Summer season at Espa Stage will bring more than 300 concerts and other performances to Esplanade Park over a period of 3.5 months. Three bands will be taking the stage on opening day Friday 15 May: contemporary folk music group Kajos inspired by the Finnish-Karelian incantation tradition (16.00), singer-songwriter Viia performing cinematic dark pop (17.00), and Sounds of South America playing traditional music from around the Spanish-speaking world (18.00).
In May, the 200th anniversary of the Helsinki Police Department will also be celebrated with a gala concert featuring the Stockholm Police Music Band and Tallinn Police Orchestra (Monday 18 May). Seasoned entertainers Tapio Liinoja and Olli Ahvenlahti will take to the stage on Monday 25 May, and Bomba Buena will lead the audience to Cuban rhythms on Friday 29 May.
“The summer programme is breathtakingly diverse. It offers everything from contemporary folk music and indie-pop to jazz, electronic sounds, children's music and schlager, and the public can enjoy performances on five days a week on average. The summer season on Espa Stage can rightly be called the longest-running summer festival in Finland,” says Producer Laura Pyrrö.
Sámi music and LGBTQIA+ events in June
In June, a number of well-known names will take centre stage in Esplanade Park. INGINMAA (Anna Inginmaa), a well-known jazz singer who released her first pop album this spring, will perform on Friday 5 June. Modern Sámi music will be brought to Espa Stage by Ulla Pirttijärvi & Ulda (Wednesday 10 June) and Wimme & Rinne (Wednesday 17 June). The visually spectacular opening of Helsinki Samba Carnaval will take place on Helsinki Day on 12 June.
The Pride week programme includes LGBTQIA+ events. On Wednesday 24 June, the stage will be taken over by Itcevät, an indie rock band that has become a phenomenon in queer circles, and Liisa Akimof & Yökerho, known for their energetic performances. On Friday 26 June, the Divet Show will be putting on an upbeat drag performance and Jesse Kaikuranta will cater to those looking for soulful singing.
Indie, love songs and funk in July
The plentiful programme of events will continue in July. The month starts with alternative indie-pop and rock, served up by Rosita Luu and Teini-Pää (Wednesday 1 July). On Friday 3 July, Helena Lindgren and Jorma Uotinen will give a concert entitled Rakkaudella, which will focus on love, friendship and the chapters of the artists' lives.
Skidit disco will make chidren dance on Saturday 4 July, and Helsinki Cotonou Ensemble will provide an introduction to catchy afrobeat and funk rhythms on Wednesday 22 July. On Friday 24 July, Arja Koriseva will perform acoustic versions of nostalgic classics and her most beloved songs.
Rock, world music and a children's programme in August
Traditional festivals are among the highlights of late summer. Jazz-Espa (Monday 27 July to Saturday 1 August) brings Pepa Päivinen Peacepipe and the internationally successful Olli Soikkeli Django Trio to the stage. Etno-Espa (Monday 3 August to Wednesday 12 August) will feature performances by Maria Kalaniemi and Pekko Käppi, who draw from the Kalevala tradition, and kantele player Maija Pokela.
On Night of the Arts on 20 August, Aizhan Sultan, who combines Kazakh folk music and contemporary music, and Tuomari Nurmio, a pioneer of Finnish rock music, will take over Espa Stage. The summer season will culminate in the closing ceremony on Sunday 30 August, when children and the young at heart will be entertained by Mutaveijarit and the older crowd by Seminaarinmäen mieslaulajat.
During the summer, Espa Stage will also feature sing-alongs, concerts by military brass bands and Open Stage performances by emerging artists.
To find out more about all the summer events, visit espanlava.fi.