Sirkus Finlandia celebrates 50 years with new tour despite past struggles

Finland’s only traditional circus, Sirkus Finlandia, begins its 50th-anniversary tour in Karjaa this week, defying decades of financial challenges and shifting public attitudes, reports Yle.

The family-run business has survived without public funding, relying solely on ticket sales since its founding in 1976 by Carl-Gustav Jernström and Leena Jurvakainen. Their son, current director Carl “Calle” Jernström Jr., insists the circus will maintain its classic traditions—including animal acts—despite modern criticism.

“People still crave live interaction,” Jernström Jr. told Yle, standing beside the circus’s new, smaller tent (its sixth in history). The structure arrived just in time after production delays in Southern Europe. His mother, Jurvakainen—who originally painted the circus’s logo and signs—recalls early struggles, including Finland’s 20–30% “entertainment tax” on performances, abolished in 1981.

Finland had no active circuses for decades before Sirkus Finlandia’s debut. Jurvakainen remembers audiences confusing it with a fairground, asking, “Where are the bumper cars?” Over time, the circus educated the public on its art form, blending acrobatics, comedy, and animal performances.

The use of animals remains contentious. While current Finnish law bans wild animals (e.g., elephants, big cats) in circuses, Sirkus Finlandia still features horses. Jurvakainen is firm: “As long as I’m involved, we’ll have animals.” Her son echoes this, citing the circus’s role in bringing people closer to animals—though he acknowledges past controversies, including a 1980s boycott call by an animal rights group that exempted Sirkus Finlandia for its standards.

Today’s challenges include competing with digital entertainment, but Jernström Jr. believes live performances offer irreplaceable magic. The 50th-anniversary tour, he says, proves resilience runs in the family.

Tags: circus, finland, cultural heritage