at 6 pm.
The children’s bonfire will be lit at the bonfire shore at 7:40 pm.
At the bonfire shore there will be also barrel bonfires (at sea), ”Koivistolainen vanhapiika” bonfire, ”sankakokko” bonfire, wheel bonfire and big bonfire (at sea) from 9 pm to 10 pm. The Folk Band Thalamus will entertain the audience. Thalamus is a Nordic folk music band, whose unique music has always included diverse stories and influences, along with rooting acoustic sound and the engaging joy of playing together. Playing in the band: Pauliina Pajala, 5-string fiddle, Riku Elomaa, 2- and 5-row accordion, singing, Henrik Norri, bouzouki, singing and Elina Lappalainen, double bass, singing.
Burning a bonfire is part of the Midsummer ritual. The Finnish bonfire tradition is part of the European way of lighting fires. Fires have also been lit, for example at Easter and at the end of the harvest season, but midsummer bonfire is the most common and widespread in Finland. Fire was seen as a purifying and powerful element. The way a bonfire burns could predict marital happiness and was considered to promote fertility and ward off evil. Bonfires were usually built near waterways and in high places. Midsummer bonfires originate from the eastern parts of our country. Nowadays, they are lit all over the country, even on the bright Midsummer night in Lapland.
Bonfires are only lit, if there´s no wildfire warning!
The maypole will be raised at Antti Event Ground at 6 pm.
The model comes from maypole which is raised in the Kimo ironworks landscape. In Åland and the coastal area, bonfires are not lit on Midsummer, but maypoles are built. The looks and decoration of the maypole vary from one place to another. The frame is a mast like flagpole, which is equipped with several crossbars. The mast is decorated with flowers and leaf garlands, nowadays it is often painted. At the top there are usually wooden figures and ornaments, weather vane or flag, The crossbars are decorated with “crowns”, which are similar to Christmas canopies.
