Welcome Day events

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.

Welcome Day Stoa is held during the Night of the Arts, a long-standing, city-wide cultural event. Hundreds of cultural and art events take place across Helsinki on this night.

Welcome Day Stoa is connected to Stoa’s Night of the Arts programme, which is open to everyone: the Middle East Jam Festival.

Middle East Jam is a collaborative and international celebration of music, dance and culture, showcasing the diverse arts of the Middle Eastern and North African regions. The event combines live performances, workshops and food culture into a vibrant event open to all.

Stoa will host a colourful evening programme: top artists, dance, workshops and DJ sets. The event also offers entertainment suitable for families.

While Welcome Day ends at 6 p.m., the Middle East Jam Festival continues throughout the evening. Feel free to stay and enjoy the music, performances and festival atmosphere.

Music and dance performances at Stoa Square:

16.00–16.45 Persians (Iran)

16.45–17.00 Watan Dance Group (Palestine)

17.00–17.40 Ezgi & Gulcan (Turkey)

17.40–17.50 Nubian Dance Group (Finland)

19.00–19.45 Sir1 (Iran / Kurdistan)

In the Theatre Hall:

18.00–19.00 Middle Eastern Orchestra

17.00–20.00 Nature-inspired art, music and craft workshops at Stoa Square

Niitty soi! – Meadow beats! – percussion workshop
Using recycled and natural materials, we build peculiar bugs that you can play as an instrument. Find your own sound as part of this musical swarm. Instructed by art educator Jenni Vilander.

Communal Plant Rug
We craft our own striped rug using plants. Row by row, the plants are woven into a tapestry that tells the story of the summer's growth and its diversity. The slowly created piece reminds us of the abundance of nature, the cycle of seasons and the joy of creating things together. Instructed by designer Tanja Valta.

Pyrografy workshops
The sculpture of decying wood on Stoa's meadow marks a meeting place for a diverse community of organisms. The sculpture comprises of birch bark and wooden disks, onto which we pyrograph – burn images using heated instruments – tracks of different critters and words from A Manifesto for the Living World by Anni Kytömäki. Come leave your own mark on the monument! Instructed by artist Petra Martin.

Postcard for a pollinator
In this workshop, you get to paint a postcard for a pollinating insect. In the biodegradable paint, there are sprinkled seeds of Finnish flowering plants. At the end, we 'send' the postcard by burying it in the ground so that it may grow into a tiny piece of a big blossoming meadow! Instructed by Verna Kuntsi and Satu Sipilä of Seikkailutaidekoulu.

Activities for all friends of insects at the Itäkeskus library points:
Poetry bug workshop: come catch the poetry bug and colour it with your favourite colours.
Vegetable garden checkpoint course: at the vegetable garden of the library's children's section, you may discover where different bugs make their homes.

17.00 and 18.30 TeatteriQo: Niitty ('Meadow')

Teatteri Qo performs their puppet theatre piece Niitty ('Meadow') in Stoa's Music Hall. Free-of-charge tickets to the performances are distributed in the Stoa lobby during the event. The piece if performed in Finnish and in the universal language of puppetry.

Niitty (‘Meadow’) is a performance about plants, growth, individuality and cooperation. It gives you an opportunity to look at the world from the perspective of plants for a moment.

Recommended age: 4 and above
Duration: roughly 30 min

Visual design & implementation, script & performance: Anna Uschanov
Direction: Perrine Ferrafiat

The theme of this year’s event is ‘summer market’: Ala-Malmi Square becomes a summer market, and in addition to gaining useful information, visitors get to enjoy a programme that fits in with the market atmosphere.

The Metrilaku minuet by Säilättäret combines circus, comedy and the hustle and bustle of a market into a spectacular show. Jay Jay Fun entertains the audience with magic tricks and acrobatics, and accordionist Seija Vesterinen transports attendees to a summertime market atmosphere. The programme culminates in a lively performance by the zamrock band Zangoma.

Zangoma is a new Finnish-Zambian band that has taken it upon itself to update zamrock, which blends African rhythms with progressive and psychedelic rock, to the current decade. The dynamic musicians and strong vocalist transport you to a world that you will never want to leave.

At the event, participants also get to enjoy a sweet bun with coffee, as is the Finnish custom.

The programme takes place in various facilities at Kanneltalo – from the café to the library – and the day culminates in a concert by Grande Mahogany in the Theatre and Concert Hall.

Schedule:

16.00 | The event begins

Reception in the lobby: young people welcome visitors

The first 250 visitors will receive refreshment vouchers between 16.00 and 18.00: the vouchers can be exchanged at the Kanneltalo café for a Karelian pie and juice, coffee or tea.

16.00–19.00 | Event Square | Lobby

Various local operators present their activities in the lobby.

16.00–19.00 | Clown Täpätä | Lobby

Täpätä the Clown entertains visitors in the lobby all evening long!

16.00–19.00 | My Kantsu workshop | Library Rotunda

The My Kantsu workshop is open throughout the event. Instructed by photographer Anna Autio and journalist Kaisa Viitanen.

16.00–19.00 | Button pin workshop by the Art School of Northern Helsinki | Library reading room

Come and make your own button pin under the guidance of the Art School of Northern Helsinki.

16.15–17.30 | Sport demonstrations | Lobby

16.15–16.30: Taekwondo

17.00–17.15: Capoeira

17.15–17.30: Kannelmäen Voimistelijat gymnastics club

16.30–17.00 | Laulamme suomeksi! – We sing in Finnish! | Café stage

Come and have a look at what the ‘Laulamme suomeksi!’ course of the Adult Education Centre is all about at a performance open to everyone. Taught by Satu Luomanjoki.

17.00–18.00 | Come Sing in Finnish workshops | Room 'Tempo' of the library

Bring your whole family along to sing familiar and easy Finnish songs led by Mari Kätkä, and see how the lyrics come to life through Sari Airola’s live drawings and illustrations. The first workshop will be held at 17.00–17.30 and the second at 17.30–18.00.

17.00–18.00 | Guest artist Tiina Hallakorpi | Gallery

Tiina Hallakorpi, the artist behind the Oma koti kullan kallis (‘No Place like Home’) exhibition in the Kanneltalo gallery, talks about the art.

17.00–21.00 | Streetzone football / Helsinki YMCA | Sitratori square

Streetzone football 3 vs 3 tournament aimed at young people aged 12–18 with DJs on the Sitratori square. The tournament will be held weather permitting.

18.00–19.00 | Grande Mahogany | Theatre and Concert Hall

Grande Mahogany, the headliner of the Welcome Day event, performs in the Kanneltalo Theatre and Concert Hall.