Welcome Day events
Welcome Day eventsWe warmly welcome international newcomers to Helsinki!
At the beginning of June 2026, new Helsinki residents were celebrated at Helsinki City Hall. Next, a series of neighbourhood Welcome Day events will take place across the city.
Neighbourhood welcome events
Would you like to learn more about your neighbourhood, local services, and leisure opportunities? Are you interested in meeting new people or spending quality time with your family? Take part in the Welcome Day events in your neighbourhood!
Welcome Day events will be held in four areas in Helsinki:
- Welcome Day Vuotalo on Friday 12 June at 15.00-18.00 in Vuosaari, Mosaiikkitori 2
- Welcome Day Stoa on Thursday 20 August at 15.00-18.00 in Itäkeskus, Turunlinnantie 1
- Welcome Day Malmitalo on Thursday 10 September at 17.00-20.00 in Malmi, Ala-Malmi tori 1
- Welcome Day Kanneltalo on Wednesday 16 September at 16.30-19.00 in Kannelmäki, Klaneettitie 5
The events are free of charge and you do not need to register in advance.
Everyone is welcome, even those who have lived in Helsinki for a longer period of time!
Participation is easy and flexible
We recommend participating in an event that is as close to your home as possible or otherwise in a convenient location for you. This way you can get the most out of the event. If the date of your nearest event does not work for you, you can come to another event.
You can arrive whenever it is convenient for you and stay for as long as you like.
At Welcome Day events, we mainly speak English. However, you can participate in the event, even if you do not speak English, Finnish or Swedish. There will be staff speaking multiple languages and multilingual materials. There are also activities that do not require knowledge of any specific language.
Varied activities for all ages
At the event, you will meet City of Helsinki employees, as well as local organisations, clubs and other operators who will tell you about the opportunities offered in your neighbourhood. You can ask for tips on events, courses, sports facilities and activities for children and young people in the area.
In addition to useful information, the events include fun activities for both children and adults. The programme is different for each of the four events. At the events, you will be able to enjoy circus tricks, workshops and musical performances, among other things.
The Vuotalo event will be held entirely outdoors and the Stoa event will have part of its programme outdoors. Please dress for the weather. In the event of heavy rain, the events will be held indoors.
Programme
We will update the event-specific programmes on the website as they are confirmed. You can find the programme and schedule of the event on this page one month before the event, at the latest.
In addition to useful information, Vuotalo’s programme offers fun for all ages, including circus performances by Circus Simon and Säilättäret, a concert by the children’s music group INDABA, a glitter tattoo station, a LEGO workshop, and guided tours of Vuotalo.
12.00 and 16.00 Vuotalo Walks
The walk introduces you to the exterior and interior of Vuotalo, including its history, facilities, and activities. We will also visit the library, which was renovated last year. The tour starts outside Vuotalo's main doors. The beginning of the tour takes place outdoors. Duration is approximately 40 minutes.
14.00-16.00 Dream City LEGO Workshop in the library's children's area
What would your dream city look like? Build it with LEGOs! You can also write a poem and borrow books about all types of cities.
15.00 INDABA
INDABA will put on an energetic and multilingual show, combining powerful singing, dancing and skilful instrumental performances. The group of three musicians draws inspiration from Tanzanian tradition, hip hop and their own stories. The performance will feature light-hearted interactive reflection on identity and how many homes can fit into one person.
The concert will be performed in Finnish, English, Spanish, Swahili and Sumbwa.
Performers: Ayla Brinkmann, Kasheshi Makena and Yoandy Jimeno.
15.00–18.00 Säilättäret
Performing artists from the Säilättäret group will tour the event area, entertaining the audience with a variety of skills, such as juggling and balancing. You will also be able to spot an extraordinary three-metre tall circus artist – come and say hello and take a photo with them!
Säilättäret are circus artists Kanerva Keskinen, Milla Kurronen and Sini Napari as well as musical theatre artist Juuli Hyttinen.
15.45 and 17.30 Circus Simon: We Are the Champions circus performance
‘We Are the Champions’ is a joyful and participatory circus performance about achievement, participation and shared success. The show combines unique circus skills, warm humour and strong interaction with the audience. No language skills are required to enjoy the show.
The show will be performed twice during the afternoon. In addition to this, the public will be able to attend freestyle football workshop!
16.30 Circus Simon: freestyle football workshop
18.00 Stig
The day culminates with a concert by Stig! STIG is known for numerous gold and platinum singles and hits such as Puumaa mä metsästän, Original gigolo and Roy Orbison. He was also a hit on the TV show Vain elämää and rose to fame with his interpretation of the Kuningascobra evergreen.
What are the venues like?
Vuotalo, Stoa, Malmitalo and Kanneltalo are cultural centres managed by the City of Helsinki. The centres offer the opportunity to enjoy cultural events, spend time in a library, have a coffee break and take courses in Finnish or crafts, for example, under one roof. Kanneltalo and Stoa also house youth centres, where young people can engage in hobbies and meet friends.
Vuotalo(Link leads to external service)
Stoa(Link leads to external service)
