Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture year boosts tourism – art, technology and a world-premiere Christmas musical lead the finale

“The European Capital of Culture year has brought an enormous variety of events and encounters to Oulu and the entire region. It is wonderful to see that both local residents and visitors have embraced the programme. However, the impact of Oulu2026 will not end with the year itself. We are now laying the foundations for the continued growth of culture, events and tourism in the future,” says Piia Rantala-Korhonen, CEO of Oulu2026.

Strong growth in international tourism during the summer

Tourism in Oulu has developed extremely strongly in 2026, with the impact of the European Capital of Culture year evident in both domestic and, especially, international demand.

According to Visit Oulu statistics, Oulu recorded a total of 86,400 paid overnight stays in June, an increase of 18 per cent compared with the previous year. Between January and June, the city recorded 449,400 paid overnight stays, representing an increase of 15 per cent year on year.

Registered international overnight stays increased by 51 per cent in June. During the same period, international overnight stays across Finland as a whole declined by almost eight per cent.

The outlook for the remainder of the year is also promising. According to a forecast by Visitory, a Finnish tourism data and analytics company, paid overnight stays in Oulu are expected to grow by an average of nearly 28 per cent year on year over the next six months.

“These figures show that Oulu’s international profile has grown and that interest in the region is strong. The European Capital of Culture year has given visitors new reasons to travel to Oulu and Northern Finland. Our task now is to ensure that this interest translates into long-term growth in tourism,” says Y.T. Anderson, CEO of Visit Northern Finland.

“The European Capital of Culture year has been an enormous undertaking, but the programme’s diversity is perhaps most clearly reflected in the final months of the year. There is something for devoted culture enthusiasts and families alike, and many of these events offer experiences that cannot be found anywhere else. If ever there was a time to visit Oulu, it is now,” says Samu Forsblom, Programme Director of Oulu2026.

 

The final months of Oulu2026 are packed with unforgettable experiences

Although the year is approaching its end, numerous highlights still remain in the Oulu2026 programme. The programme for the final months brings together literature, contemporary art, technology, science, music, dance, theatre and sport. Hundreds of events will still take place before the end of the year.

From 13 to 22 November, the Lumo Art & Tech Festival will expand around Oulu’s much-loved light festival, bringing art and technology together in spectacular ways. Through seminars, conferences, exhibitions and other events, the festival will also invite creative professionals working in digital art and technology from around the world to Oulu.

The programme includes The Logos, a monumental immersive sound installation that transforms more than 4,000 signals from deep space into spatial audio inside Oulu Cathedral. Its creator, artist and creative technologist Andrew Melchior, has previously worked with international artists including David Bowie, Björk and Massive Attack.

In Finland, the reigning men’s ice hockey world champion, the sport naturally also plays an important part in Oulu’s cultural life. December will offer a special experience for ice hockey fans with Winter Classic 2026. Oulu’s home team Kärpät will face Helsinki-based HIFK on Saturday, 12 December 2026, at the Raksila outdoor ice rink. The unique open-air game will combine top-level Finnish ice hockey, a wintry atmosphere and a shared community experience.

The year will culminate in December with the new Christmas musical Snowball. Receiving its world premiere in Oulu, the musical tells an entertaining and thrilling story filled with colourful characters and original music. Its cast features well-known and much-loved Finnish performers Kristo Salminen, Saara Aalto, Petra Pääkkönen and Mika Nuojua. The musical is written and composed by Douglas Pashley. It will be performed in Finnish, with subtitles available in English and Swedish.

Highlights from the Oulu2026 programme for the rest of the year

23–26 September – Arctic Tasting

Restaurants and cafés compete to create the most delicious tasting dish. Savoury and sweet treats, mocktails and cocktails are available for €5 or €7, with the winners chosen by customers.

23–27 September – Cultural Kaleidoscopes – The Irish Festival of Oulu

This free, family-friendly street festival combines Irish and Finnish traditional music, storytelling, dance, street theatre and circus. Its spectacular finale is Pegasus by the French company Planète Vapeur, featuring an illuminated, 18-tonne winged horse in a large-scale outdoor performance seen in the Nordic countries for the first time.

Until 30 September – Pikinen Poloku Environmental Art Path

This environmental art trail winds along the shores and through the woodlands of picturesque Pikisaari in Oulu, bringing art into dialogue with the island’s nature, urban culture and history.

