Helsinki’s Suvilahti area to undergo redevelopment with festivals facing relocation

Construction in Helsinki’s Suvilahti district will begin next autumn, forcing major festivals to consider new locations, reports Finnish public broadcaster Yle. While the Tuska and Flow festivals will remain in Suvilahti until at least 2027, long-term plans may see Tuska move to Käpylä and Flow explore Töölö as alternatives.

The redevelopment will start with Kaasutehtaankatu and the former gasworks field, displacing the current skate park. Tuska festival director Eeka Mäkynen confirmed the event will stay in Suvilahti until 2030, but a potential move to Käpylä’s planned event park is under consideration. The expansion of the festival area toward the decommissioned Hanasaari power plant will provide additional space for the 2027 editions of both Tuska and Flow.

Flow festival director Katariina Uusitupa stated that the 2027 event will use both Suvilahti and the Hanasaari power plant area, maintaining the current capacity of 32,000 daily attendees. While the festival has long outgrown Suvilahti, its urban environment remains central to its identity. Uusitupa dismissed Malmi Airport and Käpylä Sports Park as unsuitable, though Töölö’s Olympic Stadium area has been evaluated as a backup option.

Helsinki’s land use planning chief Heikki Salmikivi noted that Suvilahti’s future will prioritise housing, workplaces, and entertainment, with large-scale events becoming less feasible. The city plans to develop Käpylä Sports Park into a multi-purpose venue for major events, alongside similar projects in Itäkeskus and Myllypuro. The Olympic Stadium area will also remain available for large gatherings.

Both festivals operate on annual rental agreements with the city, with no long-term contracts securing their use of the Suvilahti area.