Suomi Finland 100 years

Official Independence Day festivities as usually commence with the raising of the Finnish flag all over the country.

Firewoks above Helsinki roofs here

Religious services held at cathedrals and official visits to cemeteries - as it is now special year, this time with thousands of peoples visiting to salute all the past finns and soldiers, who fought our country free and independent as it is now.

Yle, Finland's national public service broadcaster, broadcasted again the movie adaptation of Tuntematon Sotilas ("The Unknown Soldier"), based on Väinö Linna' iconic movie. As dozens of times before.. :)

In the evening, the students light and torch cavalcade walked to the cathedral of Helsinki. My daughter first time taking part to that. Huge amount of people in central square of Tampere too, my son with his friends there.
Later in the evening a presidential ball is held for approximately 2000 invited guests at the Presidential palace. This event, known informally also as Linnanjuhlat ("the Castle ball"), is broadcast on national television and ondemand channel via world - and has been a perennial favourite of the viewing public.
The first presidential ball was organized in 1919, and the event has been held most years since.

Me and hubby travelled to Tallinn, Estonia with our friends to celebrate the independence day and specially to have a short holiday - time off and relax...
It has been absolute fabulous to have seen the joy of infependence of the neighbour country here too: There has been finnish flad cookies and fiesta balloons, Finland's mini flags on trams and huge flags at the walls, even on the parlament house, free frinks for finns in restaurants (!!!!) and people have been concratulating for our celebration walking in streets - even a big fireworks wit blue and white colours was held above Tallinn.

What a fiesta time!!!
Finnish blue and white colours seen all over the world too.

Some party shots here
in my Flickr Album

And a link to history
here - with all kind of nice celebration links in english :)

With love for Finland from Estonia,

Susanna