Discover the colourful city

Helsinki Week offers everything from ice hockey to night quadrilles from 4–15 June.

Helsinki Week will be celebrated this year for only the second time in its history. The celebrations surrounding Helsinki’s birthday will last for twelve days and welcome in the summer season with a vast variety of events. During Helsinki Week visitors can join in the activities and discover the exciting, surprising and colourful sides of the city.

The programme begins with a visit by the historical province of Satakunta to Senate Square on 4 June. Visitors to the provincial market can enjoy mouth-watering treats from whitefish soup to lobscouse, a local dish of meat stewed with vegetables and biscuit. Visitors will also be treated to three days of entertainment as the Rauma Blues and Pori Jazz festivals present their offerings.

Ice skating, ice hockey, football and clown diving
Visitors can skate and enjoy ice hockey for three days at the ice arena in Narinkkatori Square beginning on 4 June. On the final day of the event, 6 June, the ice hockey teams Porin Ässät and Rauman Lukko from Satakunta will play an exhibition game.

On 9 June Narinkkatori Square will be transformed into a football arena. The local football team HJK and its junior team together with the Football Association of Finland, the Police and the Fair Play campaign will organise a special football event to promote the UEFA Women’s Euro 2009 football championships at the end of the summer. Families will be further entertained on 11 June by a fun clown diving competition at the Swimming Stadium.

Picnic entertainment in the parks
Helsinki has many green parks in which visitors can relax and enjoy a picnic. Helsinki Week also offers a number of park events that combine outdoor recreation and entertainment.

Finland’s oldest professional orchestra, the Guard’s Band celebrates its 190th anniversary with a splendid picnic concert at the historic Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress on 6 June. Soloists include Mika Pohjonen, Sami Saari and Fredi. Visitors who prefer the blues can head to the Pihlajamäki Goes Blues event, also on 6 June. Performers include Tuomari Nurmio, The Balls and the Neimo Blues Band. Alternatively, at Count Anckarbjek’s picnic on 13 June at Kustaanmiekka in Suomenlinna, visitors can listen to music and philosophy from the 1790s.

Night quadrilles and samba
The top Finnish names in contemporary folk music take to the stage in the giant tent in Kaisaniemi Park on 12 June. Performers include Duo Kuunkuiskaajat and Polka Chicks. In the evening JPP and Antti Savilampi lead the audience in Finnish night quadrilles.

The royal couple of the XIX Helsinki Samba Carnaval, Lola Wallinkoski and Wilson Kirwa, will be crowned on the same evening at the opening event. On 13 June the royal couple will lead the rhythmical and colourful samba parade from Senate Square and along the Esplanade.

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Text and photo: Helsinki City

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