Are you planning to go to music festivals abroad this summer? Known for its long days and midnight sun, Finland has also hundreds of festivals to offer. In this article, we pick 50 interesting Finnish summer festivals from classical to pop, folk and beyond. Videos courtesy of This is Finland!

June

Rockfest 8–10 June

The Finnish rock'n'roll summer starts with a bang at Hyvinkää Airfield, located just about 50 kilometers from Helsinki. With a steady lineup of 80s and 90s legends such as Def Leppard (UK), Mötley Crüe (US), Pantera (US), Rancid (US), Danzig (US), Testament (US), Sick of It All (US), Monster Magnet (US) reinforced by current favorites like Volbeat (DK), Cleopatrick (CA), Crashdïet (SE), Hellacopters (SE), Igorrr (FR) and Escape the Fate (US), along with heaps of local greats like VV (aka Ville Valo of HIM), Lordi, Battle Beast, Beast In Black, The 69 Eyes, Michael Monroe, Stratovarius, Steve'n'Seagulls, Turmion Kätilöt and Von Hertzen Brothers, Rockfest is sure to make your neck sore afterwards!

Sideways 8–10 June

Sideways is a mid-size indie festival held in June in the heart of capital Helsinki – a bit like a smaller sibling to the better-known Flow Festival. Sideways' line-up exudes with top-class acts playing in Helsinki's old ice hall and its surroundings. Showcasing the most interesting Finnish and international indie, this year’s Sideways line-up includes M83 (FR), Phoenix (FR), Interpol (US), Death Grips (US), Fever Ray (SE), Desire (CA), Billy Woods (US), Gaye Su Akyol (TR), Los Bitchos (UK) and Suzanne Ciani (US). Finnish highlights include Huoratron, Knife Girl, Aavikko, Sin Cos Tan, Moshimoshi, Stoned Statues, Kaukolampi, Teksti-TV 666, Sin Cos Tan and Linda Fredriksson Juniper.

Organ Night & Aria Festival June 2–August 28

Organ Night & Aria Festival (Urkuyö) is a series of 14 concerts spread throughout the summer, offering a variety of classical music on Thursday evenings in the medieval stone church in the municipality of Espoo, just outside of Helsinki. The opera singer Tuomas Katajala is serving as Artistic Director of the festival in 2023. With a strong focus on organ music, the festival promises to offer intimate lied concerts, guest orchestras, choirs and top international artists. This year's highlights include Cameron Carpenter's Bach reinterpretations, Finnish Baroque Orchestra's preview of Olli Kortekangas' new concerto as well as Mozart's Requiem and Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde.

Naantali Music Festival 6–17 June

Naantali Music Festival returns in 2023 with a new artistic director, violinist Elina Vähälä. Held in concert venues in Naantali, Rymättylä, Raisio and Seili Island, Naantali Music Festival's programme highlights include Duo per Due, composed especially for this concert by Auli Sallinen and premiered by Arto Noras, who has led the Music Festival for 40 years, and the new artistic director Vähälä. Also on the schedule are top Irish pianist Barry Douglas and Meta4 ensemble, along with countless others.

Silence festival 8–12 June

Silence festival gathers the most interesting performances and artists from Finland and abroad to Lapland. The multidisciplinary program of art and culture is spread in and around the small village of Kaukonen. This year's festival will feature six circus acts (four of which are new premieres commissioned by Hiljaisuus) by five circus artists: Marcelo Nunes, Nelli Kujansivu, Heini Koskinen, Erika Ahola and Matias Salmenaho and violist Hanna Pakkala.

Tampere Vocal Music Festival 14–18 June

Every other summer since 1975, the diversity of the human voice is celebrated at the festival of choral and ensemble singing. At the festival, old and new music, choir tradition and for instance beatboxing all coexist in harmony, which culminates in the finales of the Chorus Review and the Contest for Vocal Ensembles. The Artistic Director for the 2023 edition of the festival is Kari Turunen and the program features Vancouver Chamber Choir, Somnium Ensemble, plus countless more choirs and ensembles.

