Oulu might not be a city that rolls off the tongues of most European travellers, unless you work in tech startups. The city has around 500 startups and is considered the tech capital of Finland with a sizeable presence from Nokia. However, this year they’ve been awarded the prestigious title of European Capital of Culture. The Oulu 2026 team have planned a year of festivities with the city of Oulu and 39 neighbouring partner municipalities.
They’ve been making significant plans to highlight the cultural significance of the region since the announcement of the recommendation in June 2021. Below, we take a look at some of the highlights so far, what is coming up in the year ahead and also where you can enjoy the scenic natural beauty of Finland.
Polar Bear Pitching
Think Dragon’s Den, but instead of pitching in an industrial warehouse, you will be pitching from an AVANTO. That is the Finnish word for an ice hole. 2026 marks the 10th anniversary of this competition, designed to showcase the resilience of the participants. They have to deliver the business pitch while standing waist-deep in a hole cut into the frozen Baltic Sea. The grand prize might not seem extravagant at 10,000 euros, but it is the opportunity to meet angel investors through other networking events. You can watch the whole pitching process online, but there is nothing quite like watching it from the audience bear pit.
Frozen People Festival
The winter version of the Burning Man, as some have described, is a key plank of the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture programme. It is a unique EDM and northern art festival held annually on the frozen sea at Nallikari in Oulu. There is no admission fee, and the concept is about bringing a vibrant, energetic event to the sometimes harsh winters of northern Finland. They have three different stages — the Jäälava (Ice Stage), Blizzard Stage, and Arctic Pulse Stage showcasing a broad spectrum of electronic music. It is an utterly surreal experience dancing on the frozen sea and a bucket list adventure you are unlikely to forget.
Art exhibitions
Oulu offers some exceptionally well-curated art exhibitions throughout European Capital of Culture 2026. With PLAY – Oulu2026 x Fotografiska Tallinn, they’ve decided to bring culture to unfamiliar places like the Pekuri Shopping Mall. The art displayed is curated by Fotografiska Tallinn brand director Jorven Viilik. The highlight is Christopher Herwig’s fascinating photographs of Soviet bus stops. The designs vary from spaceship-like structures to concrete mosaics. They are remarkably small acts of poetic individualism in an era of strict uniformity.
Fitting in perfectly with the frozen landscape is the photography exhibition, Residual Light by Bernd Nicolaisen. The acclaimed Swiss photographer has captured breathtaking photos inside the glaciers of Iceland. It is the first exhibition held inside AaltoSiilo, which is a 28-metre-high, modernist concrete former wood chip silo designed by Alvar and Aino Aalto in 1931. Factum Foundation has repurposed it as a cultural, research, and community hub for 2026. You will find quirky installations like an ice sauna and blockbuster installations later on in the year, with the likes of Marina Abramovic to help celebrate European Capital of Culture 2026.
The key events later on in the year
Launching in September is the immersive site-specific installation, Underground Clash, by Danish artist Jakob Kudsk Steensen. It takes place in the cavernous, atmospheric central underground car park. The quirky themes explored include botanical afterlife, Finnish mythologies, and seed banks.
The Lumo Art & Tech Festival will be lighting up the skies of Oulu in November. It centres around the beloved light festival and highlights the increasing confluence of art and technology in delivering cutting-edge cultural experiences. Check their culture programme calendar for the most up-to-date information on other events of European Capital of Culture 2026.
Icebreaker Cruise
If you want to experience the Finnish countryside, you can easily drive from Oulu to nearby Kemi, a town on the Bothnian Bay. The town is perhaps best known for offering icebreaker cruises on board their ships, Sampo and Arktis. These specialised polar expeditions utilise ships with a heavily reinforced hull and immense power to crush through thick sea ice. The bucket list experiences include swimming in a survival suit and walking on the frozen sea. Back at their SnowCastle base, there is plenty to do, from admiring snow and ice sculptures to going on a snowmobile safari.
Reindeer farm experience
Reindeers and Finland are two words inextricably linked together. You’ll get the authentic reindeer farm experience at Arkadia Reindeer Farm. Owners Päivi and Samuli are passionate about the animals on their farm. They are incredibly patient with all types of questions on rearing reindeer. You can choose to go on a 1.5km reindeer sleigh ride to see the Nordic countryside. The adventure ends with a traditional local meal at their Lappish hut restaurant, including Finnish pancakes cooked on an open fire at the centre of the restaurant.
Where to dine out
Part of the celebrations with the European Capital of Culture 2026 is with Arctic Food Lab. They bring together operators in food culture and gastronomy in the Oulu region and celebrate the uniqueness of Northern cuisine.
One such experience is the moonlight BBQ at Kahvila Kiikku. The charming cafe is situated in the greenhouse structures of Ainola Park. It is a unique experience, where you can enjoy a cosy, warming BBQ experience whilst sitting outdoors, admiring the winter wonderland. The local delicacies you can expect to enjoy include reindeer grain sausage, herrings with garlic aioli and Finnish squeaky cheese with cloudberry jam.
Where to stay
If you are looking for a central base in downtown Oulu, the hotel to consider is Original Sokos Hotel Arina. They even have a specially designed room to celebrate the European Capital of Culture 2026 program. The Ode to Maritime Oulu room is an immersive experience designed to make you feel like you are at the sea. It comes complete with a “floating” bed and with an eye-catching alcohol-ink floor that mimics the deep-blue sea. The room is available for bookings and is also open for public viewing on select Sunday evenings in 2026.
Looking for more Finland content? Why not check out my articles on North Karelia and Muonio.
