World Village Festival
Hearing the words “world” and “festival” together, I immediately think of people joining hands around a massive bonfire and singing songs about world peace. Finland’s World Village Festival, however, is way more than that (minus the bonfire).
If Memorial Day comes around and you have no plans other than the family barbecue, you should definitely check this out. The two-day festival, held in Kaisaniemi Park and Railway Square in the center of Helsinki, takes place on May 26-27, just in time for the long weekend.
The festival is hosted by the Finnish Service Centre for Development (KEPA), whose aim is to lower impoverishment in Finland and other developing countries. Since 1995, the festival has sought to promote multi-culture and raise awareness about global issues and development cooperation among the different nations. Bear with me; this isn’t as boring as it sounds. Sure, there will be panels about politics and current events, but if you’re looking for a little fun, there’s also music, circus acts, dances, theatre, art and other interactive activities.
This festival is the largest multicultural event in Finland and is expected to gather together around 70-80,000 people of all ages. And the best part? You don’t have to pay a cent! Totally free performances? Why not?
Performers come from all over the globe. Last year’s festival featured artists from Vietnam, Zambia, U.S., Jamaica, Australia, South Africa and Tanzania to name a few. The variety of musical genres is exceptional, too. You’ll hear everything from punk, afro-beat, electro-pop, folk, reggae, ska, flamenco, acapella and blues. Name any genre from screamo to classical and chances are, you’ll be hearing it.
The event is geared towards all ages, so it’s great for the whole family. There are performances and activities specifically for kids, like African dance workshops and storytelling. As for teens 18 and older, for whom the night is forever young, there are participating bars and clubs, also. There are also plenty of food booths and shopping stands with trinkets from around the globe. The possibilities are endless … I bet your plan to travel around the world in 80 days seems pretty unambitious now, huh?
