Annual events
Charming Raahe spoils its residents and guests with many popular events all year round. The events are organised by the city, private operators and associations alike. Summer and pre-Christmas time are the busiest event seasons in Raahe, but there are established events held all year round as well. Find the one for you and join us!
Summer season full of things to see and experience for the whole family
The summer event season starts in earnest in the week after Midsummer with the Pekanpäivät Heritage Festival, a regional multi-day summer celebration combining culture, traditions and entertainment in honour of our town’s founder, Per Brahe.
The most awaited high summer event is the Pooki Flakkaa – Raahe Maritime Festival, with plenty to see and experience both on land and on water, including the Komerssi old-time market fair. The July festivities and atmosphere culminate in the Raahen Rantajatsit jazz festival with exciting and surprising performances by top jazz musicians.
Warm late summer evenings can be enjoyed at the Night of the Arts in mid-August and the transition to autumn mood welcomed by the Raahen Pimiät Festival at the first weekend of September.
Festive pre-Christmas time events offer diverse experiences
The Christmas season in Raahe always begins in late November, with the annual Christmas season opening at the Härkätori square. The Christmas season opening also marks the lighting of the traditional Härkätori winter lights, which will bring light into the darkness until the end of February.
In Raahe, you can count the days until Christmas by the Old Raahe Advent Calendar – a calendar the size of a city district. Each day until Christmas Eve, you can discover a decorated calendar hatch on one of the windows in the idyllic old town. The windows can be admired until Epiphany.
December also includes the traditional Anna’s Day celebrations with the drumming of pots and pans, the Christmas market and Epiphany carol singers. The Christmas at a Bourgeois Home event rekindles Christmas traditions and stories of the 19th century on the second floor of the Sovelius House, while the Christmas at Seminar event offers a festive Christmas market experience for the whole family at the old teachers’ college area.
Markets, culture and music – unique events around the year
Established events for residents and tourists to enjoy include, for example, the Raahe Spring Market held at the Rantatori Square in April and the Raahe Autumn Market held at the same place in October. The traditional Raahe Autumn Fish Market is arranged in Lapaluoto every October.
You can meet Finnish authors at Raahe Book Fair every September, and music heralds the beginning of the winter as the concert series Brahe Classica kicks off.
New traditional events include, for example, the Hole in the Ice Poetry Reading World Championships in the spring and the Popular Independence Day Celebrations.
All year round, you get to enjoy concerts and other experiences at the Raahe Event House and shows at the Raahe Theatre, not forgetting the exciting moments of watching sports at the baseball stadium and several other sports arenas.
More information about Raahe’s diverse event offering
For more detailed information about the events in Raahe, please see our social media channels, the Visit Raahe website and Kaleva Newspaper’s event calendar.
Welcome to Raahe, a city full of events!
