Free events celebrate Helsinki’s bicentennial year. Photo: Kimmo Brandt / City of Helsinki
Helsinki celebrates the city’s bicentennial as the capital of Finland with a diverse programme throughout 2012. The bicentennial year’s summer is filled with free outdoor happenings, major events and culture.
Design markets and fashion films
The Lasipalatsi Design Markets & Fashion Film Festival is a design event organized at the Lasipalatsi Square and in the adjacent cinema Bio Rex from 1 to 5 August. The markets, now in their fourth year, expand with film into a prominent city event. The event probes into the joint worlds of film, fashion and design. It is part of the programme of World Design Capital Helsinki 2012. More about the event
Helsinki design from the 18th century onwards
The summer exhibition at Helsinki City Museum’s Hakasalmi Villa branch, Made in Helsinki 1700-2012, features products from Helsinki from the 18th century to the present. The exhibition’s masterpieces by Helsinki craftsmen and designers show that Helsinki has been a design centre for centuries, culminating this year in the city’s title as World Design Capital 2012. More about the exhibition
Union Axis statue revealed
The Unelma (“dream”) statue by Oona Tikkaoja will be revealed in week 33 (week of 13 August) on Siltasaarenkatu in the vicinity of the Kallio Church, the northern end of the Union Axis. The Union Axis, stretching from the Observatory Hill to the Kallio Church, is a major axis through the city centre, a scene of a great deal of Helsinki and Finnish history, and the scene of much of the bicentennial programme. Unelma is a movable statue that resembles an anchored hot air balloon from the distance but turns out to be a pavilion-like structure when observed from a closer distance. The statue’s dome hides a colourful rotor moved by the wind.
 City dancing lessons
The Helsinki cultural centres Kanneltalo, Malmintalo and Stoa teach beginners in partner dances throughout the summer. The lessons start from the basics and no former experience is required. The lessons are in Finnish. More about city dancing
Movie picnics in August
 Helsinki Festival and the capital region’s film sector will organize three outdoor movie nights at the Citizen’s Square at Helsinki Music Centre from 18 to 20 August. The three movies are Princess Monokoke (1997), an epic Japanese animated historical fantasy written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki; Baikonur (2011), a comic and cosmic love story by German filmmaker Veit Helmer; and the all-time cult Helsinki movie Calamari Union (1984) by the celebrated Finnish filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki. All screenings start at 21:30 (9:30 pm), when the day turns to night in August Helsinki. More about the movie picnics
Zoo animal photography competition
 Helsinki Zoo organizes a zoo animal photography competition for photographers of all ages. The subjects should be animals of the zoo. The competition is open to 9 September, after which a jury chooses the best photos for a second competition stage organized on Facebook. The winners will be selected by a public vote. The prizes include year-long family passes to the zoo. More about the competition (in Finnish)
Told by the nature
Much of Helsinki’s history is told by plants. Nature tours have been organized in the city centre and on Helsinki islands throughout the summer for the general public to acquaint them in the Helsinki flora. The University of Helsinki’s Botanic Garden, the oldest scientific collection of plants in Finland, will open its doors to the public on 16 August, from 18 to 20. More about nature tours
Helsinki 200 bicentennial website |
