World Village Festival

Cultures from all over the world meet annually during this Festival in Helsinki. There is a lot happening from music, circus, dance, theatre, art to various fun filled activities. The Festival also offers new perspectives on tolerant multiculturalism and global issues.

Helsinki Pride

Each summer, Helsinki's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community party and get political at Finland's biggest Pride festival. The annual event promotes equality and openness through discussions, cultural events, parties and a big parade. Thousands march through the streets in an eye-popping and colourful display, and thousands of revellers take part in the wider events. Performers and activists rub up alongside spectators and organisers, but the event is not only popular with the LGBT community. It's also a great excuse for the rest of the city to enjoy themselves whilst showing solidarity for a good cause.

Helsinki Festival

The Helsinki Festival is the largest multi-arts festival in Finland, lasting two weeks, and featuring everything from classical music to pop and world music, from theatre to contemporary dance, and from the visual arts to cinema and children’s events. Related events include art-themed urban culture, as well as Night of the Arts.

Love & Anarchy - Helsinki International Film Festival

The annual Helsinki International Film Festival offers a great mix of screenings, which attracts thousands of film buffs each year to screens throughout the Finnish capital. Filmmakers from all over the world attend the event where visitors can enjoy a mix of shorts, features, documentaries and animations by well-known film-makers and fresh talent alike.

Helsinki Baltic Herring Market

Fishermen have been gathering round Helsinki Market Square at the beginning of October to sell their wares ever since the 18th century. The tradition continues to this day when Helsinki hosts the Baltic Herring Fair, one of the city's oldest traditional events. The market is packed with salted, pickled and marinated fish and special events also take place. As well as traditional marinade recipes, there are also exotic options on offer too, ranging from lemon and rowanberry to cayenne pepper and garlic. Some stalls also sell items such as socks, hats and jumpers made from the wool of sheep living on the remote islands, as well as loaves of the delicious black bread so popular in the Finnish archipelago.

On the Saturday, traditional sailing ships race each other just off the Helsinki shore, where crowds gather to watch the spectacle. After the race, the ships dock at Market Square for the sailors to attend the Traditional Sailing Ship Meet on the Sunday. The ships are also open for the public to jump on board and look around.

Helsinki Christmas Market

The largest Christmas market in Finland takes place every December in Helsinki’s city centre in the run-up to Christmas. More than 160 stalls offer arts and crafts, candles, knitted accessories, ceramics, Christmas cards, clothing and more.

New Year's Eve celebrations

New Year’s Eve has been celebrated at Senate Square since 1932. Thousands of people gather to celebrate to enjoy musical performances, traditional speeches, greetings and songs. The festivities culminate in brilliant fireworks, after which the partying continues throughout the night all around town.