Kesärauha 16–18 June

Turku’s indie and alternative event, Kesärauha (“summer peace”) debuted in 2021. For their third year, the lineup at the three-day festival features a total of over 50 acts, from local ones like 22-Pistepirkko, Elia Lombardini, Teksti-TV 666, Moshimoshi, Ada Aik, Louie Blue, Hidria Spacefolk, The Holy, Ruissalo Amping, Suistamon Sähkö and Cleaning Women to international acts like The Sounds (SE), Shame (UK), Aurora (NO), Röyksopp (NO), Sevdaliza (IR), Mykki Blanco (US) and countless more!

Nummirock 21–24 June

For fans of heavier music spending the weekend of midsummer festivities at Nummirock has become a decades-long tradition. In 2023 the lineup features artists like Asking Alexandria (UK), Behemoth (PL), Elvenking (ITA) and Vader (PL) as well as local heroes Beast in Black, Stratovarius, Stamina and Finntroll to name a few.

Sommelo 26 June–1 July

Even in the global landscape of festivals, folk music festival Sommelo, held on both sides of the Finnish-Russian border, in the historical landscape of Kainuu and Viena Karelia, is truly a unique one. This year, Sommelo's program includes bands and musicians ranging from Sámi acts Solju to Katarina Barruk to Anna-Kaisa Liedes & Maria Kalaniemi and kantele player Hanna Ryynänen – as well as workshops with topics from runosong to kantele and back.

XXXVII Summer Sounds 28 June–2 July

The 37th Avanti! Summer Sounds festival will again take over Porvoo as it runs at the city's Art Factory venue and its surroundings from June 28 to July 2. The 2023 edition is titled Dreamlands and Dystopias. The programme, curated by composer Unsuk Chin and Maris Gothóni, includes new music from contemporary composers and classic pieces. The week will include almost 20 Finnish premieres with one of highlights being the world premiere of Antti Auvinen’s flute concerto, commissioned by Avanti!

Provinssi 29 June–1 July

Held in Seinjäjoki, South Ostrobothnia, Provinssi is one of Finland’s largest and oldest rock festivals. This year the international artists include acts like Ghost (SE), The Chemical Brothers (UK), Gojira (FR), Jinjer (UA), Arch Enemy (SE), Lorna Shore (US), Architects (UK) and Dance With The Dead (US). There’s also a wide range of Finland’s biggest artists performing, such as Amorphis, VV (Ville Valo), Alma, Insomnium and Swallow the Sun as well as some of the most interesting newer artists – like Pearly Drops, Knife Girl, Robin Packalen and Käärijä to name a few.

Sata-Häme Soi 29 June–2 July
2023 will see the city of Ikaalinen (near Tampere) once again bustling with melodies, events, and atmosphere, as the Sata-Häme Soi festival fills the streets with accordion music. The festival events are the highlight of the summer for the whole family and include the Gold and Silver Accordion competitions and folk music contest. This year's line-up includes, for example, roots-tango-jazz quartet Tjango!.

Haapavesi Folk Music Festival 29 June–1 July

Haapavesi Folk Music Festival’s (founded in 1989) programme consists of Finnish and international folk music and world music, alongside with some classical, jazz, pop and cross-genre acts. This year’s line-up includes artists like Teija Niku & Juha Kujanpää, Kasvu, Vilma Jää and OIGG, among many others. Artistic director for the event is Teija Niku.

Tuska 30 June–2 July

Over the decades Helsinki's Tuska – established in 1998 – has become one of the largest metal festivals in the Nordics. This year international bands like The Hu (MN), Motionless in White (US), Jinjer (UA), Lorna Shore (US), Glenn Hughes (UK), Arch Enemy (SE), Electric Callboy (DE), Blood Incantation (US), Clutch (US) and Ghost (SE) fill up the three day festival's stages, along with Finnish metal greats such as VV (Ville Valo), Swallow the Sun, Turmion Kätilöt, Lost Society, Finntroll, Xysma, Smackbound and Mokoma.

July

Savonlinna Opera Festival 1–27 July

The Savonlinna Opera Festival, established in 1912, is undoubtedly the largest and best known opera festival in Finland. The Festival takes place in Savonlinna, at the medieval St. Olaf's Castle, built in 1475, located amid spectacular lake scenery. This year, along with favorites like The Magic Flute, The Barber of Seville, Fiddler On the Roof and Romeo & Julia, the programme will include two popular music concerts: Sunrise Avenue frontman Samu Haber as well as one of UK's most successful female artists, Katie Melua. Also on the bill is A Room of One’s Own, a new opera by Outi Tarkiainen, based on the famous text by Virginia Woolf.

