The Finnish Dinner Date 2027 is open to international singles interested in meeting Finnish people through a four-day experience built around food, travel and social connection. The initiative, part of Visit Finland’s “Love at First Bite” campaign, is inviting applicants from around the world to take part in an unusual dating experience in Finland in February 2027.
The campaign is expected to select 16 international singles, who will be divided into two groups of eight. Each group will also spend time with two local Finnish singles, bringing together international visitors and residents through shared meals and organised activities. Helsinki and Tampere are among the locations included in the experience.
For applicants outside Finland, the opportunity is not simply a conventional dating competition. It offers a chance to visit the country, experience Finnish food and everyday social culture, and potentially form a personal connection with someone they meet during the trip. The organisers are covering flights, accommodation, meals and planned activities for selected participants.
The eligibility rules are broader than the idea of a conventional dating event might suggest. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, but there is no upper age limit. The campaign is aimed at people who are single or otherwise free to date and open to meeting someone new. Applicants must also live outside Finland. This means the opportunity is intended for international participants rather than people already residing in the country.
There is no requirement to come from a particular country, and the organisers say they are looking for a diverse group of people with different backgrounds, ages, personalities, life experiences and interests. Someone applying from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America or elsewhere can put themselves forward, provided they meet the campaign conditions. Nationality alone is not presented as a selection criterion.
Applicants must enter individually. Couples, friends or two people who want to attend together cannot submit a joint application. The purpose is to bring together people who do not already know one another and give them an opportunity to interact during the hosted experience.
WHAT YOU MISSED: Finland Is Inviting Singles to a Giant Dinner Date in 2027. Here’s How to Apply
The campaign also makes clear that people of different sexual orientations and gender identities are welcome. Visit Finland says participants should be able to attend in a respectful and inclusive environment, with discrimination and harassment not tolerated. The organisers do not ask applicants to disclose their sexual orientation in the application form. They also acknowledge that a group of 16 international participants cannot guarantee that everyone will meet a potential romantic match.
English is another important consideration. The application video must be recorded in English, and the experience itself will be conducted in English. Applicants should therefore be comfortable understanding and communicating in the language during meals, activities and conversations with other participants. The published requirements do not specify an English-language certificate or formal examination.
The application process has two parts. First, applicants must record a video answering the question: “What would you serve on a dinner date, and why?” The question is an opportunity to introduce their personality, food preferences and approach to sharing a meal. Visit Finland is asking applicants to answer creatively and authentically rather than submit a conventional written motivation letter.
The video must be posted on Instagram, TikTok or YouTube using the hashtag #FinnishDinnerDate and tagging the relevant Visit Finland account. Applicants using Instagram must tag @ourfinland, while TikTok entries should tag @visitfinland.com. Those posting on YouTube should tag @VisitFinland.
There is a privacy option for people who do not want their application video displayed publicly to a wide audience. Instagram and TikTok submissions must be posted from public profiles so the organisers can view them. YouTube applicants, however, can upload their video as an unlisted submission. An unlisted video can be accessed by people who have its link without appearing publicly in the same way as a normal YouTube upload.
The second step is to complete the official application form on the Finnish Dinner Date website and include the link to the video. Completing only the social media challenge is not enough. The organisers require both the video submission and the online form for an application to be considered.
Applications close on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at 11:59 a.m. Finnish time (EET, UTC+2). The deadline is particularly important for applicants in other time zones, who should check the corresponding local time rather than assume the closing hour is the same everywhere. Late applications will not be considered. Visit Finland plans to contact successful applicants personally, with the public announcement of the selected participants scheduled for December 1, 2026, through its Instagram and TikTok channels.
People with disabilities are also encouraged to apply. Visit Finland describes the dinner experience as accessible, although it does not guarantee that every activity during the four-day programme will be fully accessible. Some experiences, including sauna activities, may have limitations. Selected applicants can discuss their individual accessibility requirements with the organisers as travel arrangements are made.
Special dietary requirements are not automatically a reason for exclusion either. The organisers say they can accommodate a wide range of dietary needs, including those connected to health, religion, culture or personal preferences. A participant may receive a meal different from the rest of the group where necessary.
For those selected, the four-day experience will take place between February 9 and 19, 2027. The programme includes a hosted itinerary, accommodation, meals and activities, with the main dinner experience taking place in either Helsinki or Tampere. Participants will be informed of their assigned destination after confirming their participation. They cannot choose between the two locations or submit separate applications for both.
The dinner itself is designed as a group experience rather than a series of private one-to-one dates. Eight international participants will attend each event alongside two local Finnish singles. The meals will feature Finland’s official regional tasting menus, developed to introduce visitors to the country’s food traditions and local ingredients.
The campaign does not promise to find participants a romantic partner. Visit Finland says its selection process is intended to bring together people with different backgrounds and personalities who are likely to enjoy spending several days together. The organisers are looking for a group that can share the experience, discover Finnish cuisine and connect naturally. Romance is a possibility, not a guaranteed outcome.
For international applicants, the distinction between being eligible and being selected is important. Meeting the age, relationship and residency requirements allows someone to apply, but it does not guarantee a place. Only 16 international participants will be chosen for the two experiences, making the selection process competitive.
The Finnish Dinner Date is part of a wider effort to introduce Finland through its food, regional identity and social culture. The idea also draws inspiration from the country’s “Sinkkukori”, or single-basket, phenomenon, in which pink shopping baskets have been used in some Finnish supermarkets as a playful signal that someone is single and open to meeting people.
For anyone considering an application, the most practical starting point is to establish that they meet the basic requirements, can communicate comfortably in English and are available to travel during the February programme. They should then prepare a video that answers the organisers’ question in a way that feels personal rather than rehearsed, and complete the official online form before the deadline.
The application information is available through Visit Finland’s official Finnish Dinner Date campaign page. With applications closing on November 10, prospective participants have only a short time to decide whether they want to take part in an experience that combines a winter visit to Finland with food, cultural discovery and the possibility of meeting someone new.
