Each August, the northern Finnish city of Oulu becomes the epicentre of a global phenomenon: the Air Guitar World Championships. Since 1996, passionate performers from around the world have gathered here to battle it out – without ever touching a real instrument.
Check out the photos from the 2024 championships to see just how electrifying things can get!
From a wild idea to a worldwide stage
Del-Kun Dave “IronAge” Chen from Taiwan. Photo: Roosa-Maria Kauppila / Oulu August Festivals
Bryan “Dirty Beaujolais” Antoine from Belgium. Photo: Roosa-Maria Kauppila / Oulu August Festivals
“When we first launched the event, we didn’t want to do it small,” says Pia Alatorvinen, Executive Director of the Oulu August Festivals.
“Since no one else had done it, we decided to go all in and make it the World Championships right from the start.”
And the rest is glorious, riff-filled history.
No guitar? No problem.
Aapo “The Angus” Rautio from Finland. Photo: Roosa-Maria Kauppila / Oulu August Festivals
Vincent “Lord Scrat” Roussel from France. Photo: Roosa-Maria Kauppila / Oulu August Festivals
In the Air Guitar World Championships, competitors are judged not on how well they play a real instrument but on how convincingly they don’t. Each performance is a solo show of imagination, musicality, stage presence and charisma.
Participants choose whether to mime an electric or acoustic air guitar. They can even “use” a plectrum if they wish. Musical styles vary, but hard rock and heavy metal are perennial favourites.
It takes more than just nerve
Finalists of the competition of 2024. Photo: Roosa-Maria Kauppila / Oulu August Festivals
Heidi “Pink Passion” Toivio from Finland. Photo: Roosa-Maria Kauppila / Oulu August Festivals
Winning isn’t just about being wild on stage but it’s about fully surrendering to the music. Judges award points for technical prowess, artistic impression, originality, and above all, that undefinable quality known as airness – the ability to become one with the imaginary instrument.
Over the years, the event has grown into a full-blown international performance spectacle, which is partly competition, partly theatre and partly joyous cultural statement.
A peaceful protest, one riff at a time
Frederic “French Kiss” Reau from France.Photo: Roosa-Maria Kauppila / Oulu August Festivals
At the heart of the Air Guitar World Championships is a surprisingly powerful ideology: peace. The event’s long-standing slogan, Make Air, Not War, speaks to a deeper purpose.
“The idea is, if everyone in the world played air guitar, no one would pick up a gun,” Pia Alatorvinen says.
“It might sound naïve, but we believe it’s a real form of peace work.”
With today’s turbulent world politics, the message feels more relevant than ever. And as Alatorvinen notes, humour and play can be powerful tools for change.
“It’s a carnival of joy, generosity and laughter. It opens people’s minds to think differently and that’s how change starts.”
Text by Emilia Kangasluoma, August 2025
Ready to rock out in Oulu?
The next Air Guitar World Championships take place in late August.
No instrument needed.