Helsinki Chamber Music Festival 5–8 July

Helsinki Chamber Music Festival offers high quality concert experiences at central locations surrounding the Senate Square and historical Helsinki. The neighbourhood's architecturally unique art nouveau style halls, recently renovated cafés and beautiful churches provide an idyllic settings for many characterful concerts. This year's programme includes violinists Essi Höglund, Erzhan Kulibaev and Kreeta-Julia Heikkilä, pianist Fanny Söderström, cello duo Cellomania along with many more musicians.

Tangomarkkinat 5–9 July

Forget everything you know about tango – the Argentinian version – Finland's idea of tango is something very different. Bordering on schlager and these days even mainstream pop music, Finnish tango is thoroughly represented in Seinäjoki's Tangomarkkinat, the yearly main event for the genre, where even the "Tango Queen and King" of the year are crowned. A true Finnish experience if anything!

Jyväskylä Festival 6–12 July

The precursor to Finnish city festivals, Jyväskylä Festival (in the city of Jyväskylä, Central Finland) has strived throughout its history to stay ahead of its time and try new things. At the core of its multidisciplinary art programme are classy and interesting performances, from pop to contemporary classical music and dance and theatre to films and clubs. This year, the annually changing theme of the festival is movement and musical acts include jazz phenomenon Linda Fredriksson Juniper and schlager legend Katri Helena.

Ruisrock 7–9 July

The oldest rock festival in Finland, and the second oldest continuously running rock festival in Europe, located in Ruissalo Park, Turku, has successfully gravitated towards mainstream electronic, hip hop and pop audiences in the past years. In 2022 Ruisrock’s programme features international stars like Lil Nas X (US), Machine Gun Kelly (US), The 1975 (UK), Lil Yachty (US), Skrillex (US), Slowthai (UK) and Yung Lean (SE), complemented with Finnish acts like Linda Fredriksson Juniper, Knife Girl, Alma and Samu Haber.

Time of Music 6–11 July

Time of Music (Musiikin aika) in Viitasaari, Central Finland, focuses on cutting-edge contemporary music, and hosts the most important composers and artists of the field yearly, gaining an international reputation as a courageous, border-breaking and innovative event. This year’s theme at Time of Music, "Voices and Spaces", manifests itself through a concert in a pitch-dark concert hall. Conceived again by Artistic Director Johan Tallgren, the festival also highlights the work of John Cage, stemming from the iconic composer's visit to Time of Music exactly 40 years ago. An exhibition of Cage-related photos by the Viitasaari-based photographer Mauri Kuokkanen is on display, while concerts include The Quatuor Bozzini string quartet's performance of James Tenney‘s spatial work In a Large Open Space and Riot Ensemble performing Georg Friedrich Haas‘ Solstices as well as Cage's Lecture on the Weather. Cage’s Song Books will be performed by students of the Time of Music courses under the direction of composer and sound artist Joan La Barbara.

Archipelago Sea Jazz 7 July­–5 August

Archipelago Sea Jazz is a four-festival series held in the intimate atmosphere of the Baltic Sea archipelago. Including Baltic Jazz, Korpo Sea Jazz, Turku Sea Jazz and Åland Sea jazz the festival offers a wide selection of jazz from Finnish top artists such as Teppo Mäkynen, Riitta Paakki Quartet, Ilkka Arola Sound Tagine, Nina Mya, Timo Lassy, Teemu Viinikainen and Jussi Fredriksson as well as international names such as Viktoria Tolstoy (SE) and Lisa Ekdahl (SE).

