Chinese New Year Festival warms frozen Helsinki

People were festive with performances, cuisine, and cultural exchange as the Chinese Lunar New Year was celebrated in Helsinki on Friday.

People from different strata gathered at the Folk Fair at Narinkkatori in Kamppi, marking the 2026 Chinese New Year, ‘The Year of the Horse,’ organized by the Chinese Finnish Friendship Association.

Dozens of stalls were set up at the fair featuring various delicacies and snacks from China and other Asian countries.

Chinese intangible traditional cultural heritage objects and performances such as embroidery, shadow puppetry, woodblock printing, and facial makeup were also on display.

The fair attracted residents, visitors, and members of the local Chinese community in the freezing temperatures.

They enjoyed performances by Chinese professional art troupes ranging from folk music to martial arts, singing, and dancing as well as cultural interaction games marking the Chinese Spring Festival.

The event opened at 11:00 a.m. with a series of video greetings broadcast on the main stage screen.

A New Year message from a well-known host from China’s national radio crossed continents to reach Helsinki, followed by the promotional video “Hello, Beijing,” showcasing the dynamic blend of tradition and modernity in China’s capital.

Visitors enjoyed a wide variety of authentic Chinese foods prepared on-site at the stalls throughout the day.

“I have come to the festival to witness cultural programs. I have also tasted Chinese foods here,” a visitor told Daily Finland, adding that she enjoyed both the performances and the food.

Talking to Daily Finland, a stall owner who displayed toys and souvenirs said that although there was not a huge rush, a significant number of people visited his stall and bought goods.

The cultural performances started at 1:00 pm where Finland’s first Chinese rock band delivered an opening set, drawing enthusiastic responses from the crowd.

Later, a professional visiting performance group organized by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism took the stage as part of its long-running overseas Chinese outreach program.

The performances, which included a traditional dragon dance, vibrant Chinese song and dance pieces, and powerful percussion, enthralled the audience.

“This year marks the 20th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Beijing and Helsinki as well as the 20th year of Beijing’s overseas Chinese New Year performance tour,” said Rebekka Mikkola-Rouvinen, an organizer.

‘Over two decades, the program has traveled across continents each year to deliver festive greetings and cultural performances to Chinese communities abroad,’ the organizer said, noting, “Many commented that the arrival of the Beijing performance group makes the New Year celebration feel complete.”

She also said that despite temperatures dropping to minus 18 degrees Celsius, with a perceived temperature of around minus 23 degrees, the extreme cold did not stop people from joining the festival.

“The event attracted a diverse audience, including Finnish residents, members of the Chinese diaspora, and international tourists. Children gathered near the stage, young people recorded performances on their cell phones, and elderly visitors enjoyed the cultural connection and shared celebration,” Mikkola-Rouvinen added.

She said that the fair was the second large-scale Spring Festival fair hosted by the Chinese Finnish Friendship Association.

“The Chinese New Year, which is more than a festival, represents emotional connection and cultural resonance,” the organizer said.

‘In Helsinki, at 60 degrees north latitude, the annual fair has gradually become a distinctive multicultural winter tradition, bringing warmth, color, and shared joy to the Nordic winter,” she added.