Events of Green Loop

Time journey on the Tourujoki River

March 3rd, 17.30-19.30, Main library (Minnansali).

Take a journey through time on the Tourujoki River with Jussi Jäppinen's lecture on the history of the river. Jäppinen's visual presentation introduces the history, riverbank landscapes, events, settlements, and industry along the nearly three-kilometer-long river. 

The event is free of charge and organized by the Jyväskylä Society.

Winter in Kangas

Sun, March 15, 12:00-16:00 Kangas sauna and the Kangas area

Come and spend a winter day in Kangas! If you are not already familiar with the Kangas residential area, now is a good reason to come and explore it!

The day starts at 12:00 with a "Sensory Adventure in the Local Nature" tour from the Kangas Sauna (address: Kympinkatu 3). From 13:00, you can enjoy the sauna at Kangas. (Please note that the sauna has limited capacity.) The Kankaan Residents' Association will provide steaming sausages.

In addition to the sauna, there will be music provided by DJ Hi7eHi7een and Runonpunoja starting at 2:00 p.m., as well as stick exercises organized by the Kankaan Residents' Association at 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. If you have walking poles, bring them along for the exercise session.

Admission to the event is free. The event is organized by the City of Jyväskylä, the Kangas Residents' Association, the Kangas Sauna, and Haluna Arts and Wellbeing Services.

Blooming Kangas & Tourujoki

Sat 2 May, 12:00-16:00 Kankaanpuiston Metsäleikki Park and along the Tourujoki River (between the “Kuuseen kurkottaja” sculpture and the Kankaanpuiston Metsäleikki Park)

Come celebrate the continuation of May Day! The day is filled with fun activities for the whole family. The day begins with a rock painting workshop, where you’re welcome to join in painting and hiding rocks. Starting at 1 PM, you can explore urban gardening and try out parkour; at 2 PM, a kantele artist and a spoken-word artist will take the audience on an imaginative journey, followed by a cappella singing by the Het Kvintetti, filled with emotion and humor. Grab a picnic blanket and some snacks and head to Kangas with friends or family!

Schedule for the day:

12:00 PM Stone painting begins
1:00 PM Urban meadow, parkour 
2:00 PM Urban meadow, parkour & musical journey of the imagination
2:30 PM Musical journey of the imagination
3:00 PM Meadow creation, parkour, musical performance by the Het Kvintetti
3:30 PM Musical performance by the Het Kvintetti

Urban Meadow Creation:
We’ll create an urban meadow along the Kankaan baana road. We’ll work in small groups (max 15 people) between 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM. Groups will start on the hour by gathering at Kankaanpuiston Metsäleikki Park, from where we will walk to the meadow-making site under guidance. Tiina Mäkinen, Head of Green Services for the City of Jyväskylä, will guide us in creating the meadow.

Sower! Please bring a 1–3-liter plastic bucket (e.g., a jam jar or other small container), weather-appropriate clothing, and a cheerful spirit!

Time: 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM, and 3:00 PM (Duration: 45 min)

Parkour:
Parkour is an urban sport that involves moving creatively through various environments. It opens your eyes to seeing urban spaces in a whole new way! Panda Ilén, one of Finland’s most experienced Parkour instructors, will introduce you to the world of Parkour at Kankaanpuiston Metsäleikki Park. In the workshop, you’ll get to try out the basic techniques of parkour under the instructor’s guidance. If you can’t make it to the earlier group, you can wait at the park for the next group to start.

Time: 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM, and 3:00 PM (Duration: 45 min)

Stone painting:
Along the Tourujoki River near Kankaanpuiston Metsäleikki Park, you can also paint stones with artist Mariia Niemi and go on a hunt for painted stones in the surrounding area (see the FinStones group on Facebook).

Time: 12:00–15:00. You can join in at any time.

Musical Imagination Journey:
Embark on an imagination journey as you search for fairies, gnomes, and other inhabitants of the forest and meadow! Set off on your quest comfortably seated on a mat, powered by your imagination. The journey is guided by the forest spirit Riikka’s verbal narration and Olga’s improvised kantele music. The workshop is also suitable for the youngest members of the family when accompanied by an adult. The facilitators are Olga Kolari (Sonic Poetry) and Riikka Voipio (Herkänvoima).

Time: 2:00 PM and 2:30 PM (Duration: 15 min)

Het kvintetti:
During the day, you’ll also hear Het kvintetti perform along the Tourujoki River. Het kvintetti is a vocal ensemble from Jyväskylä that sings a cappella music with big emotions and bad jokes.