Pori Jazz 8–16 July

Finland’s oldest jazz festival is known for a lineup that usually goes way beyond jazz. This year the line up includes headlining legends Tom Jones (WS) and Robbie Williams (UK), pop megastar Sam Smith (UK) and top notch jazz performers such as Chelsea Carmichael (UK), Melissa Aldana (CH), Nduduzo Makhathini (SA), James Brandon Lewis (US),Snarky Puppy (US) and Kurt Elling with Charlie Hunter (US). And you can of course find the cream of the crop in alternative pop, funk and soul like Cimafunk (BR), Cat Burns (UK), Laufey (IS) and Yaya Bey (US) as well as pioneering blues guitarist Eric Gales (US). Finnish acts include pop chanteuse Alma, blues rock wizard Erja Lyytinen, and singer-songwriter Aili Ikonen as well as some of the best names in Finnish jazz.

Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival 10–23 July

In less than 50 years, Kuhmo Chamber Music has grown to become one of the world's foremost classical music festivals. For a fortnight chamber music takes over the streets of Kuhmo, as over a hundred musicians perform at dozens of concerts. The theme for 2023 is "Roots and Wings". The number of concerts is 60, with pieces ranging from traditional chamber works, to novelties and exotic experiences. Among the festival's 100 international artists are pianists Heini Kärkkäinen and Olli Mustonen, violinists Daniel Rowland, John Storgårds and Elina Vähälä, cellist Maja Bogdanović and flutist Janne Thomsen. Ensembles include the Castalian, Danel, Kamus and Meta4 string quartets and the Storioni Trio. There are also children’s concerts, student concerts, talks, instrument demonstrations, meetings with artists and composers, art exhibitions workshops and unexpected musical moments in the surrounding nature. The 8000-inhabitant town of Kuhmo is the Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture 2023, which gives the program a special flavour.

Kaustinen Folk Music Festival 10–16 July

Established in 1968, Kaustinen Folk Music Festival is the largest folk music festival in the Nordic countries. During the festival week in Kaustinen you can catch Arppa, Emilia Lajunen, J-P Piirainen, Laura Moisio, Päivi Hirvonen Trio, Alda, Samuli Putro, Haaga Folk Machine, Hurja Halla, Pelkkä Poutanen, Polenta, Onni Rajaniemi, Scandinavian Music Group and quite literally countless others – more than 550 performing groups are expected to play at the free-for-all folk jam festival! Now more international than ever, groups from Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia, Ukraine and 12 other countries will perform at the festival. This year's provincial theme is Central Finland – and obviously you can catch more than an earful of Kaustinen Fiddle Playing tradition – recently added on Unesco's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Ilosaarirock 15–17 July

Ilosaarirock Festival is held in the city of Joensuu in eastern Finland. The long-running festival is a favorite for Finnish music lovers, selling out every year. This summer, the program consists of international artists like The Prodigy (UK), Ava Max (US), Years & Years (UK), Carpenter Brut (FR) and Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes (UK) along with domestics favorites such as Alma, Cyan Kicks, Detalji, Michael Monroe, Käärijä, Bloodred Hourglass, VV (Ville Valo), Stoned Statues and Linda Fredriksson Juniper.

Sastamala Gregoriana 13–16 July

Sastamala Gregoriana is the leading early music festival in Finland. The festival has been organized annually since 1996 in the southwestern town of Sastamala. It is one of the oldest and largest early music events in Finland, where thousands of people come to enjoy medieval, renaissance and baroque music. The main venues of the festival are the old, spectacular lakeside churches of St Mary's and St Olaf’s, which have beautiful, unique acoustics and fascinating histories. The program this year includes Ensemble Parlamento (CH), Cantus Alaudae, Haydn Barytontrio Budapest (HU) and much more.

Ilmiö 21–22 July

In late July, Fans of indie and underground music scene gather to Ilmiö, a festival held in an intimate environment in the old factory quarters of downtown Turku. Its multi-disciplinary programme consists of acts such as Detalji, Elia Lombardini, Sammal, Katu Kaiku, Muscular and Horseface (SE). Admission to the festival is free of charge!

Watch Silva Kallionpää Quartet perform at Ilmiö 2022.

Uusi Tampere 21–22 July

Uusi Tampere is also an urban festival, this year held at the brand new Tavara-asema venue in Tampere. The event will showcase international acts Yune Pinku (UK), Alice Boman (SE), Oruã (BR), Ahmed Ag Kaedy (ML) and Cobrah (SE) and some of the most intriguing names in Finnish indie music today: Radio Supernova, Elia Lombardini, Jesse Markin, Sophia Mitiku and many more.

