Rovaniemi is filled up with fun cultural events – come and join!

Rovaniemi Week (3–9.9.2018) offers a number of concerts, performing arts, open-door events, tours around the city, and workshops, among others. Events are open for everyone, most of them free of charge!

The 38th Rovaniemi Week (September 3 Monday to September 9 Sunday) offers many new events. A special focus will be given on the legendary designer and architect Alvar Aalto to mark his 120th birth anniversary.

The theme of the week this year is “Rovaniemi − My Dear Hometown” which is aimed at celebrating features that make Rovaniemi a pleasant place to live and visit.

The week’s programme can be found on the Rovaniemi City’s webpage (in Finnish). As usual, the programme includes a number of concerts, performing arts, open-door events, tours around the city, and workshops, among others.

The week will also showcase some special and novel events like pajama party at Rovaniemi theatre, night camping at the Arctic Adventure Park Huima, high-heel dancing, and sensory walks where one can experience, see, smell and taste what Rovaniemi feels like. There will also be presentations of popular hits, for instance, a “Shitty YouTube videos” -watching session.

“Rovaniemi-week is everyone’s week and many people are taking part in different happenings. We are offering various programs where anyone can find something suitable for him or herself. We have 160 events happening this autumn”, says Roosa Nevala, the event organiser and cultural producer at the City of Rovaniemi.

“Every year I look forward to see how the programme takes shape. The familiar traditional events will delight and new innovative contents will make the week feel fresh”, said Nevala in a recent press release issued by Rovaniemi City.

Visit a local brewery, enjoy art or explore architecture by bike

Lapland Brewery (Lapin Panimo Oy), is taking part in the program for the first time. At their open door event one can get familiar with the secrets of local beer brewing (Teollisuustie 14B).

Studio Gallery Villa Vinkkeli is also a newcomer in Rovaniemi week. The studio is hosted by photographer Kaisa Sirén, who has curated a “Kesäkeittoa” (Summer soup) exhibition for Rovaniemi-week. The gallery (Vuopajantie 15) will be open every day of the week with different artists working and holding workshops. People can come and watch their works and enjoy a cup of tea in the beautiful garden. The garden will also have sculptures from Anu Pentik and Risto Immonen, said Nevala.

The Rovaniemi Week will celebrate Alvar Aalto’s 120th birth anniversary, commemorating his significant and distinctive contributions to the city’s image reflected in the themes of many of the events.

“We have an Alvar Aalto tour coming up. We wanted to make it somehow special, so we decided to organise a bike tour. This way we can reach all the areas around the city. The trip will be approximately 5 kilometers. It will be good exercise in the fresh autumn air”, said the cultural producer.

An architectural tour will be also organized in the City Library. One can get to know also less-seen spaces such as the cellar. It is also open for everyone to participate in a multiple workshop in the library and Asukastupa where one can make key chains inspired by Alvar Aalto shapes.

Night of Arts is filled up with fun cultural events

The traditional Night of Art falls on September 8 and on Sunday many cultural events will be held with the doors kept open for all.

“Night of the Arts is organized on Rovaniemi Week’s Saturday. The whole day is filled up with a colorful program from different kind of workshops and concerts, drama etc”, she said.

“One can for example head to the art museum for tattoo walk-ins, create rap lyrics in a workshop, participate in a blues concert at a car repairing shop, prepare a self-portrait with items collected from nature or express one’s opinions about climate change through artistic methods like singing, or listen to young local poets reading their texts at a gallery or try out high heel dancing. Night of the Arts program can often be quite experimental and surprising!

Rovaniemi produces the programme in collaboration with its residents, different organisations, communities, and other actors, with the city council being responsible for coordination, communication, and marketing.

City of Rovaniemi-Daily Finland Report