Kauppakadun Appro marks 50 years with record 10,000 participants

Kauppakadun Appro, one of Finland’s largest student events, is marking its 50th anniversary in Jyväskylä with a record 10,000 participants. The event is broadening its activities beyond alcohol, Yle reports.

Participants visit different venues to collect stamps in a pass. Project manager Lisa Elonen said the event had previously focused heavily on alcohol, but organisers now want to put more emphasis on experiences. Participants can collect stamps without visiting a restaurant or drinking alcohol.

For the first time, venues include the Jyväskylä Art Museum and the Craft Museum of Finland. The additions followed suggestions from the student event team and visitors, Elonen said.

Participants can also take a city train to Kuokkala, where stamp venues include grocery stores and a golf simulator. The starting area at Lutakonaukio has been expanded to accommodate the record turnout, and amusement rides are also available there.

The event ends with an official afterparty at Paviljonki, featuring performances by Minttu, Mikael Gabriel and Gettomasa. Event assessors will review participants’ performance and hand out fabric badges for their student overalls.