National Parade on Flag Day of the Finnish Defence Forces will affect traffic in Kuopio on 3–4 June 2025
The national parade for the Defence Forces’ Flag Day will be held in Kuopio on 4 June 2025. The event will cause changes to traffic and parking. During the parade events, the public is encouraged to move on foot in the harbour and Väinölänniemi areas.
The Defence Forces will celebrate Flag Day in Kuopio throughout Wednesday 4 June. The programme includes a flag-raising at the harbour, a wreath-laying ceremony at the war heroes’ cemetery, a church service at the Cathedral, a review of troops at Väinölänniemi Stadium, a pass in review on Satamakatu, and an equipment exhibition at the harbour square.
Streets in the event areas will be closed to vehicular traffic and parking will be restricted. Traffic restrictions will be lifted as soon as possible after the event has concluded.
Parade troops and equipment will arrive in Kuopio on Tuesday 3 June, and parade preparations will begin at the event sites on the same day.
Streets and intersections will be closed to traffic before and after the parade during the movement of troops and equipment. The most significant changes to traffic and parking will be seen on Satamakatu, around the harbour square, on Asemakatu, in Väinölänniemi, and in Kuopionlahti.
The boating parking areas in the harbour area, harbour park, the harbour breakwater, and the Vuorikatu pier in Kuopionlahti and the Rönö bridge will be out of use on 3–4 June.
Parking is strictly prohibited in areas marked with no-parking signs. Vehicles parked in prohibited areas will be removed by the City of Kuopio.
There will be limited parking available in the harbour area during the event day. In the Kuopio city centre, the most convenient parking on the day of the event is in Toriparkki or other paid parking facilities in the city centre: kuopio.fi/en/environment-and-housing/transport/parking/general-information-about-parking/
Parade rehearsal and setup day 3 June
Troops marching on foot will arrive by bus in Kuopionlahti on Tuesday morning, 3 June. Maria Jotuni Street, the southern end of Vuorikatu from Kuopionlahti Street, Kuopionlahti Field and its adjacent park areas, Brahenpuisto, Piispankatu south of Hallituskatu, Kallanranta and Lappalaisenkatu will be closed for rehearsals and troop assembly from 10:00 to 15:30.
The road around the stadium in Väinölänniemi will be closed to traffic from 13:15 to 14:30 due to rehearsals, during which vehicular traffic to Rönö will also be cut off.
Motorised units and vehicles for the equipment exhibition will move from Likolahti through Itkonniemi to the harbour and Väinölänniemi starting from 14:00. The motorised march may cause occasional congestion in the Itkonniemi–harbour area during the afternoon.
In case of an emergency, access for emergency vehicles to the location will be ensured.
Traffic arrangements for the review of troops on 4 June
The public is encouraged to arrive on foot or by bicycle to watch the review of troops at Väinölänniemi Stadium well in advance. On 4 June, only disabled parking is allowed in the Väinölänniemi area, and traffic is permitted only for Rönö residents (excluding the pass in review), Vilkku and official vehicles.
The programme for the public at the stadium begins at 10:45, and the review of troops starts at 12:00. In addition, the Canteen will serve the audience arriving for the review from 9:00 onwards.
Troops marching on foot will arrive by bus in Kuopionlahti on Wednesday. Maria Jotuni Street, the southern end of Vuorikatu from Kuopionlahti Street, Kuopionlahti Field and its adjacent park areas, Brahenpuisto and Lappalaisenkatu will be closed from 10:00 to 12:00 for troop assembly and movement to the review of troops.
From Kuopionlahti, troops will march on foot to the review of troops at Väinölänniemi Stadium via the route Kuopionlahti – Brahenpuisto – Lappalaisenkatu – Väinölänniemi. From the review, troops will move to the pass in review via the route (Lappalaisenkatu –) Väinölänniemi – Satamakatu. These routes will be closed to other traffic during troop movement. Väinölänniemi will be closed to traffic from 12:15 to 14:30.
In case of an emergency, access for emergency vehicles to the location will be ensured.
Public arrival at Väinölänniemi on 4 June
The public is asked to arrive at Väinölänniemi via the central pedestrian and cycling routes of the area or the routes on the swimming beach side. Väinölänniemi’s western shoreline road, Lappalaisenkatu, Brahenpuisto, Kuopionlahti Field and the surrounding park areas will not be accessible to the public due to the marching units.
It is advisable to come to the city centre on parade day using public transport and to proceed on foot to Väinölänniemi from there.
The public will be guided to exit towards the pass in review using the same routes. All routes will be reopened after the marching and motorised units have left.
Traffic arrangements for the pass in review on 4 June
The pass in review will take place on Satamakatu starting at 13:15. In addition to the marching troops on foot, 39 vehicles from the Defence Forces and other authorities will participate in the pass in review. These vehicles will assemble on Lappalaisenkatu before the pass in review.
The pass in review will start at the intersection of Satamakatu and Kirkkokatu and proceed north along Satamakatu.
The route Väinölänniemi Stadium, Satamakatu, Suokatu, Maaherrankatu, Asemakatu, Hapelähteenkatu, and Itkonniemenkatu will be closed to vehicular traffic on 4 June from 12:15 to 14:00. Efforts will be made to allow necessary access for residents’ vehicles to and from properties. Streets will be reopened to traffic as soon as possible after the pass in review.
The marching unit on foot will march via the route Lappalaisenkatu – Satamakatu – Suokatu – Maaherrankatu – Asemakatu/Hapelähteenkatu.
The motorised units in the pass in review will continue from the Suokatu intersection directly towards Likolahti via Satamakatu – Itkonniemenkatu – Malminkatu – Telkkistentie – Likolammentie.
The pass in review route will be fenced and marked with tape for safety reasons, and crossing or moving on closed road sections will be prohibited during the pass in review. Police and military police will restrict and guide traffic along the route.
Troops and equipment will mostly leave Kuopio after the parade on 4 June. The Flag Day motor march may cause traffic congestion on 3 and 4 June.
The public is welcome at the parade, and the event is free of charge!
More information about the parade day programme: puolustusvoimat.fi/flag-day
Traffic arrangements are also announced by the City of Kuopio: kuopio.fi/en
Changes to local transport schedules on 4 June: vilkku.kuopio.fi/en