Bättre Folk 14–15 July

Bättre Folk, held in the beautiful surroundings of the Hailuoto island, has the reputation of an iconic “hipster” festival. In the past years it has grown to be a popular, yet distinctive event with a lineup featuring some of Finland's biggest acts in indie and mainstream pop. Again this year the festival will host domestic – and strictly Finnish singing – names such as J. Karjalainen, Paperi T, Maustetytöt, Ruusut, Arppa, Yona, Litku Klemetti and Pehmoaino. Besides music, Bättre Folk also offers new literature, sauna culture and community art for the audience to enjoy.

Watch Malla perform at Bättre Folk 2022.

Odysseus 21–23 July

The small and atmospheric island of Lonna will be filled with a diverse selection of music by in July, when the third edition of the Odysseus Festival will take over the area. The Odysseus organizers are the same people as the team behind the yearly We Jazz Festival – and in the same spirit this event will be presenting new, interesting performance spaces. The program of the event contains the crème de la crème of Finnish jazz, indie, folk and experimental music: Antti Lötjönen Quintet East, Valtteri Laurell Nonet, Lampen, Virta, Linda Fredriksson Juniper, Pauli Lyytinen, Joose Keskitalo and Lau Nau, just to mention a few. This year's international guests include Fennesz (AT), Horseface (SE), Oruã (BR) and Mary Lattimore (US).

Watch Joose Keskitalo perform at Odysseus festival 2022.

Lieksa Brass Week 21–28 July

Boasting their status as the biggest brass festival in the Nordics, Lieksa Brass Week includes music courses, international competition and the classical concert series as well as open air performances. This year’s theme for the event is "Comfort and Hope" and the line-up is filled with names such as Seraph Brass (US), A4 Brass Quartet (UK), Lauri Porra, Marco Pierobon (IT), Chris Olka (US), Dirk Hirthe (DE) and many, many more!

Our Festival 23–29 July

Our Festival (in Finnish: Meidän Festivaali) is renowned for its fresh approach to the arts and its crossover events. With its artistic director group, the string quartet Kamus, the event seeks new perspectives on musical encounters and concert practices, with a view to giving the audience an experience that is simply not available elsewhere. The next Our Festival takes place in various locations in the landscapes of Lake Tuusula only half an hour’s drive north from Helsinki. The theme for this year is "Cooperation", and the wide lineup features musicians such as Pekka Kuusisto, Minna Leinonen, Kamus, Taavi Oramo, Linda Suolahti – and even rockers Von Hertzen Brothers. Compositions will be by the likes of Lotta Wennäkoski, Sebastian Hilli, Outi Tarkiainen, Minna Leinonen and Veli-Matti Puumala along with classical works by Mozart, Sibelius, Ravel, Brahms, Schubert and the like.

Kuopiorock 27–29 July

Sometimes called the sunniest festival in Finland, Kuopiorock brings a great offering of rock and pop music to the Northern Savonia. This year, the lineup includes legendary thrashers Megadeth (US), along with local rockers such as VV (Ville Valo), Amorphis, Apocalyptica, Poets of the Fall, Battle Beast, Michael Monroe, The 69 Eyes and countless more.

Raahe Jazz on the Beach Festival 28–30 July

Raahe Jazz on the Beach Festival, with over three decades of history, is an intimate and modern outdoor jazz festival in the idyllic, old wooden seaside town Raahe in Northern Finland. This summer’s line-up includes Dantchev:Domain, Uusi Aika, Arppa, Selma Savolainen, Hot Heros, Iro Haarla, Emile Parisien & Roberto Negro (FR), Sooäär & Yaralyan & Ounaskari (EE/FI) and more.

Qstock 28–29 July

The two-day festival in Oulu, Northern Finland, gathers a lineup with the Finland’s biggest artists such as former HIM frontman VV (Ville Valo) and pop phenomenon Alma, along with i.e. Käärijä, Averagekidluke, Recens and Rony Rex as well as rock exports like The 69 Eyes, Insomnium, Stam1na, Battle Beast, Turmion Kätilöt and Michael Monroe. International names include D-A-D (DE), Megadeth (US), Epica (NL), Ellie Goulding (UK) and Dagny (NO).

