Culture and music

North Savo hosts an amazing range of events year-round, covering all forms of art, sports, business, gourmet, science, hobbies and entertainment. Check out some of them below:

• Kuopio Dance Festival – This international dance festival is one of the largest in the Nordic countries and features a wide range of dance performances from around the world.
• KuopioRock – Rock music fans flock to the festival in Väinölänniemi, Kuopio, to enjoy top artists and a relaxed festival atmosphere. Held on the Kuopionlahti field, Hoodfest gathers thousands of visitors from all over Finland to party to the beat of the leading names in Finnish and international hip-hop.
• Kuopio Wine Festival – A festival for wine and food enthusiasts where you can taste various wines and enjoy dishes from the best restaurants in the region.
• Kuopio Comedy Festival brings laughter to Kuopio. Organised in early summer, it is the biggest stand-up festival in Finland.
• Kuopio Christmas Market has attracted attention across the nation. The Christmas Market is set up in the heart of Kuopio, the Market Square.
• Satoa Food Festival introduces visitors to the diverse street food culture and distinctive dishes both on the street and in the local restaurants participating in the event.
• Tahko Midsummer Festival – The Midsummer Festival organised at the tourist centre of Tahko offers music, activities and a traditional Midsummer atmosphere in a beautiful lakeside setting. A unique event that combines music and the midnight sun into an unforgettable experience. Tahko also hosts other big and small seasonal events. See the Tahko events calendar
• Iisalmen Oluset – This event is especially popular with beer lovers as it brings together Finnish microbreweries and beer enthusiasts. The beer festival allows visitors to sample a range of beers, enjoy local cuisine and music and take part in beer brewing workshops. The event features a unique combination of culture and culinary experiences, promoting Finnish brewing culture.
• Jazz Club Iisalmi organises jazz concerts all year round in Upper Savo, and the international Iisalmi Jazz Festival is held in January.
• MadFest and RunniRock are summer events for rock enthusiasts held in Iisalmi. MadFest features a versatile line-up of rock and metal bands, while RunniRock is for rock and pop fans.
• Suonenjoki Strawberry Carnival is one of Finland’s oldest summer events and has grown to become a popular summer festival in recent years. The Strawberry Carnival offers visitors strawberry-themed experiences and music.

Hiking tips

North Savo offers great opportunities for hiking and trekking, allowing you to enjoy the natural beauty and peace of the region. Here are some popular hiking trails and destinations in the region.

• Puijo nature trail, Kuopio – Puijo is known for its observation tower, but the nature trail that runs through the forest offers a great place for hiking and observing nature.
• Neulamäki nature reserve, Kuopio – The area has an extensive network of marked trails that run through a diverse forest landscape, with several options for short and longer hikes.
• Korkeakoski nature trail, Maaninka – This trail allows hikers to admire Finland’s second-highest natural waterfall and its surrounding nature.
• Tiilikkajärvi National Park –Located on the border between North Savo and Kainuu, this national park is particularly famous for Venäjänhiekka (“Russian Sands”), a stunning lakeside beach. There are several marked trails in the area, suitable for both day trips and longer hikes.
• Lastukoski nature trail, Kuopio – This popular trail offers a chance to explore the typical Savonian forest and river landscape and admire the small waterfalls in the area.
• Orinoro, Leppävirta – The Orinoro Gorge is a geological wonder with impressive scenery and an exciting hiking trail to the bottom of the gorge.

Are you into sports?

North Savo offers sporting events all year round.

• Finland Ice Marathon (FIM) is a skating event like no other, held on the natural ice of Lake Kallavesi. FIM is Finland’s oldest and best-known skating event on natural ice. The sports at the event are ice skating, pole skating and kick sledding.
• Wife-Carrying World Championships in Sonkajärvi. Wife carrying originated from the stories of Robber Ronkainen, which inspired the activity where strength is measured in a wild and fun way by carrying a “wife” across lakes, cliffs and hills.
• Kuopio Swimrun Swimrun is a sport enjoyed in nature where trail running and open water swimming alternate depending on the terrain. The races in Kuopio serve as qualifier events for the corresponding races at the 2025 World Championships.
• Osuma Weekend offers throbbing beats and entertainment in Bellanranta, Kuopio, in the form of top Finnish artists and the hottest sport of the day, padel.
• Rauhalahti Kuopio Marathon is a traditional running event in Kuopio that has been organised for decades. The event is run on a quarter marathon route.
• Tahko MTB The chill atmosphere of Tahko MTB is enjoyed by a wide range of mountain biking enthusiasts from first-timers to some of the leading names in the sport. Held on the first weekend in July, the event brings together over 2,000 passionate mountain bikers every year. The participants share a love for mountain biking and nature. Tahko also hosts other sporting events such as the Banked Slalom Finnish Championships, Extreme Run and Watercross Tahko. See the Tahko events calendar
• World Orienteering Championships 2025 in Kuopio. The International Orienteering Federation (IOF) awarded the World Orienteering Championships 2025 to Finland and Kuopio.

Naturally, sports fans can also celebrate the successes of sports clubs around the province, such as KuPS (football), Kalpa (ice hockey), Steelers (American football), Welhot (floorball) and Savo Volley (volleyball).

Read more tips e.g. on disc golf, destinations around Lake Kallavesi, nature photography and mountain biking: Strong relationship with nature develops naturally in Kuopio – check out these tips