Until 4 October – I Am the City

Portraits of Oulu residents in their personal mental landscapes explore the relationship between the city and its people through digital and traditional collage, 3D-printed pieces and other techniques.

Until 11 October – Tomorrow’s Wardrobe & YUIMA NAKAZATO – GLACIER

Two exhibitions at Oulu Art Museum explore the future of fashion. Tomorrow’s Wardrobe brings together bold artistic visions, advanced technology and ecological materials, while YUIMA NAKAZATO – GLACIER presents the acclaimed Japanese designer’s creations and creative process.

9–11 October – Oulu Book Fair

Authors, publishers and readers come together for interviews, discussions, music and encounters with established names and new voices. The 2026 theme is the North. Please note that the programme is primarily in Finnish.

9 October – Tiima Science Centre opens

The brand-new Tiima Science Centre, one of the City of Oulu’s largest investments in the European Capital of Culture year, opens on 9 October. Its first major exhibitions explore two phenomena deeply connected to northern identity: metal music and the Northern Lights.

Metallikausi (Metal Era), on display from 9 October 2026 until 9 October 2028, celebrates the powerful sound, distinctive style and northern roots of metal music. The exhibition highlights bands from the North that have helped shape this globally recognised phenomenon.

Aurora Revelare – The Dancing Colours of the Sky, also on display until 9 October 2028, invites visitors to step into the magical spectacle of the Northern Lights. The exhibition combines scientific knowledge with stories about the captivating colours of the northern sky.

16 October 2026–14 February 2027 – Adaptation – Time Is Not on Our Side

Combining art and science, this group exhibition by Photo North – Northern Photographic Centre explores environmental change in the North and around the world.

30 October 2026–28 March 2027 – Out of Time

This contemporary art exhibition explores time and a reality composed of parallel and overlapping events. Its international and Finnish artists take visitors from the Middle Ages to the present day.

Until 31 December – The Logos

More than 4,000 mysterious cosmic signals are transformed into immersive spatial audio inside Oulu Cathedral. The monumental sound installation was created by artist and creative technologist Andrew Melchior, whose previous work includes collaborations with David Bowie, Björk and Massive Attack.

13–22 November – Lumo Art & Tech Festival

This ten-day international festival brings creative professionals from around the world to Oulu and transforms the city into a northern hub for artistic and technological innovation. Across multiple venues, visitors can experience everything from light and sound art to diverse forms of digital art.

19–21 November – Beyond the Sky

Distant nebulae come within reach in this immersive fusion of art, science, music and technology. Inspired by the work of Oulu-based astrophotographer Jukka-Pekka Metsävainio, the world-premiere production combines his cosmic imagery and animations with music by Finnish composer Lauri Porra, the great-grandson of Jean Sibelius, as well as visual storytelling and elements of miniature opera. Conducted by Dalia Stasevska, the performance brings together Oulu Sinfonia, soprano Aphrodite Patoulidou, violinist Mari Samuelsen and a project choir.

25–28 November – Festival of Augmented Dance

Finland’s first festival dedicated to dance and technology presents innovative Finnish and international performances under the theme of the Human Condition.

Until 30 November – The Kuutar Garden

Danish artist Jakob Kudsk Steensen transforms part of Kivisydän, Oulu’s underground car park and civil defence shelter, into an immersive virtual world combining science, nature and digital art.

4–19 December – Snowball Musical

This world-premiere family musical is a fun and exciting story filled with heartwarming characters, Christmas spirit and wonderful new music. The cast includes Kristo Salminen, Saara Aalto, Petra Pääkkönen and Mika Nuojua, with script and music by Douglas Pashley. The musical is performed in Finnish with surtitles in English and Swedish.

12 December – Winter Classic 2026

Helsinki-based HIFK and Oulu-based Kärpät, two of Finland’s most successful ice hockey clubs, face off at Raksila’s outdoor ice rink in a unique event combining top-level ice hockey, a wintry atmosphere and a shared sporting experience.

Until 12 December – Faravid’s Land

Combining theatre, contemporary circus and dance, Faravid’s Land is a journey and a myth about those who search for happiness and those who hide it. The performance is in Finnish.

 

All events in the Oulu2026 programme are available at www.oulu2026.eu/en/events.

Further information: www.oulu2026.eu/en

 

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