Finland Wants to Fly 16 Singles to a Blind Dinner Date in 2027

Quick Facts: Finnish Dinner Date

• Visit Finland is offering 16 singles a fully covered four-day trip to Finland between February 9 and 19, 2027.

• Anyone 18 or older who is single and not a Finnish citizen or resident can apply, which includes Americans.

• Winners are split into two groups of eight, with one dinner in Helsinki and one in Tampere, in Finland's Lakeland region.

• Visit Finland pays for winners' flights, accommodation, and food.

• To apply, singles must post a short English video answering what they would serve on a dinner date and why.

• Applications close on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at 11:59 a.m. Finnish time, which is 4:59 a.m. ET.

• Visit Finland will announce the winners on December 1, 2026, on its Instagram and TikTok.

Eight singles at each dinner will raise a glass together on their Finnish Dinner Date in February 2027.

What the Finnish Dinner Date Trip Includes

Each winner gets an all-expenses-paid, four-day trip with a full, hosted itinerary of activities and dining, building up to a group dinner in a surprise location where the eight winners are joined by two local Finnish singles over one of Finland's official tasting menus.

Visit Finland calls Finnish food Europe's last undiscovered cuisine. Earlier this year, it asked Finns to name the dishes that best define each region, then had top chefs turn them into four official tasting menus. Two were served to travelers in September, and the Helsinki and Lakeland menus are being saved for the dinner dates.

The exact dishes for the Helsinki and Lakeland dinners haven't been revealed yet, but the menus are built from Visit Finland's January 2026 food survey, where Finns' top picks included salmon soup, Karelian pie, fried vendace, and rye bread. We covered the full top 10 list in our guide to Finland's Official Tasting trips.

Creamy salmon soup topped Finland's national food survey as the dish that best defines Finnish cuisine.

The chefs are a big part of the draw. In Helsinki, the menu comes from Adele Kinnunen, head chef at Café Savoy, who has appeared on MasterChef Professionals. In Tampere, which calls itself the sauna capital of the world, it's Henry Tikkanen of restaurant Gösta, who has represented Finland at the Bocuse d'Or.

There's a twist, though. Winners won't know which city they're headed to until their spot is confirmed, since the dinner destination is the first blind match of the trip.

Finland's official tasting menus showcase seasonal Nordic ingredients like fresh fish, wild mushrooms, and lingonberries.

How to Apply for the Finnish Dinner Date

Applying takes about as long as planning a first date. Here's how it works:

1. Film a short video in English answering one question: What would you serve on a dinner date, and why?

2. Post it with the hashtag #FinnishDinnerDate and tag Visit Finland: @ourfinland on Instagram, @visitfinland.com on TikTok, or @VisitFinland on YouTube. Your Instagram or TikTok profile must be public so Visit Finland can see your video, or you can upload it to YouTube as an unlisted video to keep it private.

3. Fill in the application form at FinnishDinnerDate.com with a link to your video. If you're chosen, Visit Finland will contact you personally before the public announcement on December 1.

Singles can apply for the free trip at FinnishDinnerDate.com until November 10, 2026. Image source: Visit Finland

You can only apply once, so make it count. American applicants should watch the clock: the 11:59 a.m. Finnish time deadline on November 10 is 4:59 a.m. ET and 1:59 a.m. PT, so plan to submit by the night of November 9.

Eligibility for the Finnish Dinner Date

The rules are simple. You need to be 18 or older, single, and not a Finnish citizen or resident. Visit Finland counts you as single if you're not in a relationship or are free to date.

A few details to know before you apply:

• Visit Finland says it can cater to health, religious, and cultural diets, and the dinner is accessible, though not every activity, such as sauna, can be.

• By applying, you give Visit Finland and its partners lasting, unpaid rights to use your video, name, and image in their marketing, and winners are filmed during the trip.

• You don't pick your dinner. You send one application, and Visit Finland decides which dinner each winner joins.

Winners could be matched with Helsinki, Finland's seaside capital, for a February dinner date.

The Sinkkukori Trend Behind the Trip

The idea builds on Finland's viral Sinkkukori trend, where single shoppers pick up pink baskets at the supermarket to show they're open to meeting someone. Heli Jimenez, senior director of international marketing at Business Finland, said visitors might fall in love with each other, with Finnish food, or with their new favorite travel destination.

The Lakeland dinner date takes place in Tampere, a city set between two lakes in the heart of Finland's Lakeland region.

Tips for a Standout Application

• Pick a dish with a story, like your grandmother's recipe or the meal you'd make to impress someone, and explain why it matters to you.

• Keep your video short and let your personality show, since Visit Finland is choosing people, not food critics.

• Film in good natural light with clear audio, and remember the video must be in English.

• Pack for winter if you win. February is the heart of Finnish winter, with snow, ice, and prime sauna season.

Tampere calls itself the sauna capital of the world, so a steamy warm-up is the perfect way to beat the February chill.

A free trip to Finland, a tasting menu from a celebrity chef, and a table full of fellow singles beats another night on the apps. The odds are long with just 16 spots, but applying only takes a short video and a few minutes. Grab your phone, pick the dish that says the most about you, and hit submit before November 10. Your next great love story might start with Finland.

Frequently Asked Questions: Finnish Dinner Date

Can Americans apply for Finland's free singles trip?

Yes. Anyone 18 or older who is single and not a Finnish citizen or resident can apply, from anywhere in the world.

What does the Finnish Dinner Date trip include?

Winners get a four-day food trip to Helsinki or Tampere with flights, accommodation, and food covered, ending with a blind group dinner over one of Finland's official tasting menus.

When is the trip?

The trips take place between February 9 and 19, 2027.

How do I apply?

Post a short English video answering what you would serve on a dinner date and why, using #FinnishDinnerDate and tagging Visit Finland, then submit the form at FinnishDinnerDate.com with your video link.

When is the deadline?

Applications close on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at 11:59 a.m. Finnish time, which is 4:59 a.m. ET.

When will winners be announced?

Visit Finland will announce the winners on December 1, 2026, on Instagram and TikTok.

Can I choose Helsinki or Tampere?

No. Visit Finland assigns each winner to a dinner, and you won't find out which city you're going to until your spot is confirmed.