Summer brings maritime events to Turku

The boating season of the summer will be opened by Pax Navis event, which invites boaters and the friends of the Archipelago Sea to attend the Declaration of Seafaring Peace at the Ruissalo boatyard on Thursday 23 May from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The event will offer music and other programmes as well as information about water travel and the Archipelago Sea. The free event is open for everyone and accessible by land and by water. The aim is to create a yearly tradition connecting people travelling by water and in the archipelago.

The River Harbour Festival will bring carnival atmosphere to the banks of the River Aura on 23-26 May. The event will be bigger this year than ever before. The programme of the long weekend includes about 60 single events. Musical performances will be seen on the stage of Suomen Joutsen, the funicular will be opened at Kakolanmäki and Captain Rubber Duck’s fun day will be celebrated on Sunday. At Varvintori you can meet various actors of the security branch, and there will be on the spot, among others, Southwest Finland Emergency Services and the Finnish Defence Forces.

Classic mahogany boats will gather together at Aurajoen Wauhtiajot on Saturday 15 June. There will be magnificent ones from the 1920s-1960s as well as some newer boats built in the old spirit and running in the demonstration drive on the River Aura. The best spots for the public to watch the speedy drive and unique boats are in the area between the Library Bridge and the Theatre Bridge and between the demonstration drives in front of Pinella. Later on the day the boats will also drop by the Ruissalo boatyard.

Classic Regatta. Kuva: Studio Kukka

On 18-20 July Airisto Classic Regatta will bring big sailing boats to the guest harbour of the Ruissalo boatyard. They will compete on the archipelago lanes of Airisto for three days. The regatta is part of the Baltic Classic Masters sailing contest and its programme is also open to the public.

The biggest sales event of second-hand boats in Finland Veneet Esillä will be arranged for the first time in Turku and at the Ruissalo boatyard on 23-25 August. There will be nearly a hundred different boats on show as well as stands connected with boating and leisure time. On the banks of the River Aura you can admire the most impressive steam boats in the sea area of Finland when Aurajoen höyrytreffit gathers the boats together after a 20-year interval to Turku on 26-28 July.

You can also enjoy the maritime atmosphere at the Forum Marinum’s exhibitions, museum ships and a pop-up exhibition which will collect ideas about the sea centre coming to Turku.

The area of the Ruissalo boatyard acting as a maritime stage of Turku has in a short time become an oasis of events, which offers services for those arriving by land and by sea. The area is easily accessed from the centre of Turku by bus, bike, car or water bus. In addition to the sea air, it is also possible in summer to enjoy the offerings of a pizzeria, to visit an interiors shop and a smithy. This coming summer will also bring the summer theatre stage of Linnateatteri to the boatyard. In the harbour there are also classic boats and Sigyn, a historical museum boat, the repair of which can be watched on the spot.

The guest harbour of Turku opened for summer will serve boaters till September and create maritime summer atmosphere quite near the city centre of Turku. You also get into the maritime mood by jumping on a water bus on the bank of the River Aura from where the boat takes you to a trip to Vepsän ulkoilusaari (outdoor recreation island Vepsä) at Airisto.

Ruissalossa rannalla. Kuva: Turun kaupunki / Arto Takala