This year, President of the Republic of Finland Alexander Stubb and his spouse Suzanne Innes-Stubb will begin the celebration of Finland’s independence on Tuesday 2 December 2025. On that day, the presidential couple will host an honorary reception at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki for war veterans, members of the Lotta Svärd organization, and other representatives of the wartime generations.
At the request of veterans, their families, and organizations representing them, the reception will be held as a daytime event. Taking into account the advanced age and health of the guests, this arrangement allows more guests to attend and provides space for interaction and conversation in a calm setting. The reception will also be attended by President Tarja Halonen and Professor Pentti Arajärvi, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Minister of Finance Riikka Purra, Minister of Education Anders Adlercreutz, First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Paula Risikko, and Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces Janne Jaakkola. The musical programme will feature the Guards Band, the Opera Singers of the Finnish National Opera, and 15-year-old singer Matteus Pentti, accompanied by pianist Ilona Vähäsöyrinki.
On Independence Day Saturday 6 December 2025, the President of the Republic and his spouse will host the traditional Independence Day reception at the Presidential Palace. The reception will highlight the role of education and learning as cornerstones of Finnish society.
Around 1,800 guests from across the country will attend, with a special focus on professionals in the field of education, including distinguished teachers from various levels of education. The presidential couple has also invited people they have met on their trips in Finland. More than half of the guests will be attending the reception for the first time.
Eastern Finland as menu inspiration
The Independence Day reception’s culinary theme draws inspiration from Eastern Finland and the regions of South Savo, North Savo, South Karelia and North Karelia. The menu emphasizes natural ingredients and the craftsmanship of local small producers. Most of the delicacies are prepared using Finnish ingredients such as berries, lake fish, and vegetables.
The buffet will feature traditional specialities like muikkukukko and lanttukukko, savory rye-crust loaves filled with vendace or rutabaga, along with omenalörtsy and lihalörtsy the apple- and meat-filled turnovers typical of the city of Savonlinna. The menu will also include Lemin särä, a slow-roasted lamb and potato dish from Lemi, as well as karjalanpiirakka, the classic Karelian pies with a rye crust and rice filling. On the third floor of the Presidential Palace, guests will have the chance to taste vety, the well-known meat pie from Lappeenranta filled with ham and egg.
The tradition of working with educational institutions continues this year. Students from the restaurant and catering programmes at the Educational Consortium OSAO will assist with serving duties during the reception. In addition, some of the festive delicacies will be prepared by students from the restaurant, food and confectionery sectors at Pastry Saimaa, a centre of excellence in pastry arts located in South Karelia and part of Saimaa Vocational College Sampo.
The floral arrangements for the reception will feature a white-and-green theme, with flowers like white amaryllises, roses, and poinsettias. Green elements from Finnish nature, such as clubmoss, pine and larch branches, and moss, will complement the arrangements. Some of these natural materials have been collected from the Kultaranta, the President’s summer residence.
Photo exhibition on the importance of education
In the Gothic Hall, visitors can explore School – For Life, a photo exhibition curated by the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Finnish Heritage Agency, and basic art education institutions. The exhibition showcases the vital role of education in shaping Finnish life and building the future.
The exhibition focuses especially on the comprehensive school system, a cornerstone of Finland’s international success story. The photographs illustrate the history of education and its position as a resource for Finnish society and a foundation of democracy. The themes also address future-oriented work in comprehensive education, seeking new directions for schools as promoters of hope and meaningfulness.
Music reflecting Finnish identity
The musical programme will begin with the Guards Band, Finland’s oldest continuously operating professional orchestra. The band will play while President Stubb and Mrs Innes-Stubb greet the arriving guests in the Hall of States and will continue to perform during the first part of the evening. The Guards Band has a long tradition, having performed at the very first Independence Day reception hosted by the President of the Republic more than 100 years ago. The repertoire ranges from traditional pieces to vibrant arrangements of popular music.
The Hall of States will later feature performances by the Opera Singers of the Finnish National Opera, comprising tenured opera singers at the Finnish National Opera, and celebrating its 80th anniversary.
This year, the presidential couple’s first waltz will be Missä muruseni on, performed by Jenni Vartiainen.
The evening’s dance music will be provided by the Guards Combo. The ten-member ensemble – known for its lively and varied repertoire – will entertain guests with a selection of Finnish evergreens among others.
The Combo will perform together with vocalist Jenni Vartiainen, who has touched Finnish audiences with her music for nearly two decades. In 2024, she made a spectacular return to the stage, and her album ORIGO, released in spring 2025, quickly streamed platinum. Over the course of her career, Jenni Vartiainen has released five successful albums and won nine Emma Awards. Her 2010 hit Missä muruseni on was honoured at the 2025 Radiogaala as the all-time favourite radio song.
Later in the evening, the Guards Combo will be joined by the radiant Klaara Koivunen as its vocal soloist. A versatile singer, musician, and music pedagogue, Koivunen is known for her powerful interpretations and charismatic stage presence. She is the lead vocalist of the band SUPREME, works as a backing vocalist for various artists both live and in the studio, and teaches singing. Having completed voluntary military service for women in the Conscript Band of the Finnish Defence Forces, Klaara Koivunen has also appeared as a soloist with the Finnish Air Force Big Band and the Navy Band.
In the Yellow Room on the second floor, guests will enjoy music by guitarist, composer, and conductor Marzi Nyman and his friends. Nyman is a musical multitalent who defies genre boundaries. In recent years, he has been a highly regarded guest at chamber music festivals in Finland and abroad and has performed as a soloist with numerous orchestras. He has served as the conductor of the Espoo Big Band since 2012 and as an artistic partner of the Tapiola Sinfonietta since 2013. Throughout his career, Nyman has received multiple awards, played on numerous recordings with various artists, and composed works for theatre, film, and television.
Performing new compositions and well-known Finnish classics together with Marzi Nyman will be double bassist and jazz musician Ville Herrala, accordion virtuoso and improviser Niko Kumpuvaara, jazz drummer and music influencer Jaska Lukkarinen, and saxophonist-composer Jukka Perko.
In the Salon on the third floor, Mirella – who debuted in 2023 and quickly rose to prominence – will perform with her band. With her distinctive sound and unique voice, Mirella has accumulated nearly 171 million streams across digital platforms, including almost 50 million for her hit Timanttei, which won the Emma Award for Song of the Year. The young artist, who has topped both single and radio charts, has been compared to international superstars and, like them, she sings, writes, and composes her own music. For the Independence Day performance, Mirella will be accompanied by her own band: Ossi Maristo, Joonas Kaikko and Kasperi Kallio.
