In Sweden and Swedish-speaking parts of Finland, the maypole is usually called a midsummer pole, (midsommarstång), as it appears at the Midsummer celebrations, although the literal translation majstång also occurs, where the word maj refers to the Old Swedish word maja which means dress, and not the month of May.
Maypoles are found in nearly every village in the whole of Åland. The maypole is decorated with green leaves and flowers and is an ancient symbol of fertility and greenery.
Every village has its own traditions in terms of celebrations and the look of the maypole – no two maypoles are alike. The following poles are erected in Mariehamn on Midsummer's Eve:
At 13:00 in the park next to the Maritime Museum in Mariehamn
At 14:00 Children's midsummer pole in the park next to Lilla Holmen
At 15:00 Notudden beach in northern Mariehamn, next to the main road to Eckerö