Time: 3:00 PM and 3:30 PM (Duration: 15 min)

Admission to the event is free. The event is organized by the City of Jyväskylä in collaboration with Taide- ja Hyvinvointipalvelut Haluna.

Skateboarding and Under-the-Bridge Party 

Fri, May 22

SkeittiHulinat 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Sepänaukio (Sepänkatu 5B)

The SkeittiHulinat event combines skateboarding, music, and creative activities. Admission is free, and the event is open to anyone over the age of 10.

At SkeittiHulinat, you can try skateboarding under the guidance of instructors from the Jyväskylä Skateboarders or on your own. Skateboards, helmets, and other protective gear are available to borrow on-site, but participants are also welcome to bring their own equipment if they wish.

In addition to skateboarding, the event features a workshop led by community artist and rap instructor Ossi “Soul” Valpio, where participants will learn about writing rhymes, crafting rap lyrics, and sketching and drawing. The materials needed for the workshop will be available on-site for participants.

Frank Arvoton, aka DJ Am I?, will be providing the music for the event, and the Nuorisopaku mobile of the youth work unit will also be on-site to offer additional activities and opportunities for young people to connect.

The venue is located in downtown Jyväskylä and is accessible on foot, by bike, and via Linkki local transit.

Under-the-Bridge Party 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Kulttuuriyhdistys TUFF! is hosting an opening party for the stunning new mural completed under the Kuokkala Bridge! TUFF! DJs R2ISDJ2 and Kid Vilho will be spinning hip-hop, funk, and soul records for the dancers and open mic participants. During the event, gift cards will be awarded to the best dancer of the night and the most skilled rhymester at the open mic! Come out to support and experience the art!

The event is organized by the City of Jyväskylä and the TUFF! Cultural Association. The event is open to everyone and admission is free.

LystiKylä Festival

Fri–Sun, June 5–7

The hugely popular LystiKylä Festival is back to get the whole family involved in some fun activities! This year’s central theme is water, which is reflected in the festival program in many ways. Come join us to enjoy music, theater, workshops, movies, dance, and art with the whole family!

Green Loop’s event artists Täti Tättärää and Kissa Kuu will be at LystiKylä on Fri–Sat! This bright and expressive duo brings joy and wonder to the hustle and bustle of the events through acrobatics, dance, rap, and music. So bring the whole family to say hello, celebrate, and create joy together at Green Loop’s events!

The full program will be published in April 2026 at jyvaskyla.fi/lystikyla.

Some festival content is subject to a fee. LystiKylä is organized by the City of Jyväskylä.

Staged walking tour on Green Loop

The Secret Green Loop unveils new hidden spots along its route. Local artists will be scattered along the lakeside trail between Mattilanniemi and the Kuokkala Bridge, creating staged scenes along the way. This event, open to everyone, literally brings culture to life, as the scenes take place during a guided walking tour. At the tour’s endpoint, you’ll find artist Aamu Elokannas’s quick-portrait station, where you can commission a portrait of yourself or watch the artist at work. The tour begins at 2:00 p.m. at the Kakophone sculpture in Mattilanniemi.

Event schedule and route

2:00 p.m. Het Quintet, musical performance (Kakophone sculpture; intersection of the pedestrian and bike path along Rantaväylä, at the end of Olutryvinkuja)

2:30 p.m. Hiljaa Collective, dance performance *Elävä vesi* (Kompassinranta, *Suuri kompassi* sculpture)

3:00 p.m. Rebecca Laube-Pohto, dance performance (stairs at Lutakon aukio)

3:30 p.m. Ässiä Hatusta, improvisational theater (under the Kuokkala Bridge) and

4:00 p.m. Aamu Elokannas, quick portrait painting (under the Kuokkala Bridge)

Admission to the event is free. The event is organized by the City of Jyväskylä in collaboration with Taide- ja Hyvinvointipalvelut Haluna and local arts organizations.

The event is part of the Pearls of the Green Loop theme year, which celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Green Loop and highlights the pearls along the Green Loop. The theme of the theme year this year is the waterways of Green Loop, namely Lake Tourujoki, Lake Tuomiojärvi, Lake Palokkajärvi, and Lake Jyväsjärvi. Check out the events of the theme year at www.jyvaskyla.fi/kehavihrea/tapahtumat.

The Campus garden is playing 

Sat 15 August, 4:00–9:00 p.m. Park area of the Mattilanniemi campus, University of Jyväskylä

Come and enjoy a summer evening with music, giant soap bubbles, and the fun characters Täti Tättärä and Kissa Kuu! The JKL.RAVES collective will provide electronic music perfect for a summer evening, inviting you to spend time with old and new friends while enjoying the beautiful park surroundings. Feel free to dance! The event is free of charge and alcohol-free. 

