18–20 July 2026 · Konnevesi, Central Finland
Konneveden Naisten Viikko is a distinctive summer culture festival held every July in the village of Konnevesi, Central Finland. The festival brings together music, poetry, art, philosophy, food, nature and unexpected encounters — in intimate venues, village spaces and lakeside surroundings.
In 2026, the festival theme is Spirit, Art and Future. Across three days, visitors can experience concerts, literary and philosophical talks, poetry, visual art, culinary events and free pop-up performances around the centre of Konnevesi.
The festival’s guiding idea is simple: art belongs to everyone, everywhere. Konneveden Naisten Viikko combines high-level Finnish culture with local expertise, local ingredients and the unique atmosphere of a small lakeside community.
Konneveden Naisten Viikko offers something different from a traditional city festival. The programme takes place close to the audience: in the church, the municipal hall, local cafés, village venues and outdoor surroundings. Performances, discussions and meals are designed to create encounters between artists, thinkers, residents and visitors.
The festival is especially suited for visitors interested in music, literature, art, food, Finnish nature and meaningful cultural experiences outside the usual city setting.
K-Market Galleria: Three Goddesses – Spirit, Art, Future
18–20 July · K-Market Konnevesi, Kauppatie 28 · Free entry
Paula Blåfield and Leena Nyqvist open Finland’s first K-Market Gallery with an exhibition placed inside the everyday setting of a local grocery store. The exhibition combines ceramic female figures, edible-looking artworks, cake sculptures, poetry and a touch of magic.
Small pop-up concerts will also take place in the gallery every day around 16:00. The performers include pianists Emilia Liimatainen and Jaakko Rikalainen and flutist Heliä Viirakivi.
Galleria Kauppatie – Art Orienteering in the Village
1–31 July · Konnevesi village centre · Free entry
Artworks from the Jyväskylä Art Museum collection are displayed in local businesses along Kauppatie. Visitors can follow an art map through the village and discover works in shops, cafés and public spaces.
13:00 · Konnevesi Hall, Municipal Hall, Kauppatie 24 · Free entry
Professor Antti Arjava tells the story of poet Otto Manninen and writer Anni Swan, one of Finland’s great literary couples. The lecture offers a personal perspective: Manninen and Swan were Arjava’s great-grandparents. He explores their lives, their relationship and their influence on Finnish poetry and literature.
18:00 · Konnevesi Church, Kirkkotie 1 · Tickets 40 €
A concert celebrating the beloved Finnish writer Eeva Kilpi. The performance brings together song, spoken word, piano and literature.
Performers:
Eija Ahvo, voice and recitation
Maija Ruuskanen, piano
Anna-Riikka Carlson, author
This is a premiere performance in Konnevesi Church.
16:00 and 20:00 · Väentalo, Lahdenkyläntie 1 · Tickets 100 €
Top chefs Meri-Tuuli Väntsi and Pipsa Hurmerinta create a festive four-course dinner using the best local ingredients from Konnevesi. Inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest, the dinner is a story of natural forces, wild fish, forest herbs and carefully grown root vegetables — a culinary experience for all the senses.
The 16:00 dinner is sold out. Tickets are still available for the 20:00 dinner.
11:30 · Konnevesi Hall, Municipal Hall, Kauppatie 24 · Free entry
Engineer-philosopher Timo Kaarle continues his popular lecture series with a new work inspired by the Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca. The themes include insufficiency, the currents of life and the freedom to shape one’s own happiness.
The lecture invites the audience into a philosophical morning of thought, feeling and reflection.
15:00 · Konnevesi Hall, Kauppatie 24 · Tickets 40 €
A concert by Trio Unusual, featuring music by Igor Stravinsky, Jukka Tiensuu, Juha T. Koskinen and Minna Leinonen. The concert concludes with Mikko Heiniö’s song cycle based on poems by Eira Stenberg.
Trio Unusual:
Patrik Kleemola, guitar
Mikko Luoma, accordion
Kaisa Kraft, soprano
19:00 · Konnevesi Church, Kirkkotie 1 · Tickets 40 €
A musical bibliodrama based on the Gospel of John. Actor Tommi Korpela reads the text, while pianist and church musician Pami Karvonen creates the musical world of the performance. The music includes works by composers such as Arvo Pärt, Franz Liszt, J. S. Bach, Morton Feldman and Joonas Kokkonen.
Performers and creators:
Tommi Korpela, reader
Pami Karvonen, piano and organ
Musical script: Pami Karvonen
Text dramaturgy: Kristiina Pelto-Timperi
21:00–23:00 · Häyrylänranta Harbour, Satamatie 60 · Tickets 40 €
The popular night cruise returns by audience request. The two-hour cruise takes visitors onto Lake Konnevesi in the summer evening. The performers will be announced later.
10:00 · Tarun Kahvipannu, Kauppatie 29 · Free entry
An informal morning concert with coffee and Tarun Kahvipannu’s famous cinnamon buns.
Performer:
Heliä Viirakivi, flute
12:00 · Konnevesi Hall, Municipal Hall, Kauppatie 24 · Free entry
A literary discussion and lecture event bringing together voices from Finnish poetry and spoken art. The speakers include poet Eira Stenberg, poet Anne Hänninen and non-fiction author Ulla Janhonen, who has written about the work of poet Sirkka Turkka.
18:00 · Konnevesi Hall, Municipal Hall, Kauppatie 24 · Tickets 40 €
The festival closes with Fallen Trees, a new work by trumpeter Verneri Pohjola, percussionist Mika Kallio and visual artist Perttu Saksa. The piece combines improvisation, meditative soundscapes and visual storytelling.
The performance evokes the world of an old forest: slow processes, decay, darkness, renewal and fragile continuity. Rather than explaining the forest, Fallen Trees invites the audience to sense it.
Artists:
Verneri Pohjola, trumpet
Mika Kallio, percussion
Visuals by Perttu Saksa
Dates: 18–20 July 2026
Location: Konnevesi, Central Finland
Main venues: Konnevesi Church, Konnevesi Hall, Tarun Kahvipannu, Väentalo, Häyrylänranta Harbour and local village venues
Tickets: Paid events are sold through Tiketti. Some tickets are also available locally in Konnevesi.
Free programme: The festival includes free lectures, exhibitions, pop-up concerts and village events.
Recommended for: Adult visitors interested in culture, music, literature, food, Finnish nature and local experiences.
Most events are in Finnish, but music, food, visual art, village atmosphere and the surrounding nature can be enjoyed by international visitors as well.
No. Despite its name, Konneveden Naisten Viikko is open to everyone. The name honours the enterprising local women whose work and spirit have helped make this kind of event possible. The festival welcomes all visitors as themselves and follows safer-space principles.
Konneveden Naisten Viikko is an invitation to slow down, listen, think, taste and encounter. Come for the art — stay for the atmosphere, the village, the lake and the summer night.
