Espoo Events and Festivals 2014 / 2015

(Espoo, Uusimaa, Southern Finland, Finland)



Scenic view of EspooThere are always countless things to do in Espoo, with festivals throughout the year and even the possibility of winter skiing. One of the largest and most well supported events in Espoo is the Jazz Festival each April, which attracts leading jazz musicians and artists of exceptional calibre from across Europe. Close by, Helsinki's annual festivities and celebrations are not to be missed and feature some of Finland's very biggest and best events.

Within Espoo, other celebrations to look out for include the Walpurgis Night (Vappu), which is held each year at the end of April and the beginning of May, and is a lively pagan carnival with colourful processions. Many events take place on May Day (May 1st) throughout Finland, while on June 12th, Helsinki Day (Helsinki-päivä) celebrates the birthday of the nearby Finnish capital.


Espoo's Midsummer Festival is known locally as the Juhannus and is held towards the end of June, with the midnight sun washing the city with light. Part of the Midsummer Festival is the lighting of a bonfire in Seurasaari, which is always attended by large crowds.

The end of August sees the Night of the Arts (Taiteiden Yö) in Espoo, when streets fill up with entertainers and huge numbers of spectators, being first held in the early 1990s. The winter months are warmed up not only by the hearty Finnish fare, but also by the seasonal Yuletide celebrations, such as the Joulu (Christmas Market) is December, where many traders in Espoo congregate along the Esplanadi.

Espoo National Public Holidays