There are church concerts on Thursday evening and on Sunday people go to church. The Finns paint eggs and eat 'm mmi', which looks and tastes weird. M mmi is made of rye and malt and is best eaten with cream and sugar. People gather in the Esplanade Park on 30 April at 6 pm around the Manta statue, which receives a white student cap. On 1 May, everybody comes out onto the streets in the morning and you will find many people eating and drinking in Kaivopuisto Park.
People drink 'sima' and eat 'tippaleip ' cookies.
It is the most important annual event after Christmas for Finns and marks the longest day of the year, Finnish Flag Day and John the Baptist day. Although a large portion of Helsinki's population deserts the city for the countryside, there are several midsummer festivals taking place. The most traditional one is on Seurasaari Island. It features music, dancing, food and a gigantic bonfire. On this occasion, people put two candles in their windows and watch TV to see what kind of clothes the rich and famous wear on their visit to the President's Castle.