The courtyards and cobbled streets of Torikorttelit open for summer events
18.6.2026 / 14:27
Summer in the Torikorttelit area brings music festivals, barbecue evenings hosted by renowned chefs, vintage and design markets, and terrace life to Helsinki’s historical city centre.
The summer programme for the Torikorttelit area includes a number of new or expanded events. The Odysseus Festival organised by We Jazz is coming to Torikorttelit for the first time, while the Bassline Festival will expand into the large courtyard of the City Hall, and the new Vintage Design Fair will bring vintage items, design, music, food and creative professionals to the inner courtyards in August. Meanwhile, the outdoor grill of Restaurant Brasa will be hosting a number of interesting names from the Finnish restaurant scene.
“Torikorttelit is the old centre of Helsinki, but above all it’s a neighbourhood teeming with life. It’s an area where people go to eat at restaurants, stop by shops, spend time in courtyards and meet other people at events. The summer programme strongly highlights what is essential about the Torikorttelit area: these historical city blocks are not just an area of cultural and historical significance, but a place brimming with urban life,” says Producer Sari Löytynoja from Helsinki City Premises Ltd.
Top chefs take charge of the barbecue grill of Restaurant Brasa
This summer, you can enjoy BBQ Parties at Restaurant Brasa in the Torikorttelit area, where some of the most exciting names on the Finnish restaurant scene will be taking charge of the restaurant’s outdoor barbecue grill. Each chef will design their own menu, which will only be available on one particular evening from 17.00 to 22.00. The chefs for the next BBQ Parties this summer are:
- 7 August: Johan Kurkela
- 21 August: Piero Silvani, Ego
- 28 August: Simo Harrivaara, HIIOHOI
Bassline and Odysseus bring music to courtyards and streets
The DJ-led Bassline Festival will take over the Torikorttelit area on the last weekend of June. This year, the festival is expanding into a new area, with the large inner courtyard of the City Hall set to be opened for the event.
The line-up features over 50 DJs and 13 club hosts, who represent some of the city’s exciting club concepts. In addition to its music programme, the festival is bringing back a street market to Katariinankatu, where you will find street fashion, vintage items, design and vinyl records.
In July, the Odysseus Festival will move to a new venue in the Torikorttelit area. Produced by We Jazz, this festival dedicated to adventurous music will take place from 15 to 17 July, and admission is free on all three evenings.
The Vintage Design Fair invites you to the courtyards of Torikorttelit
In August, the Torikorttelit area will also host a new creative industry market event, the Vintage Design Fair, which will take place on Saturday 22 August from 12.00 to 18.00.
Curated by WWW Contemporary, this event will bring together a select group of vintage and design vendors, creative professionals as well as food and music in the courtyards of the Torikorttelit area. The event highlights the second-hand culture, design and collecting as part of today’s urban culture.
Terraces, courtyards and a summer cinema invite you to spend time
In the historical Torikorttelit area, we will enjoy the summer not only through events, but also by spending time on terraces, in restaurants and in courtyards. The summer terrace in the Torikorttelit area, which opens out onto Senate Square, invites you to soak up the atmosphere of the historical city centre while enjoying delicious food and drinks. The numerous restaurants in the area invite you to cool off in their beautiful courtyards, and their summer programme includes intimate concerts and much more.
The Engel Summer Cinema, which will be held in the courtyard of Café Engel, will start on 25 June. Additionally, the area is home to Helsinki City Museum, whose new main exhibition – which opened on 13 June 2026 – focuses on everyday life in Helsinki.