National Parade on the Independence Day to be held in Oulu this year
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
instagram.com/puolustusvoimat.fi
#puolustusvoimat #itsenäisyyspäivä #paraati
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