What to do in Uusikaupunki - Events 29.7.-4.8.2024

This week, July turns into August, bringing a hint of the approaching autumn. Our maritime city has enjoyed a vibrant summer full of events, and there's no need to worry—late summer will continue to be just as eventful. This week, we'll have the last "Courtyards and Wooden Houses" tour of the summer, and Myllymuori will take children on adventures for the last time on Tuesday and Thursday. The popular Reidar S. summer theater performances are most likely to have available seats on Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday's guided themed tour will focus on the Peace of Uusikaupunki, signed in 1721. On Friday, August 2nd, we'll celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Uusikaupunki-Turku railway line with a special program, and the nostalgic Lättähattu museum train will arrive in the city. At the Pakkahuone evening market, Ilpo Kaikkonen will entertain, and at the Männäinen Entrepreneur Market, Leena and Jari will perform. On Saturday's Tul toril - International Market, there will be a live cooking competition and many other fun activities. Check out our list and join the fun!

Santtioranta offers a full summer program for the whole family! Children's Monday takes place every Monday until August 5th from 2 PM to 6 PM, featuring a free bouncy castle (weather permitting) and face painting for children. Live Music Saturdays continue throughout the summer with different artists, and on August 3rd, Mikko Itäranta will perform. Santtioranta Camping is a campsite known for its friendly service, featuring a café-restaurant, ice cream kiosk, beach, various activities, and accommodation options.

Experience the charming atmosphere of old courtyards and gardens on a guided "Courtyards and Wooden Houses" tour. The last tour of this summer will take place on Tuesday, July 30th, at 3 PM. Some stops on the route will feature owners sharing the history of their house and garden. The tour lasts about two hours and includes a garden coffee break. Tickets can be purchased in advance from the Uusikaupunki Tourist Office or directly from the guide on-site. The maximum number of participants per tour is 20. Guidance is in Finnish but if necessary information in English as well.

The "Myllytonttu and Puzzles" adventure tour will also take place for the last time this summer on Tuesday, July 30th, at 11 AM. Myllymuori and Myllytonttu invite you to join them as they journey from one story to another through music, games, and small challenges. The route is a walking tour through the sights of downtown Uusikaupunki, accompanied by the cheerful Myllytonttu and Myllymuori. Myllytonttu's puzzle box is filled with questions, and we'll also meet Myllytonttu's animal friends, like Kurre the Squirrel.

At the Lentävä Lokki Summer Theater, enjoy the joyous and lively story of Reidar Särestöniemi, the great artist from Lapland. This week, performances of "Reidar S." are most likely to have available seats on Tuesday, July 30th, and Wednesday, July 31st, at 7 PM, with tickets possibly available at the door. Ticket reservations and advance sales are handled by the Uusikaupunki Tourist Office, Rauhankatu 10. For the Sunday, August 4th performance at 3 PM, only online tickets remain available at lippu.fi.

Cruises to the Isokari lighthouse island will take place from July 31st to August 4th (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) aboard the passenger ship M/S Kerttu. During the journey, you will see the beautiful nature of the inner archipelago and the vast open waters of the Bothnian Sea, along with plenty of birds and navigational markers. Upon arrival at Isokari, lunch will be served at the Kasarmiravintola restaurant, followed by a guided tour of the island's nature, history, and, of course, Finland's third oldest lighthouse.

The traditional evening markets at Pakkahuone are filled with a summery atmosphere and live music every Wednesday from 4 PM to 7 PM. On Wednesday, July 31st, the music will be provided by Ilpo Kaikkonen.

The doors of New Church in Uusikaupunki are open for personal reflection, thanks to volunteers, every summer Thursday until August 1st from 11:45 AM to 2 PM.

A small walking tour of significant historical sites: Where did the peace negotiators live, and where were their offices located? The guided tour "The Road to the Treaty of Nystad" on Thursday, August 1st, at 2 PM, will cover events from the Great Northern War, the Great Wrath, and the Treaty of Nystad in our town and other parts of Finland. Tickets can be purchased in advance from the Uusikaupunki Tourist Office or directly from the guide on-site. The maximum number of participants per tour is 25.

The first train arrived in Uusikaupunki on August 2, 1924, at 5:15 PM. One hundred years later, on Friday, August 2, 2024, at 5:15 PM, the Haapamäki Museum Locomotive Association's "Turku-Uusikaupunki Railway 100 Years" commemorative train will arrive to celebrate the event. The celebration will take place next to the bridge at Tervatori. The program includes a welcome fanfare by the Uusikaupunki Volunteer Fire Department, opening remarks by the city's architect Leena Arvela-Hellen, a presentation on the history of the railway by museum director Mari Jalava, and a performance by the women's choir D'Ameni. A photo from 1972 will also be featured.

