Lappeenranta’s summer offers residents and tourists a rich menu of events, including concerts, theatre productions, market fairs and a dive into the city’s history.

Lappeenranta sings and plays through June

Lappeenranta’s June is full of music. Traditional summer concerts start at Satamatori on Tuesday, 7 June and continue until the end of August.

According to Karri Heino, event producer at the City of Lappeenranta, there will be almost a hundred concerts around the city during the summer.  

“Concerts can be enjoyed in many familiar places around the city, including the Harbour Square, Market Square, Sandcastle and Joutseno market square. There are also some themed evenings, such as the partner dance Friday, band night and DJ night at the harbour in July. 

You can check the schedule of all the upcoming summer concerts here.

Theatre productions on offer throughout the summer 

The RATA-ryhmä theatre group will perform at the Pappila summer theatre from 8–28 July. The play, “Ilveily nimeltä Talonpoika satimessa” (“A farce called ‘Peasant caught in a trap’”), is described as a mischievous con story.

Lappeenranta Summer Theatre will perform a lively and captivating Krokotiilirock (Crocodile Rock) musical comedy by Miia Nuutila at the Fortress Summer Theatre from 28 June to 6 August.

Fortress comes alive with festivals

With the Saimaa Festival organised by the United Festivals Oy at the Fortress area from 8–9 July, Lappeenranta gets its own summer festival. The festival features many of Finland’s leading artists.

On the last weekend of July, the Karelian Old Town Festival dives into the history of the city and the 18th century at the Fortress area, featuring a historical market fair, sword-fighting, dances and stories of the city’s past.

August is the month of events

The City of Lappeenranta’s summer of events continues throughout August. The City of Lappeenranta’s birthday is celebrated in the harbour on Sunday, 7 August, with a Dragoon Horse Parade and much more. On 27 August, the free-of-charge Sataman Valot (Harbour Lights) event for the whole family illuminates the harbour. 

“There will be more light this year than ever before, including a lot of new digital content,” says Heino.  

As per tradition, the City of Lappeenranta’s open doors and the Greenreality Carnival are celebrated at the end of August, on Thursday 25.  

In August, the residents can also enjoy the high culture. The Kumaus Festival from 25 to 28 August brings art music to Lappeenranta. International dance is offered by the Ballet Gala from 26 to 27 August.

Sports activities by Lake Saimaa

You can also enjoy sporting events in Lappeenranta in the summer. The Extreme Run fun run event will take place at the Huhtiniemi camping site on Saturday, 18 June, and the Saimaa Cycle Tour will pass through Lappeenranta between 8 and 9 July.

The city’s sports services also provide keep-fit classes open to everyone throughout the summer at Myllysaari, for example. Click here for the summer exercise groups.

No summer without the Midsummer bonfire, funfair and market fairs

The Tivoli Seiterä  funfair will arrive in Lappeenranta in June, delighting the residents around Midsummer time from 16 to 28 June. Midsummer Eve is celebrated on 24 June at Myllysaari.

“A tradition starting in 1956, the Midsummer bonfire will be lit at Lappeenranta Harbour on Friday at 21:00 to crown the festivities”, says Heino.

After Midsummer, the  International Grand Markets will take over the harbour from 30 June to 3 July, with sellers and products from all corners of the world.

The traditional monthly market fairs will be held on the Market Square on three Saturdays, 11 June, 9 July and 13 August. 

For all the summer events in Lappeenranta, see the Lappeenranta event guide