May Day festival "vappu" opens the door to spring

The rest of the city centre also celebrates spring and the beginning of summer. The traditional May Day street will be open from 29 April to 3 May on the promenade. The stalls near the compass will be open 10–18, selling food, sweeties, merchandise and, in celebration of the holiday, doughnuts and beverages. There will also be a bouncy castle for children on the promenade from 30 April to 1 May, 10-18.   

On May Day, 1 May, at 12 noon, the traditional male choir Sirkat and Puhkupillit will perform in the Aren aukio square. The public should check out the delicious options for May Day brunches in the city centre restaurants.  

On May Day 1, there will also be action outside the city centre, as car enthusiasts gather to cruise in celebration of spring. All museum-age recreational vehicles, regardless of make or model, are welcome to take part. The May Day cruising starts from the Keskisuomalainen yard at 15:00 and culminates at the Finnish Air Force Museum in Tikkakoski, where admission is free for participants. 

Theatre and tango in the cultural offer during May Day 

May Day is also a great time to enjoy culture. On Tuesday 29 April at 16.30-19, the Piippuranta Club is hosting a theatre performance of “Kuumia aaltoja” (Hot Flush). Tickets €10 only at the door, no advance reservations. There are a limited number of seats! More information

Jyväskylä Sinfonia performs in the concert “Kaiken takana on tango” (Behind Everything – Tango) on May Day Eve 30.4. at 18.00 at Paviljonki. A tango experience with Helena Juntunen: 

https://www.jyvaskylasinfonia.fi/en/jyvaskyla-sinfonia-english/concerts 

The Jyväskylä City Theatre will be open on Wed 30 April at 19.00 for both “Mestari” (the Master) and “Hiirenloukku” (the Mousetrap), which will also be open for daytime performances on Saturday 3 May at 13.00. On Saturday evening, the musical Bosslady by Maija Vilkkumaa will be performed.  

On May Eve, Theatre Europe Four will entertain the audience with the performance Hyttibileet (Cabin Party), which takes the audience on a cruise to dry land. More information about the performance 

For more events during the holiday season and other events, see the Jyväskylä events calendar and on the Visit Jyväskylä Region website.     

May Day is the best time to be a student!  

The students' May Day celebrations start well in advance on 16 April with an interdisciplinary May Day tour called Minna's Journey, organised by JAMKO, JYY and other student organisations. During Minna's Journey, students will spend several days at the student organisations' May Day events collecting stamps for their passports. 

Jyväskylä's student May Day will be officially launched in Kirkkopuisto on Tuesday 22 April at 17-20 during the Vappu Kickstart. There will be good music, various yard activities and a Vappu atmosphere. And the musical tradition that started last May Day will continue when at 18.00 Veikka Holma's song "Vappukuulutus!" (May Day announcement), composed for students, will ring out from the Harju Tower in honour of the approaching May Day.  

On the eve of May Day, 30 April, from 17.15 to 18.15, students will put the cap on the statue of Uno Cygnaeus once again in Cygnaeus Park. The event is open to all. After the ceremony, the audience will follow the procession to Mattilanniemi beach to watch the Teekkarikaste, organised by the Teekkari student organisation Algo.    

Minna's journey will end on 1 May with a May Day picnic on the Harju from 12.00-17.00, when the May Day announcement will be made! will be repeated at 15.00 to mark the end of the May Day celebrations. For more information about Minna's journey and its events, please visit https://jyy.fi/en/vappu/.