National Parade on the Finnish Independence Day
The National Parade on the Independence Day of Finland will be held in Oulu on 6 December. The theme of the parade is Defenders of Independent Finland. The review of troops will be held at Raati stadium, and the pass in review on the bridges of Merikoski. At Oulu market square, the Finnish Defence Forces’ and other agencies’ equipment and activity will be on display for familiarisation. The events will be free of charge.
The parade day will begin by a gun-salute and flag-raising ceremony on Linnansaari. The programme will also include a wreath-laying ceremony at Oulu cemetery, and a Lutheran service at Oulu Lutheran Diocese Church. At Oulu market square, the Finnish Defence Forces’ and other agencies’ equipment and activity will be on display for familiarisation from the morning to the afternoon.
The review of troops will start at Raati stadium at 12:00, and it is advisable for the public to arrive on site well in advance. An NH90 transport helicopter from the Utti Jager Regiment will fly over the stadium area at 11:15, and the parade troops will align to position for the review of troops from 11:35 onwards.
The review of troops will be reviewed and the pass in review received by the Finnish Defence Forces’ Deputy Chief of Staff Armaments and Logistics, Lieutenant General Mikko Heiskanen. For the pass in review, on the pass in review podium site on the bridges of Merikoski by Raati stadium, he will be accompanied by representatives of City of Oulu. The parades’ guests of honour will be veterans and lottas of our wars.
The parade troops will be commanded by the Finnish Army Chief of Operations, Brigadier General Sami-Antti Takamaa. The field devotional will be held in the review of troops by the Finnish Defence Forces’ Field Bishop Pekka Asikainen. The parade arrangements will remain the responsibility of the Kainuu Brigade, and the music of the Lapland Military Band. The parade will be moderated to the public by journalist Ville Kinnunen.
The parade will be participated by troops from the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Defence University, and the Finnish Border Guard, as well as veterans’ and national defence organisations, altogether up to c. 1,300 personnel in total.
The pass in review to be conducted on the bridges of Merikoski starting at 13:00 will include alongside dismounted troops also a motorised detachment of up to c. 70 vehicles of the Finnish Defence Forces, Finnish Border Guard, and other agencies.
The fly-pasts of the pass in review will feature Finnish Army NH90 transport helicopters and Air Force F/A-18 Hornet multirole fighters and Hawk jet trainers. The fly-pasts will cause noise over the area of Oulu.
The dismounted detachments will start the pass in review at the crossing of Koskitie and Merikoskenkatu. The motorised detachment will start its movement for the pass in review at the crossing of Valtatie and Merikoskenkatu. After the pass in review, the detachments will depart via Merikoskenkatu and Kajaanintie.
Programme for the parade day
At 08:00 Gun-salute and flag-raising ceremony on Linnansaari
At 09:15 Wreath-laying ceremony at Oulu cemetery
At 09–15 Activity field at Oulu market square
At 10:00 Lutheran service at Oulu Lutheran Diocese Church
At 11:15 Fly-past of an NH90 transport helicopter over Raati stadium
From 11:35 onwards, alignment to position for the review of troops at Raati stadium
At 12:00 Review of troops at Raati stadium
At 13:15 Pass in review on the bridges of Merikoski
Parade will affect overall traffic in Oulu
The parade will affect traffic control arrangements in the area of Oulu. The parade preparations will be noticeable from 4 December onwards. The parade preparations and equipment transfers will cause temporary closing of roads on 5.12. and 6.12.
On the Independence Day, the public is asked to arrive by foot on site well in advance.
More specific information on the traffic arrangements will be available from week 47 onwards.
The parade area is a no-flight zone, and drone activity remains strictly forbidden for sustained event safety with the exception of statutory authority functions.
Follow the parade
The event will be free of charge, and we warmly welcome the public to follow the day’s events.
The parade may also be followed online on the Finnish Defence Forces’ channels:
puolustusvoimat.fi/itsenaisyyspaiva
facebook.com/puolustusLink to an external website
x.com/puolustusvoimatLink to an external website
instagram.com/puolustusvoimat.fiLink to an external website
#puolustusvoimat #itsenäisyyspäivä #paraati
Welcome!
Programme
The Independence Day festivities will start by a flag-raising ceremony and gun-salute on Linnansaari at 08:00. The flag will be hoisted by Oulu Region Peace Keepers, and the gun-salute will be the responsibility of the Northern Finland Guild of Gunners.
The gun-salute will be fired by a field gun 76 K 36 dating back to the year 1936. The gun-salute tradition is well-established in Oulu.
The wreath-laying ceremony will be conducted at the monument to fallen soldiers at Oulu cemetery on the Independence Day.
The wreath of the Finnish Defence Forces will be laid by Deputy Chief of Staff Armaments and Logistics, Lieutenant General Mikko Heiskanen, City of Oulu Mayor Seppo Määttä, Board Chair Mirja Vehkaperä, Council Chair Jarmo Husso, and Lutheran Diocese Church Dean Satu Saarinen.
The music performance will be the responsibility of the Lapland Military Band and Northern Finland Choir of Reservists.
The activity field will be available for visitors at the Oulu market square at 09-15.
The activity field will offer familiarisation with equipment and activity of the Finnish Defences Forces, Finnish Border Guard, other agencies including the Police and Customs, as well as of a number of defence associations.
The Soldiers’ Home canteen will have their sales points available in the area.
The activity field will offer familiarisation with versatile equipment and kit.
