Tuska 2025 takes over Suvilahti this weekend – here’s a summary of the festival arrangements

Helsinki’s Suvilahti will once again transform into a meeting place for the dark-clad festival crowd this weekend, as Tuska takes over the grounds from Friday, June 27th to Sunday, June 29th. Performers include In Flames, Electric Callboy, Powerwolf, Slaughter To Prevail, Lorna Shore, Motionless In White, and numerous others. Here’s an information package on the practical arrangements for the festival.

Program and Schedules

The festival area is open on Friday, June 27th from 2 PM to 1 AM, on Saturday, June 28th from 1 PM to 1 AM, and on Sunday, June 29th from 2 PM to 12 AM. The last artist of each day will finish their show approximately one hour before the gates close.

Daily show times for artists can be found here. The most convenient way is to download the Tuska app, where you can build your own festival schedule including reminders.

Arrival and Departure

The festival gate is located near Shopping Center Redi, close to the intersection of Koksikatu and Leonkatu.

We recommend arriving by public transport, for example, by metro to Kalasatama metro station. Metro services will run two hours longer than usual on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. There are also several bus connections to and from Kalasatama. However, it’s advisable to allow plenty of time for travel.

Wristband Exchange

Tuska is expecting over 60,000 visitors this year. To avoid crowds, we recommend exchanging tickets for wristbands already on the days leading up to the festival, if possible. Advance wristband exchange opens tomorrow, Tuesday.

Each ticket must be exchanged for a wristband in person. The wristband exchange takes place at the Tuska Check In point, on the 2nd floor of Shopping Center Redi.

Tickets and Age Limit

Ticket sales have been brisk again, and Tuska’s VIP tickets were sold out already in the spring. Other ticket types are still available and are on sale through Tuska’s official ticket sales partners, Tiketti and Lippu.fi.

Tuska’s age limit is 18 years. On Sunday, June 29th, from 2 PM to 6 PM, “Pikku-Tuska” (TinyTuska) will be held, during which children (0-12 years old) are welcome to the Tuska festival area accompanied by a ticket-holding adult. We do not recommend bringing very young children to the festival area.

Safety and Accessibility

Upon entering the festival area, a security check will be conducted in conjunction with the wristband inspection. More information on what is allowed and not allowed in the area can be found on Tuska’s website. Items can also be left for storage in the cloakroom.

Tuska adheres to safer space principles. A large number of event safety professionals work in the area, and you should turn to them in case of any problems. Equality and harassment contact persons are also on duty on-site throughout the festival. More information on accessibility can be found on Tuska’s website.

Tuska Expo, Tuska Sideshow, and Area Art

In addition to the shows, Tuska offers a wealth of Sideshow programs. The Tuska Expo in Kattilahalli once again features a vast number of exhibitors, from jewelry and clothing vendors to literature, and from dark art to barber and corpse paint services. At the Expo, Pakanafestarit (Pagan Fest) also offers the opportunity to experience witch hunts firsthand or step into the mystical Baba Yaga’s hut, standing on chicken legs, where you can entrust your fate to the witches.

The Kattilahalli also hosts the Body Art section, focusing on tattoo and piercing services, operating on a walk-in basis. The Ritual Stage, on the other hand, offers breathtaking performances related to dance, hook suspension, and rope bondage, among others.

As usual, Suvilahti will also feature plenty of area art. Artist Ilmari Wärri‘s works have been found at Tuska since 2018, and this year too, you can locate skull terrain, giant and smaller crosses, and the classic guest coffin in the area. In addition, the contemporary dance theater Mamia Company brings its “Kutoja” (Weaver) piece to the area, where visual art, performance, and dance are fascinatingly intertwined.

More information and schedules can be found on the Tuska Expo and Tuska Sideshow pages.

Tuska Forum by Bleeding Metal

Kiki, the host of the Bleeding Metal podcast, which has delved deep into the metal scene for over 10 years, will once again steer Tuska’s talk program this year. The panel discussions, known as Tuska Forum by Bleeding Metal, will feature both artist guests and other industry influencers. The discussions can also be listened to later as podcasts, in English. The up-to-date program and schedule can be found on the Tuska Forum pages.

Food and Drink

Tuska’s food restaurant and bar services have been further improved for this summer. The food selection is once again diverse and comprehensive, and naturally, vegetarians, vegans, and those requiring gluten-free options have also been catered for. Burger King is coming to Tuska for the first time this year, but plenty of alternatives can also be found for lovers of Mexican, Asian, pizza, hot dogs, and khachapuri, among others. The eating utensils and plates used in the festival area are biodegradable.

The beverage selection has also been revamped, offering a wide range of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic refreshments. Drink cans, wine carafes, and hard plastic wine glasses are returned to the serving points for a deposit.

Festival Area Map

The festival area map can be found on Tuska’s website.

Many updates have been made to the area’s design. Among other things, Tuska’s VIP area will undergo its biggest renovation of the entire Suvilahti era this summer, moving to the open gasometer next to the main stage. This change enables improved services and visibility to the main stage from the terrace built in front of the VIP area for a limited number of people.

Payment Methods

Tuska is once again a cashless festival this year. Accepted payment methods include credit and debit cards, as well as mobile payments.

Area Traffic Arrangements

There will be some changes to the traffic arrangements in the Kalasatama area during the festival area setup, the Tuska weekend, and the clearing of the area. Residents and other users of the area are asked to note possible route changes and allow more time than usual for moving around the Kalasatama area. Nearby residents have been informed of the changes via direct mail to their homes, and there will also be clear signage in the area.

TUSKA June 27–29, 2025 
Helsinki, Suvilahti 
#TuskaFestival
In cooperation with: Karhu, Fortum, Radio City, Redi, and Helsinki