New Year in Helsinki will be celebrated at a grand event held in Kansalaistori Square

The turn of the year will once again be celebrated at a grand event held in Kansalaistori Square. The headliners of the evening’s concert are Käärijä, BESS and Vilma Alina. There is a programme for families with children in the early evening, and the celebrations end with a dazzling pyrotechnic display. The event will result in exceptional traffic arrangements.

Helsinki invites all residents to celebrate the turn of the year at the grand event to be held in Kansalaistori Square. The late night concert features  DJ Xmies, Lyömättömät, Vilma Alina, BESS and Käärijä, who celebrates the turn of the year with the audience. Deputy Mayor of Helsinki Anni Sinnemäki will welcome the year 2024 prior to the performance of Käärijä. The evening is topped off with a dazzling pyrotechnic display that will be visible in the entire event area from Kansalaistori Square to the Töölönlahti event park.

“We have been actively seeking an impressive alternative to fireworks to crown the turn of the year at Helsinki’s New Year celebrations. This year we will try a pyrotechnic display, which is more ecological and less dependent on weather than fireworks. The pyro show will be fired from the stage, the edges of the stage and raised platforms in the event area. The pyrotechnics will rise to a height of about 70 metres, and the display will be visible in the entire event area from Kansalaistori Square to the Töölönlahti event park”, explains Stuba Nikula, CEO of Helsinki Events Foundation, the organiser of Helsinki’s New Year.

We do not recommend bringing small children to the grand concert

The New Year’s Eve festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. with Skidit-disko, a disco for the entire family, and the children’s programme culminates with a dedicated family pyrotechnic display at 6 p.m. The late night concert should not be attended by children under the age of 12.

“The security arrangements of the event area have been developed from last year by improving the positioning and instructions of security personnel. We will actively tackle disturbances and remove fireworks from the event area as effectively as possible. The security personnel and event producers will work in close co-operation with the police, and the authorities have banned the use of personal fireworks in the city centre, including the event area. Despite these measures, the late night concert is not for small children”, reminds Björn Åkerblom, Head of Security for the event.

The event will result in exceptional traffic arrangements

The event will call for exceptional traffic arrangements in the vicinity of Kansalaistori from 10 p.m. until 1:30 a.m. More detailed information is available at helsinginuusivuosi.fi/en.

The event will also result in exceptional traffic arrangements for public transport from 9:45 p.m. until 2 a.m.  Mannerheimintie will be closed between Eteläinen Hesperiankatu and Arkadiankatu from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. All bus traffic will go to Kamppi between 9:45 p.m. and 2 a.m., and the bus terminal on Elielinaukio is not in use. More detailed public traffic arrangements by line can be found on HSL’s Journey Planner and website: www.hsl.fi/en.

5:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. Children’s New Year: Skidit-disko & pyrotechnic display for kids

10 p.m. – 12:05 a.m. DJ Xmies / Lyömättömät / Vilma Alina / BESS / Deputy Mayor’s speech / Käärijä

00:00 Midnight Pyrotechnic display

Yle channels 10:45 p.m. – 12:05 a.m.: Live broadcast on Yle TV1 & Yle Areena

Helsinki’s New Year is organised by the City of Helsinki. The traditional event has been held since the 1930s. The event is produced by the Helsinki Events Foundation.

Image: Atte Malaska