The Finnish Defence Forces’ equipment display will include for example:
Main battle tank Leopard 2A6
Surface-to-air missile 12 NASAMS II FIN
Miniature unmanned aerial systems (MUAS) Parrot ANFI FIN and Orbiter
Armoured personnel carrier XA-300
Infantry fighting vehicle CV9030
Armoured howitzer K9
Heavy rocket launcher MLRS
Naval mines
Medium-range surveillance radar
Additionally, various simulators
For familiarisation with the equipment in more detail, see: Materiel and Equipment of the Finnish Defence Forces (puolustusvoimat.fi)
On the Independence Day, the Lutheran service will be ministered at Oulu Lutheran Diocese Church from 10:00 onwards by Oulu Lutheran Diocese Church Congregation. The sermon will be delivered by Field Senior Chaplain Penna Parviainen.
Music will be performed by the Northern Finland National Defence Band.
To follow the service, please see: virtuaalikirkko.fi
The review of troops will start at Raati stadium at 12:00, and it is advisable for the public to arrive on site well in advance. An NH90 transport helicopter from the Utti Jaeger Regiment will fly over the stadium area at 11:15, and the parade troops will align to position for the review of troops from 11:35 onwards.
The review of troops will be reviewed by the Finnish Defence Forces’ Deputy Chief of Staff Armaments and Logistics, Lieutenant General Mikko Heiskanen. The parade troops will be commanded by the Finnish Army Chief of Operations, Brigadier General Sami-Antti Takamaa. The field devotional will be held by the Finnish Defence Forces’ Field Bishop Pekka Asikainen.
The music in the review of troops will be the responsibility of the Lapland Military Band and Northern Finland Choir of Reservists. The review of troops will be moderated to the public by journalist Ville Kinnunen.
Order of review of troops:
A. Reviewer of the review of troops
B. Commander of the parade
C. Field bishop
Aligning to position at the stadium’s north flank:
1. Lapland Military Band
2. Swallow-Tailed State Flag
3. Jaeger Flag
4. Massed Standards of Veterans
5. Army Colour Party, Kainuu Brigade
6. Air Force Colour Party, Lapland Air Wing and Air Force Academy
7. Navy Colour Party, Coastal Brigade
8. Finnish National Defence University
9. Army Academy
10. Utti Jaeger Regiment
11. Jaeger Brigade
12. Karelia Brigade
13. Pori Brigade
14. Finnish Border Guard
15. Northern Ostrobothnia and Kainuu Regional Defence Company
16. Massed Standards of National Defence Association
17. Soldiers’ Home Association
18. National Defence Training Association of Finland
19. Peace Keepers’ Association of Finland
20. Women’s National Emergency Preparedness Association of Finland
21. Women’s National Defence Union
22. Reservist Choir of Northern Finland
The pass in review will be conducted on the bridges of Merikoski from 13:00 onwards. Starting with the dismounted detachment, the pass in review will then feature the movement of the motorised detachment.
The pass in review will comprise up to nearly 70 vehicles of the Finnish Defence Forces, Finnish Border Guard, and other agencies, and the fly-pasts will involve Finnish Army helicopters and Air Force F/A-18 Hornet multirole fighters as well as Hawk jet trainers.
The pass in review will be received by the Finnish Defence Forces’ Deputy Chief of Staff Armaments and Logistics, Lieutenant General Mikko Heiskanen accompanied on the pass in review podium site by Raatti stadium by representatives of City of Oulu. The parades’ guests of honour will be the veterans and lottas of our wars.
The parade troops will be commanded by the Finnish Army Chief of Operations, Brigadier General Sami-Antti Takamaa.
The dismounted troops will start the pass in review at the crossing of Koskitie and Merikoskenkatu. The motorised detachment will start its movement for the pass in review at the crossing of Valtatie and Merikoskenkatu. The pass in review will advance on Merikoskenkatu in the direction of the city centre. After the pass in review, the detachments will depart via Kasarmintie and Kajaanintie.
ORDER OF PASS IN REVIEW
Dismounted detachment
Commander of the parade, Army Chief of Operations, Brigadier General Sami-Antti Takamaa
Swallow-Tailed State Flag
Jaeger Flag
Massed Standards of Veterans
Army Colour Party, Kainuu Brigade
Air Force Colour Party, Lapland Air Wing and Air Force Academy
Navy Colour Party, Coastal Brigade
Finnish National Defence University
Army Academy
Utti Jaeger Regiment
Karelia Brigade
Pori Brigade
Finnish Border Guard Colour Party, Lapland Border Guard District
Northern Ostrobothnia and Kainuu Regional Defence Company
Massed Standards of National Defence Associations
Soldiers’ Home Association
National Defence Training Association of Finland
Peace Keepers’ Association of Finland
Women’s National Emergency Preparedness of Finland
Women’s National Defence Union
The fly-past of Army helicopters will take place before the entry of the motorised detachment
Motorised detachment
The motorised pass in review will begin by a joint detachment of agencies and the Finnish Defence Forces involving equipment of the Police, Finnish Border Guard, Customs, Rescue Department, First Response, and FDF Detachment. Then will follow a Readiness Unit detachment, as well as intelligence elements, battle group equipment, and combined-arms equipment.
The pass in review will involve a versatile selection of equipment from the Army brigade-level units and service branches.
For more information on our equipment, see: Materiel and Equipment of the Finnish Defence Forces (puolustusvoimat.fi)