Helsinki’s birthday celebrations in public spaces
9.6.2026 / 10:20
Kuva: Helsinki Partners / Janne Hirvonen
Helsinki Day is always held on 12 June, when the city celebrates its birthday. This year, Helsinki is turning 476 years old, as the city was founded by King Gustav Vasa of Sweden on 12 June 1550. The day’s programme features hundreds of events across the city that are open to everyone and free of charge. See the tips below for how you can celebrate Helsinki Day in Helsinki’s public spaces!
MARKET SQUARES
Come and make great finds at the Young People’s Market Day event!
On Helsinki Day, Hakaniemi Market Square and Hietalahti Market Square will be filled with products created and sold by young vendors, as well as second-hand finds. At Hakaniemi Market Square, you will find handmade art, crafts, pastries and other homemade products. At Hietalahti Market Square, you can browse young people’s flea market tables. Come and make great finds and encourage young creators!
At Kahvisiskot, the legendary café at Hakaniemi Market Square, visitors will be able to enjoy Helsinki-themed songs and sing-alongs on Helsinki Day, 12 June, from 13.00 to 13.45. The event will be attended by the Helsinki Workers’ Mixed Choir and the OTK Women’s Choir.
HAKANIEMEN HAKANIEMI MARKET HALL
Sink your hands into clay in the Market of Creativity workshops
Leave your mark on a joint installation artwork of the entire city in the free Market of Creativity workshops! Sink your hands into clay or pick up a brush and create a plump croissant or an oblong baguette, for instance. The works created in the workshops will be used to put together a spectacular bakery installation in the bakery section of the market hall. Admission to the workshops is free, and they are suitable for people of all ages. No advance registration is required.
Helsinki Day, 12 June 2026
- 15.30–16.30 Painting workshop
- 17.00–18.00 Clay workshop
The same workshops will also be held on Monday 15 June 2026: clay workshop 15.30–16.30, painting workshop 17.00–18.00
TORIKORTTELIT
Enjoy the courtyard atmosphere and delicious barbecue in the Torikorttelit area
Café El Fant’s Helsinki Day is built around a relaxed summer courtyard atmosphere: from 14.00 to 19.00, visitors can enjoy mahjong, table tennis, food, coffee and other drinks, followed by live music in the evening. The evening’s jazz concert at 20.00 will be a Bud Powell tribute concert, featuring a trio comprising Markus Holthoer, Riku Kovalainen and Severi Tikkinen.
Pekka Terävä will take charge of the barbecue grill of Restaurant Brasa on Helsinki Day, 12 June. This year, the Torikorttelit area will host some of the most delicious barbecue evenings of the summer, with guest top chefs taking charge of the outdoor barbecue grill of Restaurant Brasa. On Helsinki Day, 12 June, Pekka Terävä from Olo Collection will be preparing his own barbecue menu.