The statue will wear the monster cape until the actual anniversary of the victory on May 20.
The Jätkänpatsas (Lumberjack Statue) in Rovaniemi was dressed in a sculptural Lordi cape early on Saturday morning, May 16, 2026. The “Lordification” of the statue celebrates the 20th anniversary of Lordi’s Eurovision Song Contest victory. Lordi won Eurovision on May 20, 2006, with their song Hard Rock Hallelujah. To date, Lordi’s win remains Finland’s only Eurovision victory.
“I hope to see more of this kind of craziness and rock spirit in Rovaniemi,” commented Lordi frontman, Rovaniemi native Mr. Lordi, aka Tomi Putaansuu, about the statue’s transformation.
The monster cape with shoulder spikes worn by the Jätkänpatsas is locally handcrafted. It was created by Hanna Pilve-Salminen, entrepreneur and artist behind Haamupuisto in Sonka. The cape is made from metal and a concrete mixture.
“Making the cape literally required a horror-infused rock attitude, but of course I had to take it on — and now here it is, hard rock hallelujah. Mr. Lordi was also consulted during the design process, so the cape received monster approval,” says Pilve-Salminen.
The Jätkänpatsas statue was sculpted by Kalervo Kallio. It plays a central role in annual May Day celebrations when students place a graduation cap on the statue. The statue has stood on the banks of the Kemijoki River since 1955.
Rovaniemi celebrates the Lordi Anniversary in other ways throughout May
During the Eurovision weekend, Lordi Square is guarded by a Mr. Lordi figure placed above the band’s handprints set in cement. Rovaniemi’s Lordi Square received its current name in June 2006 following Lordi’s Eurovision victory.
Rovaniemi’s main library is hosting a themed exhibition featuring Lordi-related books, CDs, and other memorabilia. Visitors can also take selfies with a Mr. Lordi figure. The exhibition will remain on display until May 24.
The City of Rovaniemi is also running a ticket giveaway on its social media channels until May 20 for Simerock, where Lordi will perform in August. Alongside the giveaway, the city is collecting Lordi memories from over the years.