Official Independence Day festivities usually commence with the raising of the Finnish flag on
Tähtitorninmäki ("Observatory Hill") in
Helsinki. A religious service is held at
Helsinki Cathedral, and official visits are made to the
war memorials of
World War II. Another event is the annual military parade by personnel of the
Finnish Defense Forces, which is one of the big highlights and is a nationally televised event. '' is the traditional part of the television program for Independence Day.
Reino Tolvanen as
Antero Rokka in the film.
YLE, Finland's national public service broadcaster, broadcasts the 1955 film adaptation of
The Unknown Soldier (), based on
Väinö Linna's
iconic novel. but the
1985 version has also been shown once, in 1997, and in addition to the
2017 version premiered in 2021. The traditional torch cavalcade by students has been held annually since 1951. The cavalcade is held in various towns and cities with a
university and
wreaths are placed on
war graves. In the evening, the
Presidential Independence Day reception is held for approximately 2,000 invited guests at the
Presidential Palace. This event, known informally also as
Linnanjuhlat ("the Castle
Ball"), is broadcast on national television 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. The reception invariably attracts the attention of demonstrators in support of various causes, and various demonstrations and shadow parties are held to coincide with the official event. The late philanthropist
Veikko Hursti organized the most popular of these demonstrations, providing free food to the poor and underprivileged. Since Hursti's death in 2005, the tradition has been carried on by his son, Heikki Hursti. The most popular television segment of the Independence Day reception is the entrance of the guests. These include persons who receive invitations every year, including the knights of the
Mannerheim Cross (traditionally the first ones to enter), members of the government and the
Parliament of Finland, archbishops, judges, high military and police officers, and various diplomats and dignitaries. The second group includes guests of the president's own choosing: typically entertainers, activists, sportspersons, and in general, people who have been in the spotlight over the past year. The last guests to enter are always the surviving former Finnish presidents. File:Senate1917.jpg|The
Finnish Senate of 1917,
Prime Minister P. E. Svinhufvud at the head of table Image:Independence Day of Finland 1940 (4344C; JOKAHBL3C A97-4).tif|Finland's Independence Day celebrations in Helsinki, 1940 File:The Presidential Independence Day reception at the Presidential Palace 1953 (JOKAUAS2 2288-4).tif|President
J. K. Paasikivi and Mrs
Alli Paasikivi with their guests during the
Independence Day Reception, 1953 File:Finnish Leopard 2 tanks.jpg|Finnish Independence Day Parade, 2009 File:Presidential Palace Finland Independece day 2011.jpg|The
Presidential Palace during the Independence Day Reception, 2011 File:Sankarihaudat Maaria 6.12.2012.JPG|Candles at the
hero's grave on Independence Day, 2012 File:Finnish Independence day 2015 01.JPG|Students' torch cavalcade on Independence Day, 2015 File:20170612 612 runeberginkatu.jpg|The
612 march at
Runeberginkatu, 2017 ==90th anniversary commemorative coin==