Come celebrate the 100-year history of the Uusikaupunki railway with us aboard the Lättähattu museum train on Friday, August 2nd, and Saturday, August 3rd. Check out the schedule, tickets, and intermediate stations at https://hmvy.fi/tapahtuma/museojunat-turku-uusikaupunki-100v/.

Welcome to the open Bingo event at Pakkahuone on Friday, August 2nd, at 4 PM. Bingo cards and markers can be picked up at Pikku-Pakkis—just bring yourself! There will also be a bouncy castle for children, weather permitting.

On summer Fridays from 4 PM to 7 PM, the traditional Männäinen Themed Market features not only market sales but also a Pop-Up café and live music. On Friday, August 2nd, Leena and Jari will perform at the Männäinen Market.

Experience Uusikaupunki from the sea! On the Friday evening cruise on August 2nd at 6 PM, you can enjoy a maritime atmosphere aboard M/S Kerttu. The ship offers comfortable indoor seating, a café/bar, a sun deck, and restrooms. The two-hour cruise provides a great opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends.

Tul toril - International Themed Market offers free activities and experiences for all ages on Saturday, August 3rd, from 10 AM to 1 PM, right in the heart of the city center. The program includes a live cooking competition, performances, and food from around the world. Come and enjoy the summer market square! Granger Simmons is involved in organizing the event and can be contacted at 044 773 2202.

The Rähmä-Käpälät Match Show will be held at Kivimäki Field on Saturday, August 3rd, at 12 PM. Registration starts at 11 AM, with rings beginning at 12 PM. There will be a buffet available where you can purchase snacks with cash or Mobilepay. For inquiries, please contact: rahmakapalat.ry@gmail.com

The Splendor of the Bourgeois Home and the Golden Age of Maritime Trade

Local history comes to life in the museums. The former bourgeois home of a tobacco manufacturer, Wahlberg's Museum House, showcases the splendor of a past bourgeois home on the ground floor and the golden age of maritime trade on the upper floor. The museum is open until August 25th, Monday to Friday from 10 AM to 5 PM, and Saturday to Sunday from 11 AM to 4 PM.

Wahlberg's Museum House also offers plenty of activities for young visitors. During the summer, there is a popular children's play area in the courtyard building, where you can try walking on stilts or navigating a hobby horse obstacle course. Inside, children can explore the museum like detectives, color pictures of electric locomotives, or play with train sets.

The interior of Luotonen's cobbler workshop, which operated at Ketunkallio until the early 1980s, has been relocated to the museum's courtyard building and is on display whenever the museum is open.

The former Uusikaupunki Pilot Station, located on the slopes of Vallinmäki, has been a small summer museum dedicated to the profession of piloting for 50 years this summer. The Pilot Museum is open daily until August 11th from 12 PM to 3 PM, and admission is free.

The Sailor's Home Museum is located on the edge of Myllymäki in one of the oldest surviving residential buildings in Uusikaupunki. The small house is furnished to depict the home of a Uusikaupunki sailor's family from the early 20th century. The Sailor's Home is open daily until August 11th from 12 PM to 3 PM, with free admission.

Other Attractions

Art House Pilvilinna offers humor, bright colors, naive art, the scent of roses, and beautiful maritime views. The walls, floors, and ceilings of Pilvilinna are fully painted, both inside and out. The main building and courtyard host exhibitions of artist Raija Nokkala's paintings for sale, along with humorous sculptures along the art trail, bringing joy and good cheer to visitors.

The property also features a lace cottage, annually changing art exhibitions, a charming art trail through the woods, a coffee terrace by the sea, a table of treats, and a card shop showcasing Pilvilinna's own products. Pilvilinna is open until August 10th on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 2 PM to 6 PM.

You won't find a more captivating place to visit than the Bonk Museum, which offers a chance to explore the background of the vast Bonk Business Inc. industrial empire. Bonk is a whimsical fantasy creation originating from the idea of visual artist Alvar Gullichsen. Oy Bonk AB is a fictional family company around which a whole history has been developed, with all sorts of inventions attributed to its name. During the summer, the Bonk Children's Invention Workshop allows the youngest visitors to design and build their own Bonk machine. The museum is open daily until August 6th from 10 AM to 6 PM.

