This page provides dedicated information for international media visiting as official media guests of Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture and Visit Oulu.

13–16 August 2026 | Kalajoki & Oulu

All travel, accommodation, meals and transfers included in the official programme are organised for the participants.

Programme overview 

Thursday 13 August – Welcome to the Arctic Coast

Travel to Oulu

17:00 Departure for Kalajoki

Departure to Kalajoki from Oulu (either from City Centre or airport). Approximately two hours by coach.

19:00 Finnish cottage-style evening at Linnakallio

Our first evening introduces us to Finnish cottage culture, local flavours and relaxed northern hospitality.

Dinner will be followed by a traditional Finnish sauna experience guided by Helena from Kalajoki360. Sauna is an important part of everyday Finnish culture – a place for relaxation, wellbeing and spending time together.

Please bring your swimwear. Towels will be provided.

21:00 Kalajoki Sand Dunes

We continue to the famous Kalajoki Sand Dunes, one of Finland’s most distinctive coastal landscapes. The sandy shoreline stretches for more than 3.5 kilometres along the Bothnian Bay.

22:00 Check-in – Marina Chalets

Accommodation in single rooms in the new marina district, close to the sea and Kalajoki Marina.

Friday 14 August – From the Arctic Coast to Oulu

08:00 Breakfast

Buffet breakfast at Restaurant Välke, Santa’s Resort & Spa Hotel Sani.

Please check out before breakfast and bring your luggage to the coach.

09:00–10:30 E-fatbike safari at Kalajoki Sand Dunes

A guided ride through the sandy coastal trails, forests and dune landscapes of Kalajoki.

Along the way, we will learn about the land uplift phenomenon that continues to reshape the Bothnian Bay coastline.

11:00 Sea trip to Maakalla Island

We travel aboard M/S Kiira to Maakalla, approximately 18 kilometres offshore.

Maakalla is a historic fishing island and one of the most distinctive maritime heritage environments on Finland’s west coast. The island developed into an important fishing base in the 16th century, and in 1771 its fishermen were granted exceptional self-governing rights by the King of Sweden. The tradition continues through the island’s annual assembly.

Traditional red fishermen’s cabins, a wooden church, the Old Vicarage and historic harbour preserve a living connection to centuries of fishing and maritime life.

We will enjoy an outdoor lunch on the island and learn about Maakalla’s fishing heritage, maritime livelihoods, self-government and the land uplift phenomenon.

13:00 Return to Kalajoki Marina

Sea trip back across the Bothnian Bay.

14:00 Departure for Oulu

Transfer by coach to Oulu.

Approx. 16:00 Check-in – Hotel Apollo

Check-in at Hotel Apollo in Oulu city centre.

16:30 Welcome to Oulu2026 – Oulu City Hall

Introduction to Oulu as European Capital of Culture 2026 and the ideas behind Oulu2026.

We will hear more about the European Capital of Culture year, its programme and the Cultural Climate Change that Oulu2026 aims to create.

18:00 Proto Design Centre – Friendship across a thousand metres of tablecloth

Visit to Proto Design Centre in Pikisaari, followed by a relaxed buffet dinner and networking with representatives of Proto – Designers’ Association of Northern Finland and the China Academy of Art.

We will hear the story behind the unique kilometre-long tablecloth created for Saturday’s Summer Night’s Dinner. The year-long collaboration brought together northern Finnish designers and design students from Oulu’s sister city Hangzhou.

Inspired by culture, nature, technology, architecture and people, the patterns celebrate friendship and human connection under the shared motto: “Where people meet, hearts connect.”

The following day, we will see the collaboration come to life as the cloths are laid across the centre of Oulu for one enormous shared table.

20:00 A relaxed evening at Mallassauna

Introduction to Arctic Food Lab, Oulu2026’s food culture programme, followed by a local beer tasting and an optional Finnish sauna. Please bring your swimwear in case you want to enter sauna.

Saturday 15 August – Art, Architecture & Summer Night’s Dinner

Around 6:00 – Optional: Summer Night’s Dinner preparations

For early risers, there will be an opportunity to photograph the preparations as the kilometre-long tablecloths are laid out across the city centre. Exact time and meeting point to be confirmed.

07:00 Optional morning sauna – Kesän Sauna

Start the day like a local with an optional morning sauna at Kesän Sauna. Please bring your swim wear and a towel from the hotel.

Breakfast at your own pace

Breakfast at Hotel Apollo.

11:00 Departure for AaltoSiilo – Women on Waves

We visit AaltoSiilo, a former wood-chip silo designed by Alvar Aalto and completed in 1931 as part of the Toppila cellulose factory.

Project Manager Valentino Tignanelli will introduce us to AaltoSiilo and its transformation into a new cultural space.

We will also visit Women on Waves – Elina Brotherus and the Homes of Alvar Aalto, presented in collaboration with Photo North – Northern Photographic Centre.

Elina Brotherus is one of the best-known contemporary photographic and video artists in the Nordic countries. The exhibition explores the architecture and imagined stories of homes designed by Alvar Aalto through Brotherus’s distinctive artistic perspective.

Aalto, incidentally, means wave in Finnish.

