Oulu, in northern Finland, will host the title of European Capital of Culture in 2026, combining icy nature, technology, and a unique sense of humor. Here you can experience floating saunas on frozen lakes, take part in the world air guitar championship, listen to a male choir screaming, and watch business ideas pitched while standing in icy water.
The €50 million project, entitled “Cultural Climate Change”, is expected to attract up to 2.5 million visitors in 2026. Highlights include the Frozen People festival of electronic music on ice, Art & Tech Lumo, the Arctic Food Lab with wild fish, berries, and mushrooms, and an opera about the Sami people.