In the three large exhibition halls of the Automobile Museum, the dreams of car enthusiasts, both young and old, come true. The "Minimaailma" exhibition by the Raunistula Dollhouse Club entertains the whole family. The Automobile Museum is open daily during the summer from 10 AM to 6 PM. Group visits can be arranged by appointment.

Churches
The Old Church of Uusikaupunki, as well as the churches in Kalanti and Pyhämaa, are Road Churches and are open to visitors during the summer. The New Church of Uusikaupunki is also open for visits on Thursdays and Saturdays.

The Old Church of Uusikaupunki was built in 1629 and is the oldest building in the downtown area. It is open for visits until August 4th, from Wednesday to Saturday from 11 AM to 5 PM, and on Sundays from 12 PM to 4 PM.

The Gothic-style New Church of Uusikaupunki, designed by architect Georg Theodor von Chiewitz, is open until August 3rd for personal reflection with the help of volunteers on Thursdays from 11:45 AM to 2 PM and on Saturdays from 11 AM to 2 PM, when a Uusikaupunki tour guide will be available.

The vaulted Kalanti Church, also known as the Saint Olaf's Stone Church, was built in the late 1300s. It is open until August 4th, from Wednesday to Saturday from 11 AM to 5 PM, and on Sundays from 12 PM to 4 PM. The church's armory houses a summer café, Suvi, open Wednesday to Saturday from 11:15 AM to 4 PM and Sunday from 12:15 PM to 4 PM.

The Pyhämaa Churches are open until August 4th, from Wednesday to Saturday from 11 AM to 5 PM, and on Sundays from 12 PM to 4 PM. The older church, a rare wooden church known as Pyhämaa's Sacrifice Church, was built between 1642 and 1650, and its ceiling and interior walls are covered with paintings. The newer stone church dates from 1804.

For Exhibition Enthusiasts

The themed exhibition "Tulisuitsuinen Hepo Tulee - The 100-Year-Old Uusikaupunki Herring Line" at Wahlberg's Museum House in Uusikaupunki explores the planning and construction of the 100-year-old Turku-Uusikaupunki railway. It covers the trains and locomotives, and the impact of the railway on people's daily lives, other forms of transportation, commerce, and industry.

The Uusikaupunki Maritime Center, maintained by the Uusikaupunki Maritime Historical Association, is located at Pakkahuone Square, in the former Vaso mill. The Maritime Center is open until August 10th, from Tuesday to Sunday, 11 AM to 6 PM. The center features a variety of maritime historical exhibits, including several old boat engines, a large model of the Uusikaupunki sailing ship Varma, other scale models, numerous ship paintings, and an extensive association sales point.

The summer exhibition "Seafarers and Passenger Ships" highlights the profession of seafarers and the passenger ship traffic from Uusikaupunki. Admission to the exhibition is free.

At the cozy café exhibition space of the Pakkahuone Guest Harbor, Vilma Sappinen's photography exhibition "Thoughts of Dawn" is on display until August 18th. The Pakkahuone café is open every day from 8 AM to 10 PM.

Runonkulma Gallery is an art gallery and lending service located in the wooden house district of the city center. The gallery hosts rotating exhibitions, events, courses, lectures, and private functions. The space also includes Pikkukylän Puoti, a shop selling Finnish handicrafts, design, and art products. Runonkulma Gallery is open Wednesday to Friday from 11 AM to 5 PM and Saturday from 11 AM to 3 PM. The current exhibition, "Encounters" featuring paintings by Jari Nordman, is on display until August 25th.

Gallery-Art Lending Library Horisontti offers artistic experiences! The gallery is open Wednesday to Friday from 12 PM to 3 PM and Saturday from 10 AM to 1 PM. It features works by artists from Uusikaupunki as well as visiting artists. In addition to the gallery, the art lending library allows you to rent artworks for your home at an affordable monthly rate. The featured artist for July is Tiina Kuusikoski, with her exhibition "Impression."

Jori Tapio Kalliola was named the ITE Artist of the Year 2021 by the Rural Cultural Association. He is a self-taught outsider and ITE artist, emerging from outside the official art world. Kalliola creates his art from recycled materials, such as old logs, doors, stage flats, metal and wood scraps, and surplus paint from hardware stores. His work can be viewed at the Cruselli Cultural Center in the exhibition "The Endless Burden of an Unlearned Person," open until August 28th. The exhibition is open during Cruselli's regular hours: Monday to Wednesday from 10 AM to 4 PM, Thursday from 10 AM to 6 PM, and Friday from 10 AM to 4 PM.