August

Mänttä Music Festival 1–5 August

Mänttä Music Festival is an international meeting point for friends of piano music, which promises "world-class piano recitals amidst art and nature". The event's artistic director is
Niklas Pokki and the artists include Boris Giltburg (IS), Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (FR), Gabriela Montero (VE) along with local talents such as Juhani Lagerspetz.

Bal des Incohérents 2–5 August

How would you feel about going to an abandoned golf course in northeastern Finland to listen to bands such as Spiritualized (UK), Faust (DE), The Brian Jonestown Massacre (US), Bernard Butler (UK), Kuunatic (JP), Dungen (SE) and Rozi Plain (UK)? While this may sound like a nicely (un)realistic dream, it is very much the case with the new, one-of-a-kind festival Bal des Incohérents, which boasts a line-up of dozens acts for the underground, indie and experimental minded listener. Finnish acts include Aavikko, Jimi Tenor, Lau Nau & Pekko Käppi, Jaakko Laitinen & Väärä Raha, Wimme & Rinne – and even the reunited hard rock pioneers Zero Nine from Kuusamo!

Smugglerrok 4–5 August

Focusing more on "rok" than actual smuggling, the funnily named event in Lieto, a province just outside the city of Turku caters a selection of rock from the harder and heavier side of things. The lineup includes Amaranthe (SE) along with hard'n'heavy Finns such as Lost Society, Stratovarius, Beast in Black and others.

Weekend Festival 5–7 August

This year, Finland’s most widely known EDM festival Weekend presents a "time machine edition", which sees the festival getting back their EDM roots – so no rappers, pop stars or rock bands this time! Knob tweekers such as David Guetta (FR), Alan Walker (NO), Martin Garrix (NL), Kavinsky (FR), Scooter (DE), Steve Aoki (US) and Hardwell (NL) are topping dj-heavy bill, while a long list of local talent ranging from Orion to Orkidea, Deejavu and Milla Lehto fill in the gaps. Again this year, Weekend finds itself at a new festival grounds in Vermo park, Espoo.

Saarihelvetti 4–5 August

Experience the heaviest and darkest metal music imaginable whilst being surrounded by the beautiful lake Pyhäjärvi. This is offered by the metal festival Saarihelvetti (which translates to “island hell”) held on the Viikinsaari island in Tampere. This year the festival features a great lineup with the biggest names of the Finnish metal scene such as Rotten Sound, Turmion Kätilöt, Kalmah and Lost Society as well as international acts like Harakiri for the Sky (AU), Moonspell (PT) and Rotting Christ (GR).

BRQ Vantaa Festival 8–15 August

The old parish church of St Lawrence’s historical environment is at the heart of the unique BRQ Vantaa Festival, which showcases baroque music and period instruments while also including musical works from other eras. Artists include Marcel Ponseele (NL), Rosetta Ensemble, Cecilia Bernardini (NL) and many more.

Turku Music Festival 10–24 August

The Turku Music Festival is Finland’s oldest continuously running music festival, having been founded by the Musical Society in Turku in 1960. It has evolved into a diverse urban event with a wide range of excellent music including grand orchestral concerts, chamber music, recitals, jazz, outdoor events and children’s concerts. The current artistic director is Klaus Mäkelä. The guest roster includes Finnish and foreign stars each year – this time featuring artists ranging from four times Grammy-winning violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter (DE) to accordionist Veli Kujala and sax player Esa Pietilä.

Flow Festival 11–13 August

One of Finland’s best known festivals internationally, Flow Festival provides music from pop and rock music mainstays to newcomers in genres ranging from r&b to indie, techno, jazz, hip hop and experimental music. All this is served in a monumental architectural site with exquisite light design and decorations, along with a magnificent choice of world spanning cuisine right in the midst of Helsinki. This year the line-up boasts with international acts such as Lorde (NZ), Wizkid (NG), Christine and the Queens (FR), Suede (UK), Amyl and the Sniffers (AU), 070 Shake (US), Tove Lo (SE), Blur (UK), Meshell Ndegeocello (US), Kelela (US), Kerri Chandler (US), Devo (US) and Caroline Polachek (US), as well as local greats like Lil Tony, Sansibar, Jori Hulkkonen, Pearly Drops, Kaisa’s Machine, Tuomo & Markus feat. Verneri Pohjola, Knife Girl, Olli Ahvenlahti and Valtteri Laurell Nonet.

