Music festivals in Finland celebrate the country’s love for alternative music, especially black and heavy metal, rock, and indie. Summertime in the metal capital of the world is a prime time to check out vibrant festivals, most of which take place over weekends. Thousands of fans gather at these music events to catch their favourite bands rocking the stage.

Finland also hosts cultural and arts events, including a month-long classical opera festival that takes place inside a 15th-century castle. You get to learn about Nordic folk traditions through family-friendly workshops and small-scale concerts in idyllic towns. Pick your favourites from our guide of the best music festivals in Finland, and make sure to book tickets and accommodation well in advance.

  • 1

    Tuska Open Air Metal Festival

    Late-June: A weekend of hard rock and metal in Helsinki

    Tuska Open Air Metal Festival

    Tuska Open Air Metal Festival is widely regarded as Helsinki’s largest music event, attracting thousands of heavy metal fans from all over the world. Since 1999, renowned music icons such as Alice Cooper, Lamb of God, Anthrax, and Behemoth, as well as Finnish metal bands Apocalyptica, Nightwish, and Children of Bodom have performed at this metal fest. There are 3 music stages set up at the Suvilahti event field, located 3 km northeast of central Helsinki. Tuska Open Air Metal Festival typically takes place over a weekend in late June or early July.

    Lage: Suvilahti, 00101 Helsinki, Finland

    Öffnungszeiten: 3 days in late June

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    Foto von Fileri (CC BY-SA 3.0) bearbeitet

  • 2

    Pori Jazz

    July: Celebrate blues, jazz, funk, soul, hip hop in Pori

    Pori Jazz

    Pori Jazz dates back to 1966, making it the one of oldest jazz festivals in Europe. The 9-day-long event takes place at several venues within Pori, a coastal city in western Finland. International names such as Alicia Keys, Grace Jones and Earth, Wind & Fire perform at the open-air Kirjurinluoto Arena, a concert venue spanning nearly 5 hectares and surrounded by green spaces for campers. Pori Jazz attracts over 40,000 spectators looking to enjoy live jazz, blues, soul, funk, hip hop, Afro-Cuban, and world music.

    Lage: Kirjurinluoto, 28100 Pori, Finland

    Öffnungszeiten: 9 days in mid-July

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    Foto von kallerna (CC BY-SA 3.0) bearbeitet

  • 3

    Electric Festival

    July: Dance all night at one of Finland’s largest electronic music festivals

    Electric Festival

    Electric Festival celebrates electronic dance and pop music over the course of 3 days in mid-July. It takes place at the Helsinki Fair Center in the Messukeskus district, located 4 km north of the city centre. Among the many renowned DJs that have headlined this music festival are Dash Berlin, Above & Beyond, Paul Van Dyk, and Gareth Emery.

    Lage: Helsinki Fair Center, Messuaukio 1, 00521 Helsinki

    Öffnungszeiten: 3 days in mid-July

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  • 4

    Kaustinen Folk Music Festival

    July: Dress up in folk costume during this music and dance event

    Kaustinen Folk Music Festival

    Kaustinen Folk Music Festival draws a huge crowd to the Nordic village of Kaustinen with live music, dance, and family-friendly activities every July. Founded in 1968, it’s a massive celebration of folk music and culture, with hundreds of artists from all over the world. Expect lots of jamming sessions and small-scale concerts in most bars over the course of 7 days. The festival is also a good time to learn about folk traditions through interesting workshops and classes. Do note that accommodation in Kaustinen is rather limited, so be sure to book well in advance or bring along camping equipment.

    Lage: Keskipohjanmaa-areena, 69600 Kaustinen, Finland

    Öffnungszeiten: 7 days in early July

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  • 5

    Flow Festival

    August: 4 days of alternative music, film screenings, and Nordic cuisine in Helsinki

    Flow Festival

    Flow Festival is an annual cultural celebration that takes place in the defunct Suvilahti industrial area. You get to enjoy live alternative music and film screenings at various venues, ranging from amphitheatres to intimate indoor stages. Flow Festival’s landmark is the Balloon 360° stage, which can accommodate over 1,500 people. Flow Festival is one of the world’s first carbon neutral festivals, providing free parking for bicycles, working with local food vendors to serve sustainable meals, and using reusable materials for its music stages and decorations.