13:15 The Nook – Oulu Urban Culture

Next, we will be introduced to the The Nook project, an Oulu2026 urban culture project and a new small-scale architectural intervention in the city.

Project Coordinator Rosa Björklund will introduce the project together with architect Valti, one of the designers of The Nook.

14:00 Lunch at Alfred

Lunch together with Rosa and Valti.

Afternoon – Free time

Time to explore Oulu independently before the evening programme.

Optional visits include Oulu2026 exhibitions at the City Hall: Layers in the Peace Machine and Earworm.

18:00 Summer Night’s Dinner

The highlight of our press trip.

For one summer evening, approximately one kilometre of tables will stretch through the centre of Oulu, from the Market Square along Rotuaari and from City Hall along Hallituskatu towards the railway station.

Summer Night’s Dinner is an invitation to eat together. Residents and visitors can buy food from more than 50 participating restaurants, cafés and food businesses, bring their own picnic or simply take a seat and enjoy the atmosphere.

Three stages and activities throughout the city centre provide music, dance and entertainment, while municipalities from across the 40-municipality Oulu2026 region showcase their own food traditions and local culture.

And running through it all is the kilometre-long tablecloth we encountered the previous evening: a collaboration between Proto – Designers’ Association of Northern Finland and the China Academy of Art, transforming the shared table into a celebration of friendship, creativity and cultural exchange.

Our dinner is hosted by the City of Oulu. The event is free of charge and open to everyone.

Joining us at the dinner will also be representatives of Oulu’s international twin cities, as well as local and regional political representatives. A small request from the City of Oulu: if you would like to conduct a formal interview with any of the guests during the evening, please let them know when you are conducting the interview. Informal conversations are, of course, more than welcome.

Sunday 16 August – Departure

Breakfast and individual departures

Travel & transportation

All transfers during the press trip, are organised and included as part of the hosted programme. No independent transportation is required during the official schedule. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask any time!

Language

The programme, guided tours and discussions are conducted in English.

Contacts during the trip

Contact details for hosts and coordinators will be provided prior to arrival. A WhatsApp group will also be created for all participants.

Press photos

Media is very welcome to use Oulu2026 photo library. The photographs may be used in different medias in content related to Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture (Oulu Culture Foundation). The use of the photographs is free of charge.

The name of Oulu2026 as well as the name of the photographer (if provided in the information) must always be mentioned. In case of an artwork, the name of the artist and artwork must always be mentioned. When sharing photographs on social media, please tag our official channel (for example @oulu2026official in Instagram) and hashtag #oulu2026 and/or #culturalclimatechange.

The photographs may not be used removed from Oulu2026 context or in any unlawful purpose. The photographs may not be used in any products. The photographs may not be altered or modified except for minor cropping.

About Oulu and the Oulu2026 region

Oulu is the European Capital of Culture 2026 together with 39 partner municipalities in Northern Finland. The aim is a lasting cultural climate change: a permanently richer cultural life and a positive transformation for the region. Cultural climate change brings together culture, art and technology in surprising ways, creates encounters and generates interaction.

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August weather and late summer conditions in Northern Finland

Late August marks the transition from summer towards early autumn in Northern Finland. The weather is often mild and pleasant, with temperatures typically ranging from around +12 to +20 degrees Celsius, though warmer days are still possible. At the same time, especially near the coast and rivers, wind can make the temperature feel cooler than expected.

One of the most distinctive features of late August is the changing light. After the endless brightness of midsummer, the nights begin to darken again. Evenings become softer and more atmospheric, creating a unique setting for outdoor experiences, especially during festivals and events.

Parts of the programme take place outdoors, including visits to natural sites such as riverbanks, forests and countryside locations. Surfaces may be uneven, and short walks are included as part of the experience.

How to dress and what to pack

We recommend dressing in layers to stay comfortable in changing conditions. A light jacket, a warmer layer (such as a sweater or fleece), and comfortable walking shoes are essential. It is also advisable to bring a waterproof jacket or coat in case of rain.

Evenings can feel noticeably cooler, particularly near water or during outdoor events, so having an extra layer is recommended. Preparing for both warm daytime conditions and cooler, darker evenings will ensure a comfortable experience throughout the trip.

The programme includes outdoor activities, a sea trip and optional sauna experiences. We recommend bringing:

• Comfortable shoes
• A warm and windproof jacket for the sea trip
• Swimwear for sauna
• Clothing suitable for changing northern weather

Practical information 

The national languages in Finland are Finnish and Swedish, and English is widely spoken. In addition, three Sámi languages are spoken in Finland: North Sámi, Inari Sámi and Skolt Sámi.

Useful phrases

Thank you
Finnish: Kiitos

Hi
Finnish: Hei / Moi

Welcome
Finnish: Tervetuloa

Timezone in Finland is Eastern European Time. 
Emergency number is 112. 
The currency is the euro and debit and credit cards are accepted everywhere. 

 

Dress code 

The general dress code during the press trip is casual. Above all, please remember to dress according to the weather.

Please bring swimwear, as in most of the public saunas in Finland it is recommended to wear your swimwear.

The programme is subject to changes.