Pride Parade to impact traffic in central Helsinki

Thousands of people are expected to join the Helsinki Pride Parade scheduled for Saturday marking the Pride Week to express solidarity with the rights and equality for sexual and gender minorities in the country.

Helsinki Pride Week, the biggest human rights and cultural event in the country started on June 22 amidst various programmes and will end on June 28, according to Helsinki Pride and the City of Helsinki.

The parade will start from the Senate Square at 12:00, is a joyful, colourful and loud protest for the rights, equality and inclusion of sexual and gender minorities.

The organisers urged the people, who wants to express their support to LGBTQIA+ rights to join the parade and said that the number of participants in the parade is expected to be higher than ever before.

The Helsinki Pride parade will significantly impact traffic in central Helsinki, said police in a press release on Friday.

Traffic will be cut off for the duration of the parade. The parade will gather at Senate Square at 10:00 and set off at about 12:00 and will end at about 3:00 p.m.

The parade route is: Senate Square – Snellmaninkatu – Aleksanterinkatu – Mannerheimintie – Eteläesplanadi – Kasarmikatu – Neitsytpolku – Kaivopuisto.

The most significant traffic impacts is felt particularly at Senate Square, Mannerheimintie, and along the Esplanade towards Kaivopuisto.

People heading to the South Harbour or Katajanokka harbour are advised to approach via Sörnäinen and Pohjoisranta.

"The police will direct traffic during the parade and will also ensure general order and safety during the park festival," said Superintendent of Helsinki Police Hanna Kiiskinen.