Watch Timo Lassy & Teppo Mäkynen performing at Flow Festival 2022.

Hellsinki Metal Festival 11–13 August

A newcomer in the heavy rock festival scene, Hellsinki Metal Festival, held in the Helsinki Ice Hall area relies on big names from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. During the three-day event you can catch legendary bands like Sodom (DE), Emperor (NO), Blind Guardian (DE), Voivod (CA), Clawfinger (SE), Watain (SE), Leprous (NO), Pentagram (US), Scar Symmetry (SE) and Finnish heavyweights such as Stratovarius, Impaled Nazarene, Before the Dawn, Terveet Kädet, Bloodred Hourglass, Arion plus tons more!

Helsinki Contemporary Opera Festival 17 August–3 September

Helsinki Contemporary Opera Festival, organized now for the third time, will present a nuanced viewing of chamber opera and musical theatre works at the Alexander Theatre in the heart of Helsinki. The programme includes nine stage works that bring out the colorful range of styles of opera and experimental musical theater in the forms of world premieres and additional performances of previously premiered works. The festival's artistic director is Reetta Ristimäki.

Blockfest 18–19 August

Blockfest is the biggest hip hop festival in the whole Nordic area, which has since 2008 gathered countless international rap royalties and local favorites to Tampere. This year, Blockfest brings a lineup of international acts like Playboi Carti (US), Ice Spice (US), Akon (SN), Ken Carson (US), Bladee (SE), Raye (UK) and Destroy Lonely (US) along with many domestic stars such as Eevil Stöö and Sexmane.

Festivaali 25–26 August

The music festival simply named "festival" – Festivaali in Finnish – celebrates the biggest and most interesting local names in indie, almost crossing over to mainstream. Festivaali will be held in the beautiful lake scenery of Pyynikki in the city of Tampere, shedding light to acts such as garage rockers Ursus Factory, indie pop favorites Ruusut, retro electro pioneers Aavikko, jazz phenomenon Linda Fredriksson Juniper plus many more.

Watch Jesse Markin perform at Festivaali 2022.

Ijahis Idja 19–20 August

Ijahis idja is the most important gathering and meeting point for the Sámi people in Finland. The festival presents a range of Sámi arts, of sports competitions and handcrafts market and other side events. So far, Ijahis idja has revealed two acts in their line-up – hip hop and r&b influenced Swedish-Sámi yoik singer Maxida Märak and the amazing mother-daughter duo Solju – but if you keep visiting the festival's home page, you will surely find more names soon!

Helsinki Festival 17 August–3 September

Helsinki Festival is the largest arts festival in Finland, with a program consisting of concerts and happenings from classical and contemporary music to indie, jazz and world music. This year the schedule contains, for example, the premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s new concerto work "Hush", performed by Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra FRSO with trumpetist Verneri Pohjola and conducted by Susanna Mälkki, as well as Juhani Nuorvala's work commissioned by two contemporary ensembles, Awake Percussion and Tölölab. On the bill you can also find domestic pop, rock and schlager artists like Pepe Willberg, Tuomari Nurmio, Jonna Tervomaa, Egotrippi, Arppa, Sanni and Katri Helena, along with jazz acts like Linda Fredriksson with UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra. From the international side you have crossover acts like Imany (FR), John Cale (US) and Mulatu Astatke (ET), as well as indie and rock acts Pertubator (FR), Johnny Marr (UK), Beth Orton (UK) and Nothing But Thieves (UK). Not to forget dance, theater, film, visual arts and children’s culture.

Kyröfest 19 August

Kyröfest, held at Kyrö rye distillery in Isokyrö, is promised to be "a unique village fiesta that brings people together". Containing some of the most interesting Finnish indie names of today, the line-up is indeed promising: The Holy, Jesse Markin, Yeboyah, Mary Ann Hawkins, 22-Pistepirkko, Pekko Käppi & K:H:H:L and more. The municipality of Isokyrö is located in the South Ostrobothnia region, 43 kilometres from the nearest city, Vaasa, and 400 kilometres from Helsinki.