Helsinki Festival, 15-31 August 2008

(2008 05 21 17:16)

The Festival was founded in 1968 and became an annual event. It is the biggest cultural festival in Finland. Its programme consists of music, theatre, dance, visual arts, cinema as well as city events. The participating artists come both from Finland and abroad, they are international stars but also fresh talents.

During the Festival many art institutions display their best works. The most interesting event is ‘The Night of the Arts’ first organised in 1989. The idea of a young art historian Helka Ketonen that art institutions would stay open late at night and diverse art events would take place all over the city became very popular.

This year is the 40th anniversary of the Festival and to celebrate this occasion a free concert will take place on Senate Square on the Night of the Arts. Rock classics performed by top Finnish artists will take the audience back to the year the Festival began. Apart from this concert visitors can expect plenty of events within classical music, theatre, dance, circus, visual arts, cinema, programme for children and much more.

More information about the Festival can be found here

Helsinki Festival operates under the auspices of the Helsinki Week Foundation, established by the City of Helsinki. << back