Oulu is the European Capital of Culture 2026.
Together with 32 municipalities from Northern Finland, we want to bring more culture and wellbeing, create new jobs and develop our region in a sustainable way. Our main goal is to start a cultural climate change, helping us to reconnect with each other through culture.
Oulu2026 will offer diverse, inspiring and unique contents already before the culmination of events in 2026.
Stay tuned!
Peek into the Capital of Culture
![](https://visitoulu.fi/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/afl-logo-1-310x250-1.png)
Arctic Food lab — Local flavours and experiences
Northern Finland’s short but intensive summer ripens our local ingredients. Arctic Food Lab is a program that brings forth the ingredients that have grown under the Oulu2026 region’s Northern sky, and the uniqueness of traditional food born under arctic circumstances. We want to offer local and international guests Arctic Food Lab experiences that cannot be experienced anywhere else.
Arctic Food Lab brings together those operating in gastronomy and food culture in the Oulu region and celebrates Northern cuisine and gastronomy. Food is not just nourishment but a way to provide experiences and demonstrate hospitality. Arctic Food Lab creates images of clean arctic nature and its ingredients that have been refined with local know-how into high-quality products and services. Local food supports sustainable development and achievement of climate goals.
Read moreSort by category
![A person wading in ice cold water in Tuira beach in winter. Foreground snow in the bank. Background buildings on the other side of the Oulu river. Sky is grey and clouded.](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/235edea0-c4c7-11ee-8621-d9f6e76a5e75.jpeg?s=1920)
Guided Winter Swimming
![a man playing air guitar on Air Guitar World Championships stage](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/6bb18ab0-4c68-11ec-a95c-cfaccc6e09a0-Ilmakitaransoiton%20MM-kisat%202018_photo_JuusoHaarala.jpg?s=1920)
Oulu August Festivals
![Yellow Oulu Cathedral church tower against blue sky in summer.](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/28e2c3f0-c4c7-11ee-8621-d9f6e76a5e75.jpeg?s=1920)
Oulu Quickly Walking Tour
![Yrttiaitta](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/538e2ed0-e190-11ec-b3c8-e3bd26f41147.jpeg?s=1920)
Northern Finland food experience
![Koivurannan saunalautta sauna Oulussa.](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/0f0946f0-cacf-11ec-baab-1bce364ca529.jpeg?s=1920)
Koivuranta Sauna Boat Public Sauna
![](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/d32d30b0-b6a4-11ee-9708-695c0e6a6975.jpeg?s=1920)
Winter Forest Adventure in Oulu
![Villiyrttikarkelot tapahtumakuva](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/f73404c0-169e-11ef-85ed-1573cbf99e75.jpeg?s=1920)
Wild Herb Celebration
![Yellow Oulu Cathedral church tower against blue sky in summer.](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/28e2c3f0-c4c7-11ee-8621-d9f6e76a5e75.jpeg?s=1920)
Oulu Quickly Walking Tour
![](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/e32f2e50-34d2-11ed-9151-5b215ac4257e.jpeg?s=1920)
ChocoTasting
![Koiteli rapids area in summer. Blue water flowing between rocks. Foreground green grass on the bank. Background green spruces.](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/2b5152f0-c4c7-11ee-8621-d9f6e76a5e75.jpeg?s=1920)
Minivan Trip to Koiteli Rapids
![people laughing and listening to storytelling at a fantasy tavern](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/7f373e60-bf4c-11ed-8fb6-cd05a147400e.jpeg?s=1920)
Spirits of Hearth and Home - Tonttu in Finnish Folklore
![](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/a2a6a1c0-bd0c-11ed-a101-0d79684aa620.jpeg?s=1920)
Go Arctic activities - Air guitar workshop or Air guitar show
![Handmade chocolate and local products.](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/55f41c30-c6be-11ec-aa5f-df77bb4864a3.jpeg?s=1920)
ChocoSomnia Factory tour&Tasting
![](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/9db7ad90-ebd3-11ec-828c-2fc2ffae239f.jpeg?s=1920)
Oulu Music Video Festival
![](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/4c3bc670-ebd5-11ec-828c-2fc2ffae239f.jpeg?s=1920)
Oulu Arts Night
![](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/fe694e20-be62-11ed-a101-0d79684aa620.jpeg?s=1920)
Go Arctic Events - Performers and hosts to your events
![a girl plays the violin, a picture on the wall in the background](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/1998fd20-eb15-11ec-aa78-cd2704146cb2.jpeg?s=1920)
Oulunsalo Soi Chamber Music Festival
![The white lighthouse in Hailuoto Marjaniemi against the blue sky.](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/2a0e72b0-c4c7-11ee-8621-d9f6e76a5e75.jpeg?s=1920)
