Must-See Programs This Season:
Summer Night’s Dinner invites guests to a culinary adventure at a kilometer-long table, where local flavors take center stage. For the more daring diner, there’s the chance to sample dumpling, a dish featuring pork and potatoes that has lately garnered a reputation as the worst food in the world. Save the date: August 15, 2026.
Dalia Stasevska
Beyond the Sky makes the cosmos accessible to all. This captivating project merges art, science, and technology, showcasing astrophotographer Jukka-Pekka Metsävainio’s stunning images of distant nebulae projected onto the ceiling of the Oulu Hall event center. The Oulu Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Dalia Stasevska, will perform Lauri Porra’s evocative score, from November 19 to 21, 2026.
Olosauna is a modern village sauna.
The Art of Sauna showcases the rich tapestry of Finnish sauna culture at Tuira Beach, nestled by the Oulujoki river delta. There, guests can rent unique mobile saunas crafted from plywood, each accommodating up to ten people—a refreshing way to experience tradition throughout the year.
Untamed Office serves as an urban production agency dedicated to energizing Oulu’s creative landscape. The team, composed of enthusiastic young adults, organizes clubs, street festivals, and design exhibitions on Pikisaari, an island renowned for its artistic spirit. Programming runs all year long.
Hydropower Plant Series introduces an experimental opera that traverses the hydropower plants along the Oulu and Emä rivers. Stretching from Suomussalmi to Muhos, this series explores the evolution of river harnessing from the 19th century to present day—which includes performances that take place at the river’s bottom! This unique offering is available year-round.
Ekho Collective: Layers in the Peace Machine
This immersive installation draws inspiration from Timo Honkela’s literary work, *Peace Machine*. It illuminates the process of building peace, inviting audience members to contribute personal peace-related memories collected in 2025. Experience this thought-provoking artwork throughout the year.
By Kristiina Ella Markkanen, ThisisFINLAND Magazine
Photos: Lumi Ripatti, Kevin Kallombo