The Maritime Day Parade Takes You to the Year 2075 – Registration is Now Open

11.4.2025 | Kotka’s Maritime Festival (Kotkan Meripäivät) will be held from July 23rd to 26th. Year after year, one of the most anticipated events of the festival is the opening parade. This year, the excitement is heightened by the return of the parade to Keskuskatu (Central Street) after a few years’ break, as the festival’s main area shifts from the city center to the Kantasatama harbor district. The parade will kick off on the festival’s opening day, Wednesday, July 23rd at 6:00 PM, starting from the intersection of Keskuskatu and Koulukatu.

Registration for groups wishing to participate in the parade opened today, Thursday, April 10th. Associations and businesses based in Kotka are welcome to join. Non-commercial associations, organizations, and clubs can participate free of charge. A participation fee will apply to commercial businesses.

This year’s parade theme, inspired by the ongoing development work of the Maritime Festival, is “Meripäivät in the Year 2075.” Groups are invited to look 50 years into the future and imagine what the festival might look like—or what they hope it would look like—in 2075. Creativity and imagination in interpreting the theme are highly encouraged in the parade performances.

The parade also serves as a competition. Meripäivät’s partner, Kymen Seudun Osuuskauppa, will select and reward the winning group with a prize of €1,000. The winner will be announced at the festival’s opening ceremony, held at the main stage in Satama-aukio, Kantasatama, right after the parade. The ceremony begins at 7:30 PM, with additional program details to be announced later.

Parade registration is available on the Meripäivät website: meripaivat.com

Registration is open from April 10 to June 1, 2025.