Kaleidoscopic Rovaniemi Week comes on Sep 2-8

The 39th Rovaniemi Week slated this year for September 2 to 8 will comprise a kaleidoscope of hundreds of events.

The theme of this year's week is 'Kotikulmilla' (city districts and its outskirts) where more than 40,000 visitors are expected to take part, the organisers said.

"We have heard the hopes of many, and decided to steer this year's programme more towards every unique and lively surrounding area of this widely spread city and get visitors move around Rovaniemi knowing new places," said Roosa Nevala, the event organiser and cultural producer at the City of Rovaniemi, to the Daily Finland.

She said colourful programmes are traditionally crafted for the week with cooperation and efforts of many different stakeholders in Rovaniemi, including individuals, communities, associations, and entrepreneurs.

This year the week will be a part of the European Heritage days. So the week's events will be organised to celebrate the unique surroundings and culture environment of Rovaniemi, and to honour, cherish, and enjoy them as sources of people's wellbeing.

"The aim is to pay close attention to our everyday environment where we live, show how proud we are or maybe point out things to improve, if needed, invite others to visit and get to know our own living areas, its people and unique characteristics with low-threshold events," said Nevala.

A series of meetings have been organised with different event organisers from the Rovaniemi city area to generate new and a broad spectrum of event ideas.

One can expect, for example, interesting historic tours of the city, some nice trekking trips in nearby areas, neighbourhood parties, communal art projects, naptime concerts, art meditations, concert tours, and markets.

The Rovaniemi Week is a city festival that aims to offer a lot of mostly free or low-cost events that enable the participants to gain new experiences.

It is a perfect week to take a peek at the liveliness and different sides of this city – both as hometown pride for the locals as well as the curiosity dive for new arrivals and tourists.

"Everyone is encouraged to join and be part of Rovaniemi Week. I hope that people get inspired to join the efforts and organise communal events together. It could be communal work for the area, film screenings, market days, home concerts, street dances, and other possible events," she said.

The cultural producer, however, said that the week's programme will be published in mid-August as the authorities stipulated August 1 as the deadline for submission of event proposals. The city authorities expect to hear any preliminary plans and ideas during the summer.

Nevala also hinted that some programmes, such as an environmental art event in the Church Pond park (Kirkkolammenpuisto), concert tours in the villages, well-being and nature-oriented events, dances, sing-along and so on will be included in the Rovaniemi Week programme.

On September 7 Saturday the traditional Night of the Arts will be held when the whole city fills with art- and culture-related events.

On the concluding day, September 8 Sunday, will be the traditional open doors day in major venues such as Korundi, Arktikum, and Forestry Museum, Nevala added.