Why all eyes are on Oulu in 2026: 20 unmissable cultural moments

Varjo Festival is the perfect way to kick off the Finnish festival summer. Taking place in early June, the celebrations bring top Finnish artists and local performers to Oulu. This year’s special guest is an all-star line-up put together by Al McKay, the original guitarist of Earth, Wind & Fire, performing the band’s original songs. Varjo is all about taking it easy, with the festival laid out spaciously and openly on Kuusisaari. You can listen to the music from a sun lounger, drink in hand, on Kuusisaari’s small sandy beach. Grab a friend and ease into the Finnish festival season in a relaxed style. The event is 18+.

Location: Kuusisaari
Expect to pay: Early Bird two-day tickets €99.90
When: 12–13 June 2026

Frozen People is a festival focused on electronic music and northern art. The event takes place on the frozen sea at Nallikari Beach. What could be cooler than warming up in winter weather while raving to the sounds of Nordic DJs? The event starts during the day, so it’s worth arriving early to soak up the sunset and see the installations on the ice bathed in beautiful light. If you’re still in the mood to dance in the evening, head into the city for the After Sea afterparty (18+) at Kulttuuritalo Valve, where the party continues through the night.

When and where: 28 February 2026, 14–22 Nallikari, 22.30–04 Kulttuuritalo Valve
Expect to pay: The outdoor event at Nallikari is free, After Sea afterparty €17.50 plus service fee

The Oulu Music Video Festival, or OMVF, is the world’s oldest annually held music video festival. Alongside music video competitions and screenings, the programme includes film screenings, curated selections by industry professionals, as well as clubs and live gigs. To mark the Capital of Culture year, the festival will host a European music video competition. At the music video jukebox, you can search for new discoveries or old favourites from OMVF’s extensive archive, and the directors of the year’s best music videos are honoured at the delightfully unpredictable Pumpeli Gala. If you want to spend days watching music videos on the big screen, this festival is made for you.

Location: Kulttuuritalo Valve and other locations in central Oulu
Expect to pay: Free entry to music video competition screenings, other screenings around €10, clubs and gigs around €15
When: 27–30 August 2026

If everyone in the world played air guitar, we would achieve world peace. That’s the core philosophy of the Air Guitar World Championships. Originally conceived as a side event for the Oulu Music Video Festival, it has grown into a global phenomenon followed by millions of people. In late August, skilled air guitarists from around the world arrive in Oulu to meet each other and battle it out for the world championship title. During the event week, the Dark Horses Qualifier gives newer air guitarists the chance to advance straight to the final showdown. In the competition, performers aim to impress the jury with a one-minute performance, and the winner is rewarded with a real, Finnish-made guitar. The whole event culminates in a mass air guitar moment for everyone, naturally in the name of world peace.

Location: Rotuaari
Expect to pay: The price of an air guitar
When: 27 August Dark Horses Qualifier, 28–29 August World Championship Final

Stunning snow sculptures created by professional artists take shape at the Nallikari Snow Fest, held in February at the Nallikari holiday area. Competitors have four days to transform snow into beautiful sculptures, and the public can follow the carving process as the competition unfolds. Ten teams from 11 different countries take part. After the best work has been awarded, visitors are free to explore the snow sculptures at their own pace, with the gallery remaining open until the sculptures melt away. Come and get inspired by the artists’ craftsmanship, or simply admire the ice-cold, breathtaking works that exist only during the cold season.

Location: Nallikari, Leiritie 2
Expect to pay: Free event
When: 11–14 February, sculptures on display until the snow melts

‘Faravid’s Land’ is an immersive performance combining theatre, contemporary circus and dance. Immersive means that the audience can move freely within the performance, choose which actor or scene to follow and, in some cases, even take part in the action. This means that every performance is different, based simply on the route each viewer chooses. The stage is an old market building in Raksila, where the story follows a search for the source of happiness among the people of Oulu. This is the second immersive work co-produced by Oulu Theatre and Flow Productions, and having seen the first, I can recommend the immersive theatre experience to everyone.

Location: Raksila market, Tehtaankatu 1
Expect to pay: Standard ticket €48, pensioner ticket €45, concession ticket €32
When: Performance season 26 August–17 September

Polar Bear Pitching represents Oulu’s entrepreneurial culture at its boldest. Startup entrepreneurs from around the world travel to Oulu to pitch their products or services while standing in an ice hole. Delivering a pitch in freezing water is an intense experience that gives entrepreneurs unique visibility and unforgettable memories. Around the ice-pitching itself, the event also offers warmer networking and conference sessions, as well as sweaty afterparties following a chilling evening in the ice. This is a great opportunity to meet fearless figures from the business world, but even if business isn’t your thing, you can still stop by to hear the latest startup buzz straight from the ice at this free public event at Oulu Market Square.

Location: Oulu Market Square
Expect to pay: The ice-pitching competition is free for the public. Ice-pitching afterparty €29. Ticket packages for other events €99–299
When: 26 February 2026, 17–20

Held in early June, Pikipop brings exciting alternative bands to the idyllic Old Wool Factory cultural area on Pikisaari. Despite the name, it’s not all pop, as previous years have featured indie, electro, rock, jazz and more experimental sounds. In recent years, festivalgoers have also been able to enjoy artisan coffee, a cocktail cart, a pizza tent, drinks and food from brewery restaurant Mallassauna, and saunas heating up in the restaurant courtyard. Organised by the local Rotos cultural association, this alternative music festival is sure to charm once again in the Capital of Culture year.

Location: Pikisaari
Expect to pay: Standard ticket €37.40, Rotos association members €32.40
When: 6 June 2026

To mark the European Capital of Culture year, this group exhibition of photographic art runs throughout 2026. The photography museum Fotografiska Tallinn is bringing a photography exhibition to Finland for the first time, hosted at Kauppakortteli Pekuri in Oulu. Titled ‘Play’, the exhibition presents works by 17 international artists and features sound as well as photography. It encourages visitors to reconnect with play, or to explore how play shows up in their own lives.

Location: Kauppakortteli Pekuri, second floor
Expect to pay: €17, concession groups €12, under 18s free with an adult
When: 14 January 2026–31 December 2026

Hässäkkä Days is northern Finland’s largest punk, hardcore and alternative guitar music festival. The festival takes place in Välivainio, around a 15-minute bus ride or a half-hour walk from Oulu city centre. The main venue, Tukikohta, is a former bus depot that now serves as a hub for Oulu’s subculture and grassroots organisations. Smaller gigs also pop up around the city. Both the venue and the festival ooze DIY spirit, and while the music is on the heavier side, the crowd is warm-hearted and welcoming. Dive into the mosh pit to burn off energy with the music, or spread out on the grass outside the fences and enjoy the bands in more laid-back picnic mode.

Location: Tukikohta, Sorvarintie 5
Expect to pay: Ticket prices to be announced
When: 3–4 July 2026