Minivan Trip to Hailuoto
![](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/5b501720-bf14-11ed-8fb6-cd05a147400e.jpeg?s=1920)
Go Arctic - Events Services
![A person wading in ice cold water in Tuira beach in winter. Foreground snow in the bank. Background buildings on the other side of the Oulu river. Sky is grey and clouded.](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/235edea0-c4c7-11ee-8621-d9f6e76a5e75.jpeg?s=1920)
Guided Winter Swimming
![](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/bcf9cdc0-a6b2-11ec-ae3f-d90d6bc680b4-010%20Superpark%20Oulu%209-2017%20HIGH%20RES.jpg?s=1920)
SuperPark Oulu
![](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/d0e0c4a0-b2a6-11ed-9920-61ca39c2fac5.jpeg?s=1920)
Go Arctic activities - Craft upcycle workshop
![People resting in Finnish woods](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/786a3500-7dbd-11ec-975b-43ddd48952e8-Runkoavasten.jpg?s=1920)
Nature Power from a forest in Sanginjoki - Naturest Oy
![](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/818105d0-94fc-11ee-b933-373db190b7dc.jpeg?s=1920)
Go Arctic Events - Decorations for your events
![Koiteli rapids area in summer. Blue water flowing between rocks. Foreground green grass on the bank. Background green spruces.](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/2b5152f0-c4c7-11ee-8621-d9f6e76a5e75.jpeg?s=1920)
Minivan Trip to Koiteli Rapids
![winter cycling on the ice](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/d173ef50-b6a1-11ee-9708-695c0e6a6975.jpeg?s=1920)
Winter cycling by fatbikes at Oulu
![](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/1d887960-c7d8-11ed-8fb6-cd05a147400e.jpeg?s=1920)
Jumpru Patio Live!
![group on the ice](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/42986a70-b6a8-11ee-9708-695c0e6a6975.jpeg?s=1920)
Traditional Icefishing at Oulu
![Automatic belay](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/674c5340-d509-11ec-baab-1bce364ca529.jpeg?s=1920)
Oulu Climbing Center
![Ice fishing at Bothnian bay](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/083ac130-a5d8-11ec-ae3f-d90d6bc680b4-2d9cf8c3-19ad-4bfb-9058-527aa3e51784.jpg?s=1920)
Ice fishing with huskies
![Fish tern at Bothnian bay](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/d37ec380-a5d5-11ec-ae3f-d90d6bc680b4-aeaedb1b4144de982fbc5771ed5b4c60e7ca49f20530cdf058bc89946a554bf4.jpg?s=1920)
Experience the wonders of the Finnish nature
![The old red wooden church in Turkansaari in summer. Foreground green grass, background green birch trees.](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/2c5ecb50-c4c7-11ee-8621-d9f6e76a5e75.jpeg?s=1920)
Minivan Trip to Turkansaari Open Air Museum
![](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/460c4260-ebd6-11ec-828c-2fc2ffae239f.jpeg?s=1920)
Air Guitar World Championships
![](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/31e1f230-be6c-11ed-a101-0d79684aa620.jpeg?s=1920)
Go Arctic Events - Theme parties
![Ryhmä tekee tehtävää suon reunalla](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/54337650-89ec-11ee-9fca-6fdb01d69922.jpeg?s=1920)
Nature-based recreation days for work communities (Sanginjoki, Rokua) - Naturest Oy
![Dinner in Oula Kitchen & Bar.](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/01fbffb0-f60e-11ec-bd67-a5b329105a0d.jpeg?s=1920)
Oula Kitchen & Bar
![The old red wooden church in Turkansaari in summer. Foreground green grass, background green birch trees.](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/2c5ecb50-c4c7-11ee-8621-d9f6e76a5e75.jpeg?s=1920)
Minivan Trip to Turkansaari Open Air Museum
![](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/8e564a70-bd95-11ed-a101-0d79684aa620.jpeg?s=1920)
Arctic Edu-Tech - Workshops and experiences in Oulu area
![Musicians in the city centre](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/f9b42070-6c92-11ed-8b5d-750472ef9a58.webp?s=1920)
Urban Festival Oulu Days
![](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/0bef62b0-e89d-11ec-9905-89190dd55440.jpeg?s=1920)
Elojazz
![The white lighthouse in Hailuoto Marjaniemi against the blue sky.](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/2a0e72b0-c4c7-11ee-8621-d9f6e76a5e75.jpeg?s=1920)
Minivan Trip to Hailuoto
![](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/f0e105a0-9818-11ee-9eb7-af562cba91bb.jpeg?s=1920)
Go Arctic Events - Dinner with the ghosts of Oulu
![](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/f0ba9090-ebd6-11ec-828c-2fc2ffae239f.jpeg?s=1920)
Literary Art Festival Muusajuhlat
![Scottish fountain in front of Oulu City Hall in summer. Background Oulu Cathedral and clear blue sky.](https://cdn-datahub.visitfinland.com/images/27e1f5c0-c4c7-11ee-8621-d9f6e76a5e75.jpeg?s=1920)