info package on the Tuska arrangements

Metal music fans will gather again this week in Suvilahti, Helsinki, to celebrate Tuska from Friday 28 to Sunday 30 June. The line-up includes Pendulum, Bring Me The Horizon, Parkway Drive, Dimmu Borgir, Kerry King, Opeth and many more. Here’s information on the practical arrangements for the festival.

Programme and timetables

The festival area is open on Friday 28 June from 14-01, Saturday 27 June from 13-01 and Sunday 30 June from 14-00. The last artist of each day will finish their set about an hour before the gates close.

The daily showtimes of the bands can be found here. Download the Tuska app to build your own festival schedule with show reminders. 

Arrival and departure

The festival gate is located near the Redi shopping centre, next to the intersection of Koksikatu and Leonkatu. 

We recommend arriving by public transport, for example by metro to Kalasatama metro station. On Friday and Saturday nights, metro services run two hours longer than normal. However, you should allow time for travel and take into account that, for example, the Central Railway Station metro station is currently closed. There are also several bus connections to Kalasatama. 

Wristband exchange

More than 60 thousand festival-goers are expected to visit Tuska this year. To avoid the rush hours, we recommend that you exchange your tickets for wristbands in the days before the festival, if possible. Wristband exchange will open already tomorrow, Tuesday.  

All tickets will be exchanged for wristbands. Each ticket must be exchanged for a wristband in person. The wristband exchange will take place at the Tuska Check In point, on the 2nd floor of the Redi shopping centre. There is a guided route to Tuska Check In from the escalators on the Redi side of the Kalasatama metro station platforms.

Tickets and age limit

Ticket sales have been at an all-time high and VIP tickets are already sold out. Other ticket types are still available and can be purchased through Tuska’s official ticketing partner networks Tiketti, Ticketmaster and Lippu.fi. 

The age limit for Tuska is 18 years. On Sunday 30 June from 14-18, there will be a Tiny Tuska, where children (0-12 years) are welcome to enter the Tuska festival area with a ticketed adult. We do not recommend bringing very young children to the festival area. 

Safety and accessibility

There will be a security and a wristband check at the entrance gates to the festival area. Click here for more information on what can and cannot be brought into the area. Items can also be left in the cloakroom near the gates. 

In Tuska, the principles of a safer space are applied. A large number of event security professionals work in the area and should be contacted in case of any problems. Equality and harassment contact persons will also be on duty throughout the festival. More information on accessibility can be found here. 

Tuska Expo and Tuska Sideshow

In addition to the bands’ shows, Tuska offers a lot of other programme. The Tuska Expo in the Kattilahalli will feature an exceptionally rich selection of exhibitors this year. Co-curated with Sysimaa and Pakanafestarit, the exhibition will feature a wide range of jewellery, clothing and accessories outlets, as well as associations, beard pampering and hairdressing services, art and literature. The Expo also includes an impressive body art section, with tattoo and piercing services and a breathtaking sideshow programme, including a ritualistic rope binding show and a hook suspension show.

As part of Tuska’s sideshow programme, choreographer Nina Mamia’s interactive human installation, Hahtuva/Fluff, named after the cotton candy hair of grandmothers, will also be experienced. The contemporary dance piece invites the festival audience to join in on various rituals and performances, weaving an interactive and immersive experience. 

For more information and schedules, visit the Tuska Expo and Tuska Sideshow pages. 

Tuska Forum by Bleeding Metal 

Kiki from the popular Bleeding Metal podcast talks to interesting artist guests and other metal scene influencers on the Tuska Forum speech programme. This year’s programme focuses on the business of metal music. The discussions will be held in English. For an up-to-date programme and schedule, visit the Tuska Forum page. 

Food and drink

Tuska’s food world will be further expanded with the opening of a large and cosy food terrace next to the Open Air II Stage, with plenty of covered dining space. In addition, the food courtyard between the Karhu Main Stage and the Kattilahalli will be expanded around the iconic Suvilahti gasholders, so there will be more food and better spots.

Careful attention has also been paid to the food scene. The menu includes for example burgers, pizza, tacos and BBQ and plenty of more options. Vegetarians, vegans and gluten-free are catered for. The cutlery and plates used in the festival area are biodegradable.

The beverage section has also been revamped, with a diverse selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic refreshments. Drink cans, wine glasses and hard plastic wine glasses are returned to serving points against a deposit. 

Map of the festival area

There have been a number of updates to the festival area design. A map of the area can be found here.

Payment methods

Payment methods include credit and debit cards and mobile payment. Tuska is a cashless festival again this year.

Traffic arrangements in the area

There will be some changes to traffic arrangements in the Kalasatama area during the construction of the festival area, the Tuska weekend and the clearing of the area. Residents and other users of the area are asked to take into account possible route changes and to allow more time than usual to move around the Kalasatama area. Nearby residents have been informed of the changes by direct mail to their homes and there are also clear signs in the area.

Wedding at Karhu Kappeli

Almost thirty couples applied this spring to be the wedding couple for the wedding organized by the festival’s main partner, Karhu. Minna Lohikoski and Lasse Kosonen from Hämeenkyrö, Finland were chosen to be married in a unique ceremony at the Karhu Kappeli -chapel in the festival area on the opening day of Tuska on 28 June.