For locals and visitors embarking on Lapland trips, there is a wide and varied range of annual events and festivals held in the region to enjoy. Particularly in Finnish Lapland, cultural festivals celebrating every conceivable activity are held across the nation and take the best advantage of the pristine and expansive natural environment, which is arguably Lapland’s greatest asset. Some of those not-to-be missed events include:
- Sodankyla Midnight Sun Film Festival – held every June, in the Lappish town of Sodankyla, this film festival annually attracts more than twenty five thousand moviegoers, and sees international movies by renowned directors screened around the clock in four separate venues.
- Kiruna Snow Festival – celebrates the winter, the snow, and the return of light to the region. It takes place in the last week of January, and includes many attractions for all ages, including snow sculptures and rock music.
- The Arctic Comics Festival – open to all comedians across the Nordic countries, this May event attracts over two hundred comics to Kemi, near the Arctic Circle in Finland, and not far from the Swedish border. The program includes not only comedy but also comedy- related cinema, dance, music and theatre.
- Jutajaiset International Folk Festival – held in June, this midsummer festival brings to Rovaniemi (the home of Santa Claus) midsummer ceremonies, with music and dance from across the globe. For example, local indigenous Sami rock bands entertain alongside such international guests as the Tanzanian Uinjilisti Choir.
- Pyha Unplugged – This acoustic festival of music challenges well known Finnish rockers to entertain without any kind of special effects or amplification. It is either held at the Hotel Pyhatunturi at Tajukangas, or Aittakuru (a “natural” amphitheatre) each August.
- Savonlinna Opera Festival – hosted in the spectacular, fifteenth century medieval Olavinlinna Castle, overlooking Lake Saimaa, this is an atmospheric and magical event. The castle is the world’s northernmost medieval stone fortress which still stands today; it is a majestic stage for the festival of opera which has been held there every year since 1912.
- Soroya Deep Sea Fishing Festival – held in Norwegian Lapland, at Sorvaer every summer. This location is one of the world’s richest fishing grounds; enthusiastic anglers can rent their own boats or join local skippers for sea angling trips.
Whether one is interested in indigenous ceremony, music, art, various sports, or the natural world, there is a festival to fit perfectly with that interest. Whatever time of year visitors enjoy their Lapland trips, there is sure to be something unique and fun – and even educational! – on the local event calendar for them to attend. So do a little research online before you go, and make the most of your time in this amazing part of the world.
