Arts & cultureFestivals

Finnish lightscapes: Festivals light up the night in Finland

Every winter, Finnish cities shine with light festivals showcasing works by both Finnish and international artists. You can see what they’re all about in our video.

British collective illumaphonium blurs the boundaries between entertainment and art. At Lux Helsinki, their work Continuum plays with visual and sonic elements on Railway Square, in view of Ateneum Art Museum.

Photo: Vesa Moilanen/Lehtikuva

Summer days in Finland are long and bright, while winter nights are long and dark – this makes them the perfect backdrop for amazing light art. The displays range from illuminated bridges and buildings to sculptures and site-specific light installations.

Large crowds of art lovers flock to these festivals, embracing the season of short days and long nights.

Set to music by the a cappella group Tuuletar (whose name means “goddess of the wind”), our video shows scenes from festivals in five different cities: Lumo Light in the northern Finnish city of Oulu; Lux Helsinki in the Finnish capital; Path of Light in the southwestern city of Turku; City of Light in Jyväskylä, central Finland; and Aaltoja! (Waves!) in Kotka, on the southern coast.

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Video: ThisisFINLAND

By ThisisFINLAND staff, January 2025

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