    Lage: Suvilahti, Parrukatu 2, 00540 Helsinki, Finland

    Öffnungszeiten: 4 days in mid-August

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    Foto von Kallerna (CC BY-SA 4.0) bearbeitet

  • 6

    Helsinki Festival

    March: Enjoy free cultural events and performances at the Night of the Arts carnival

    Helsinki Festival

    Helsinki Festival celebrates art, culture and music from mid-August until early September, making it one of Finland’s most diverse festivity. Music fans get to enjoy classical, rock, and world music at concert halls, while children’s film screenings take place at the Orion Cinema. Admission fees are required at selected venues, but Helsinki Festival’s Night of the Arts carnival is where you get to enjoy hundreds of exhibitions, live bands, and arts workshops for free.

    Lage: Various venues in Helsinki, Finland

    Öffnungszeiten: 17 days in mid-August

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  • 7

    Ruisrock

    July: Catch world-famous rock bands, EDM, and pop stars in Turku

    Ruisrock

    First held in 1970, Ruisrock has become one of Europe’s long-running rock festivals. It has expanded to include more diverse music offerings in recent years – mostly dance, EDM and pop genres. The weekend-long festival takes place on the island of Ruissalo in Turku, usually in early July. Rock legends such as Bon Jovi, Nirvana, Uriah Heep and Bob Dylan have performed at Ruisrock, as well as singer-songwriters Charli XCX and Dua Lipa. Tickets are often sold out as soon as the line-up is announcement, so be sure to book early.

    Lage: Ruissalo, Turku, Finland

    Öffnungszeiten: 3 days in early July

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  • 8

    Provinssirock

    June: A weekend of moshing to heavy metal and rock in Seinäjoki

    Provinssirock

    With David Bowie, Foo Fighters, and Red Hot Chilli Peppers among its previous headliners, Provinssirock is arguably the go-to festival for many rock fans around the world. Best of all, there’s no age limit for festivalgoers and entrance is free for those below the age of 7. Over 30 bands take the stage at Törnävä Festival Park, located 4 km south of Seinäjoki city centre. Throughout the 4-day-long festival, there are plenty of food vendors and family-friendly attractions, including a carnival, an adventure park, and art installations.

    Lage: Törnävänsaari, Törnävä, Seinäjoki, Finland

    Öffnungszeiten: 3 days in late June

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  • 9

    Savonlinna Opera Festival

    July: Enjoy live opera and classical music in a 15th-century castle

    Savonlinna Opera Festival

    The Savonlinna Opera Festival is a month-long series of classical music and opera performances during the summer. Since 1912, this event has been attracting thousands of fans from across Finland and various parts of the world. Most of the concerts take place at the courtyard of Olavinlinna Castle, which dates back to 1475. Surrounded by lakes and lush forests, this open-air auditorium accommodates over 2,000 people at a time. The Savonlinna Opera Festival also hosts singing competitions at the Savonlinnasali Oy, a grand concert hall located 1.5 km northeast of the medieval castle.

    Lage: Savonlinna, Finland

    Öffnungszeiten: July

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  • 10

    Ilosaarirock

    July: A 3-day weekend rock and mainstream music event in Joensuu

    Ilosaarirock

    Ilosaarirock typically takes place on the second weekend of July in Joensuu. There are 5 stages set up at the Laulurinne festival site, which is surrounded by acres of camping and parking areas. Catch more than 50 Finnish and international artists at Ilosaarirock, with previous performers include Behemoth, The 1975, Ellie Goulding, and Portishead. Ilosaarirock is organized by a non-profit organization, so proceeds from ticket sales go towards funding North Karelia’s music scene, bands and artists.

    Lage: Laulurinne, Linnunlahdentie 1, 80110 Joensuu, Finland

    Öffnungszeiten: 3 days in mid-July

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    Foto von Tuomas Vitikainen (CC BY-SA 4.0) bearbeitet

Penny Wong | Reiseenthusiast(in)