Finland Summer Festivals

Wife-Carrying, Hay-Mowing, Swamp Soccer, Witch Trials, Pea-Eating…If you’re looking for a festival with a difference this summer, then a visit to Finland must be almost obligatory. After all, when you know you can find formal celebrations of mobile phone throwing, berry picking, crowbar-walking, kissing and wife-carrying, there really can be nowhere else to consider!

“Finns take their summer fun seriously,” says Finnish Tourist Board director Anne Lind. “Over the years they have built up an amazing array of quirky festivals and contests for local people and visitors to join in. Some of these festivals offer themes that hark back to the old days of a rural economy and the fun of harvest-time, while others carry a much more contemporary feel.”

A visit to one of these festivals will be a definite highlight of a holiday in Finland, where the long sunny days and beautiful unspoilt scenery offer the perfect backdrop for a relaxing and rejuvenating break. In the midsummer months of June and July the sun barely dips below the horizon, offering countless opportunities to enjoy the great Finnish outdoors.

Concludes Anne Lind: “Drop in on one of our more unusual festivals and you’ll be sure of a warm welcome and some outstanding moments of comedy, competition, eccentricity and entertainment!”

The following “quirky” festivals are due to take place in Finland this summer:

Kurikka, 9 to 10 June
Matchmaking Festival (www.hakupaalla.com)

Sonkajärvi, 30 June to 2 July
Wife Carrying World Championships (www.sonkajarvi.fi/?deptid=14952)

Kutemajärvi, 30 June to 1 July
Sex Festival (www.seksifestivaalit.com)

Petäjävesi, 30 June to 1 July
Aquajogging World Championships (www.petajavesi.fi/vesijuoksu/index.htm)

Kesälahti, 1 to 2 July
Salmon Spin Casting Contest and Vendace Market (www.kesalahti.fi/ohjelmat/lohi.html)

Nastola, 1 July
Festival of ”Twangy Guitar” Music (www.rautalankaa.com)

Liminka, 1 July
Hay-mowing world championships (www.liminka.fi)

Pello, 1 to 2 July
Cross-border Finnish-Swedish Wedding Celebrations (www.pello.fi)

Ruovesi, 5 to 9 July
Witch Trials (www.ruovesi.fi)

Hyrynsalmi, 14 to 16 July
Swamp Soccer World Championships (www.suopotkupallo.fi)

Leivonmäki, 22 July
Floorball (bandyball) Finnish championships (www.saunalahti.fi/leipyry/suosahly/2006/)

Visuvesi, 22 to 23 July
Kissing Competition (www.ruovesi.fi/kulttuuri/)

Metsäkansa, 29 July
Dances, Strongest Man Competition and Finnish Championships in Pea Eating (www.juva.fi)

Orimattila, 30 July to 5 August
Turncoat Week (www.orimattila.fi)

Heinola, 4 to 5 August
Sauna World Championships (www.heinola.fi)

Tammela, 18 August
World Championships in crowbar walking (www.forssanseutu.fi)

Savonlinna, 19 August
Mobile phone throwing world championships (www.savonlinnafestivals.com)

Seinäjoki, 19 to 20 August
Finnish Championships in rock music football

Suomussalmi, 2 September
Finnish Championships in Berry Picking (www.plaza.kojillismaa.fi)

Getting to Finland

Finland is now more easily and cheaply accessible by air than ever.

Finnair (www.finnair.com) flies to Helsinki three-times daily from London Heathrow, twice-daily from Manchester and twice-weekly from Edinburgh (starting late April). There is an excellent domestic network linking Helsinki with all parts of Finland.

Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) flies ten time weekly from London Stansted to Tampere.

Blue1 (www.blue1.com) flies twice-daily from London Stansted to Helsinki. From here Blue1 has its own Finnish domestic network.

Sterling (www.sterling.dk) flies twice-weekly from Edinburgh to Helsinki.

For more information on summer holidays to Finland please contact the Finnish Tourist Board’s Consumer Information Line on 020 7365 2512 or go to www.visitfinland.com

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