In Iso-Vehanen Island, the porch of an old cottage has been transformed into a charming summer gallery, showcasing the "Silk and Sea Charts" summer exhibition, which is open around the clock. The gallery is located on the island's cape, where the sea is close, and terns hover above. The location is peaceful and ideal for a picnic outing.

At Tupsula, unique creations made from pom-poms are on display, including new animal figures. The playful pom-pom artworks have also spread to the exterior walls of the exhibition space. Tupsula is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 PM to 5 PM and on Saturdays from 10 AM to 2 PM.

Joy of Movement

The Uusikaupunki Golf Club is hosting a free family-friendly event called "Limppari Golf" every Tuesday until August 6th from 5 PM to 7 PM. Both children and adults can participate in the course. The top three performers of the day will receive fantastic prizes. Additionally, everyone who submits a scorecard throughout the summer will have a chance to win a playing right for the rest of the 2024 season. The more you participate and submit your scorecard, the greater your chance of winning.

Come compete and have fun at the Uusikaupunki Golf Club!

What a wonderful way to start the day with Beach Yoga, listening to the soothing sound of the waves, feeling the sand beneath your toes, and gentle movement throughout your body. After this, you're sure to have a great day! Join us for yoga at Santtioranta every Wednesday morning at 9 AM. Payment is made on-site, so please bring cash. The session will be canceled in case of rain.

Come and experience the relaxing effects of nature while practicing yoga, with the earth as your floor, the sky as your ceiling, and the sounds of birds and rustling trees as your background music. Satya Yoga offers park yoga sessions in Myllymäki Park every Thursday during the summer.

What could be better than practicing yoga in pristine nature, in the fresh air by the sea, on a lightly covered yoga patio? Welcome to Cottage Yoga at Sisula, Lokalahti Eräistenkari, on Fridays at 7 PM. Please remember to bring weather-appropriate clothing, your own yoga mat, a blanket for the final relaxation, and warm clothing. In case of rain, the session will be held in the barn.

Open community mountain biking rides are held on Sundays at 6 PM. These rides are accessible to all, and beginners are more than welcome to join. The routes are chosen based on the skill levels of the participants.

Padel Uusikaupunki offers excellent facilities for enjoying the highly popular sport of padel right in the city center. Two competition-level, LED-lit courts are located by the shore of Kaupunginlahti in Crusell Park, close to all amenities. You can book individual court sessions for an hour or longer, and regular time slots are available for those who want to play consistently.

Experience the joy of exercise in a stunning setting. The new basketball court near the padel courts is a classic playground favorite and is freely available for everyone to use.

Good Vibes Golf by the Sea: Uusikaupunki's full-length 18-hole golf course is uniquely situated right by the sea, yet close to the city center.

At the end of Kaupunginlahti, in a prime location close to the city center and the sea, lies the impressive Skatepark Pumptrack. The skatepark includes an asphalt section designed for beginners to practice tricks, while the full concrete section offers the opportunity to train up to an Olympic level.

A piece of Finland's most beautiful archipelago is within your reach on this route without needing a boat or worrying about ferry schedules—thanks to the road built through the islands. You can either drive the entire 50-kilometer route in one go or take your time to enjoy the atmosphere of the archipelago. The Velhovesi Ring Road takes you through the northern archipelago of Uusikaupunki, around the Freshwater Basin.

On Tuesdays throughout the summer, you can enjoy summer swimming at Metsälehto Sauna from 6 PM to 8 PM. The sauna is spacious and provides excellent steam. You can take a dip in the water from the pier, but there is also direct access from the shore. Changing rooms are available for both women and men. Swimming requires a fee.

At Haimio's free sauna, summer swimming is available daily. The open sauna is accessible to everyone and is located next to the public beach. The first person to arrive heats up the sauna. The sauna is managed and maintained by Jokisivu Youth Association. A voluntary sauna fee is appreciated.

Out into Nature

You can enjoy nature at the Pamprinniemi Nature Trail in Pyhämaa. In the city center, Hiunjärvi, also known as a bird lake, features nature trails and a lean-to shelter. The accessible outdoor route and bird-watching platform at Kasarminlahti can be reached by hiking from the sports field parking area, with a lean-to shelter nearby. The Oinassaari lean-to in Korsaaren is another great destination for a trip. It's about 18 kilometers from Uusikaupunki's city center towards Lepäinen. Pack some food for grilling and head out!

For Delicious Moments

The food in Uusikaupunki is delicious and available in a variety of restaurants and cafés, many of which support local production, so you'll often find local produce on your plate. Occasionally, these restaurants also host events.

At Bistro Bay's BB-live: