Vaasa’s birthday celebrations take place all over the city

On Vaasa’s birthday, we can celebrate our Vaasa identity and enjoy our great city together. On 2 October 2023, it will be 417 years since Vaasa was founded. Join the events and enjoy the birthday discounts, offers, and free activities!

Discover the history and present of Vaasa

• The City of Vaasa Cultural Services and Vaasa-Mustasaari guides will organise guided walking tours on Vaasa’s birthday on 2 October. Guides are offered in Finnish- and Swedish-speaking groups at 14.00 and 18.00. Sign up for a tour: https://forms.gle/ndRNsFTLzYVd1SyV6. The tours start from the Statue of Finnish Freedom (the bronze sculpture complex in Market Square). Participation is free of charge!
• Botnia Film Centre presents films from the national audiovisual archive. The films show Vaasa as it was between 1920 and 1970. Join us on 2 October in the Drama Hall of the Main Library from 11–11.45. The event is open to all and free of charge!

Museum Open Day on Sunday 1 October

• The Museum of Ostrobothnia (Museokatu 3), the Kuntsi Museum of Modern Art (Inner Harbour) and the Vaasa Art Hall (Senaatinkatu 1) are accessible without an entrance fee on Sunday 1 October.
• Exhibitions on display:
  • At Kuntsi Museum of Modern Art, you can experience the exhibition Dimensions of a Line
  • At the Museum of Ostrobothnia, you can attend the basic natural science exhibition at Terranova as well as the cultural-historical exhibition Vaasa400.
  • At the Vaasa Art Hall exhibition, you have access to Alexander Salvesen’s exhibition In Visibilis V

Theatre and orchestra concerts at special prices on the birthday week

• Vaasa City Theatre congratulates the City of Vaasa and wishes to bring happiness to residents of all ages by offering tickets at birthday prices on Saturday 7 October 2023!
  • Children can enjoy a storytelling session with the beloved Herra Hakkarainen on Saturday 7 October at 13. All tickets €10 (normally €18/16) (recommended age 3 years and above, duration of the performance approx. 35 min.)
  • The swinging musical comedy about the power of friendship, Nunnia ja Konnia (based on the film Sister Act), on Saturday 7 October at 13.00 and 18.00. All tickets €42 (normally €49/45). The theatre treats all ticket holders to a cinnamon roll during the interval!
  • Tickets can be booked at the theatre box office tel. 06 325 3961 or vkt@vaasa.fi. A limited number of tickets!
• Wasa Teater:
  • Saturday 7 October tickets for the new musical Vänd om min längtan at 14.00 and 19.00 at a birthday price of €42!

For children and young people

• Opening of the Children’s Cultural Weeks Lätäkkö on 2 October at 16–20 at Vaasa Main Library, Drama Hall, Matilda, and the children’s section. The programme includes a puddle fishing workshop, a puddle dance by the group Polkkarinki of Vaasan Eläkkeensaajat, workshops in the Studio Puddle, the Lost Puddle board game, the opening of the Dive into Pictures exhibition and the opening of the artificial puddle. Free admission!
• Schools in Vaasa can take part in the Vaasa birthday celebrations by using the Vaasa Birthday’s educational material, produced by the Cultural Services. The material guides the pupils into learning about Vaasa’s past and invites them to solve fun puzzles about present-day Vaasa. This year, those who complete the material will also be entered into a prize draw to win theatre tickets for the whole class to Wasa Teater’s spring 2024 performance of Handbok för superhjältar.
• The Youth Services will offer young people a free cinema screening at Ritz (Kirkkopuistikko 22 a, 65100 Vaasa) on Monday 2 October 2023 at 18.30. The film of the evening is Blue Beetle. The screening can accommodate up to 200 young people. Age limit 13 years.

To celebrate the birthday, get moving!

• On Monday 2 October, the Sports Services offer the opportunity to participate free of charge in group exercise classes that day. This applies to all classes in the health exercise (terveysliikunta) and applied exercises (soveltava liikunta) categories, except for the closed aqua gym classes at Silveria. The offer does not concern the use of Vaasa Swimming Hall services.

Postcards and coffee

• Come along and write postcard greetings to be sent to our neighboring city Umeå. Greetings can be written together with Visit Vaasa at the main library from 11.00 to 20.00 and at Ritz from 18.00 to 18.30.
• Shopping Vaasa will be distributing coffee vouchers at the main library, Ritz and the Ostrobothnian Museum. Coffee coupons can be used at the selected coffee shops mentioned in the coupons. The coupons are valid from 2 to 7 October 2023. A limited number of vouchers available!

Announcement of the winning participatory budgeting proposal on Vaasa’s birthday!

• Throughout the summer, Vaasa residents were invited to submit suggestions on how to make the people of Vaasa happy. Seven proposals were shortlisted, and the residents were asked to vote for their favourite. The winning proposal will be announced on Vaasa’s birthday!