Events
Kotka Maritime Festival
During the last weekend of July, Kotka becomes the scene of one of the most popular town festivals in Finland. Kotka Maritime Festival – Kotkan Meripäivät in Finnish – attracts around 200,000 visitors every year and offers a wide selection of events for all ages. It is best known for its wonderful, relaxed atmosphere, music, and good food.
Hamina Tattoo
When July turns into August, Hamina kicks off the biannual international military music festival known as Hamina Tattoo. This eagerly anticipated event draws musicians and music enthusiasts from around the globe.
Loviisa Heritage Homes
Loviisa Heritage Homes – Loviisan Wanhat Talot – is the largest event in Finland opening old houses, gardens and courtyards for the public eye. It has been organized since 2005, attracts about 15,000 visitors every year, and is dedicated for traditional construction and renovation of historical homes.
The Amazing Arktika
Witness the migration of Arctic water and shore birds from their winter homes in western Europe into their nesting areas by the Arctic Sea and in the north European and Siberian tundra. Arktika concerns millions of water birds, geese, and waders, not to forget divers and skuas. The main route of Arktika is through the Gulf of Finland serving as the primary line all the way to the route formed by Lake Ladoga, Lake Onega, and the White Sea. The most massive flocks that appear in Finland are concentrated in Virolahti region.
Hamina Christmas Wonderland
The historic center of Hamina becomes a magical Christmas wonderland at the end of November. The Christmas Stars event on Raatihuoneentori square brings the Christmas atmosphere of a Central European town to Hamina. Christmas lights will be on show in the square until the end of the year. Christmas window displays in the old wooden buildings serve as the city’s Advent calendar, with a new Christmas window being unveiled at 6pm every December evening until Christmas Eve.
