The summer garden picnic will be held at Ylimattila Arboretum in Pyhäjoki on Saturday, July 11, from 5 to 7 p.m. Bring your own blankets and picnic refreshments. There will be a performer at the event. After the picnic, you can continue the evening at Kielo Camp, where saunas and a summer restaurant with terraces are open to visitors.

The event is part of the official Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture year programme.

Welcome to Arctic Coast Mushing Center, located in Pyhäjoki, just off the coast of the Baltic Sea. You are greeted by the mushers and the enthusiastic arctic sled dogs. At the farm you get to meet several kinds of arctic sled dogs: Siberian Huskies, Greenland Dogs and Yakutian Laikas.
Today you get to experience what riding in a sledge or kart pulled by a team of huskies is like. The mushers ask you to take a seat and admire the nature while they take you on a tour in the forest. The dogs might be barking impatiently before the take-off, but as they get to do what they love, they work in silence.
After the tour you will have time to cuddle with your new furry friends before it is time to leave the farm.

Price 100 eur / adult - 50 eur / child 2-12 years
Prices do not include transfers to / from Arctic Coast Mushing Center

Enjoy the Christmas spirit of Pyhäjoki! Once again, the residents of Pyhäjoki have decorated their gateposts, windows, Christmas trees — and even an old military vehicle — with festive flair.

You can easily soak up the Christmas spirit on an evening walk, moving from one decorated location to another. This year, there are 16 sites in the town center, four in Parhalahti, and seven in Yppäri.

The decoration event will culminate on January 2, 2026, with the Festival of Light — which will also serve as the opening event for Pyhäjoki’s Oulu 2026 European Capital of Culture year.

Musicians and all kinds of watercraft will travel the entire River Pyhäjoki from Lake Pyhäjärvi all the way to the sea on June 10–14, 2026.

During the five-day Soiva joki (The Singing River) event, the full length of the river will be sailed from Lake Pyhäjärvi to the sea. An international group of musicians and other artists will perform onboard a boat that will also stop to give performances in riverside villages along the way. Local village associations will organize their own activities on the shore, including meals and pop-up cafés. Finally, at the point where the river meets the sea, the musicians will improvise a site-specific soundscape inspired by the surroundings.

At the same time, after several years’ break, the Pyhäjoki Paddling Event will also take place. Everyone is encouraged to take to the water using different kinds of boats or even SUP boards, and to make music along the way. The 166-kilometre journey passes through six municipalities connected by the river.

The event is part of the official program of Oulu2026 – European Capital of Culture.

In Pyhäjoki, every season is magical! Let’s journey together in each season to a remote natural spot, where travelers are greeted by a cultural experience — in the middle of nowhere.

Sun, March 15
A joint hike to a remote natural site: cross-country skiing in deep snow on a bog or in the forest, accompanied by a choir performance.