Finns welcome New Year amid festivity, joy

The celebrations of New Year 2025 have begun across the country late Tuesday night and continued on Wednesday amid festivity and joy.

The celebrations attracted several thousands of people who welcome the 2025 moment after midnight through fireworks displays almost every part of the country.

Several local authorities organised the traditional New Year’s Eve celebration with fireworks while people also individually organised the fireworks by their own across the country.

Some cities hosted various public events on Tuesday evening to ring in the new year. In Helsinki, the city organized a celebration at Citizens' Square that includes pyrotechnics and a concert featuring artists Mirella and Windows95man. These festivities disrupt traffic in the area between 10:00 pm and 2:00 am.

Many cities pointed out environmental issue, avoiding noise and austerity as reasons behind refraining from welcoming the new year through the fireworks.

People from different strata rushed to the bank of rivers, lakes and other remote areas to bid farewell the 2024 and welcome the 2025.

Meanwhile, the festival-goers were entertained in late-night concerts by top Finnish artists and other performances to celebrate the beginning of the new year.

Wednesday is the public holiday to celebrate the first day of the year. All government, semi-government and most of the private organisations will remain closed.

The emergency services, some shopping mall and groceries, however, will remain open.