Guided walking tour of the lush and species-rich park area of Mattilanniemi in the University of Jyväskylä's Botanical Garden, led by botanical garden designer Hanna Keljo from 4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. The tour will be in Finnish.

The tour will start at the Mattilanniemi end of the Arto Sipinen walking bridge (corner of the MaA building). Duration approx. 1 hour 15 minutes. Free admission. The tour is not wheelchair accessible. 

Please note that the tour has a capacity of 30 people. Advance registration opens on March 30 at 8:00 a.m. at https://link.webropol.com/ep/mattilanniemenpuutarhakierros15082026. 

The event in the campus garden is organized in cooperation with the City of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä University Botanical Garden, the Science Museum and JKL.Raves.

The event is free of charge.

Lounaispuisto Movie Picnic

Thursday, August 20, starting at 9 p.m., Lounaispuisto

The Lounaispuisto Movie Picnic begins at 9 p.m. with DJ Korvakalevi setting the mood in the twilight park. While enjoying the music, you can also participate in the Kehä Vihreä workshop. The film starts at 10 p.m. 

This year’s event will feature the charming French film Amélie (K12), a modern classic from 2001 that is celebrating its 25th anniversary. The film combines warm humor, a romantic atmosphere, and a visually distinctive narrative style.

Admission to the event is free, and it is organized in cooperation with the Central Finland Film Center and the City of Jyväskylä Cultural Services. The workshop program is part of Kehä Vihreä's 10th anniversary celebrations.

Bicycle Cinema

Sat, Aug. 22, starting at 1 p.m.,  Piippurannan Klubi in Kangas (Paperitehtaankatu 1, Jyväskylä)

The Bicycle Cinema event invites you to come bike and enjoy cycling-themed movies in Jyväskylä on Saturday, August 22, 2026.

The event celebrates the anniversary year of Jyväskylä’s Kehä Vihreä (Green Loop). The Bicycle Cinema venues - Kangas and the Villa Rana Cultural Center in Jyväskylä - are located along the Green Loop route. Cycling around Lake Jyväsjärvi is once again part of the Blue Loop route network.

The day kicks off at 1:00 p.m. with a short film screening for the whole family at Piippurannan Klubi in Kangas, Jyväskylä (Paperitehtaankatu 1, 40100 Jyväskylä), along the Green Loop route. The screening will take place outdoors, and we hope you’ll come as a family, cycling to the venue and dressed appropriately for the weather.

The screening will feature the 10-minute French animated film *The Elephant and The Bicycle* (2014), which tells the story of an elephant who dreams of cycling. The film is suitable for all ages, especially the youngest members of the family. The film has no dialogue and is also suitable for those who do not speak Finnish. It has won awards at over 20 international festivals and has been screened in more than 80 countries around the world. Admission to the screening is free.

The event continues at 1:40 p.m. with a leisurely bike ride starting from Kanka, along the trails by Lake Jyväsjärvi. The bike ride is about twelve kilometers long and lasts just over an hour. The ride ends at the Villa Rana Cultural Center, where you can enjoy coffee and snacks before the next film screening. 

The Fillarikino event culminates with a film screening at Kino Aurora at 4:00 p.m.
The film is French director Sylvain Chomet’s enchanting animated cycling classic *The Triplets of Belleville* (2003).

In this animated film, a grandmother’s grandchild is kidnapped in the middle of the Tour de France, and the search—along with Bruno the dog—takes the grandmother far across the ocean. *The Triplets of Belleville* was nominated for an Oscar in both the Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Song categories.

Tickets for the screening can be reserved or purchased on the Kino Aurora website or at the theater box office 30 minutes before the show. A “Bike Ticket” for €10 is available for the screening of *The Triplets of Belleville* for those participating in the bike ride. For others, tickets are priced according to Kino Aurora’s standard rates: €15 / €13. Tickets can also be purchased at the door, if any remain. Participation in the bike ride is free of charge.

Event partners: Central Finland Film Center, Äkkigalleria, Jyväskylä Cycling Club JYPS, City of Jyväskylä (Green Loop) and Tuokaa tuoli!.

Tourujoki Arts

Sat 26 Sept, 8.00–8.20 pm and 9.00–9.20 pm, Tourujoki Park

Va-Loisia

Va-Loisia is an immersive performance that invites the audience to wander through the landscapes of Tourujoki. Set against the backdrop of the Rainbow River light installation, this multisensory experience combines dance, circus arts, music and light art into a surprising whole. Along the way, the audience encounters unusual characters, playful situations and moments that invite them to find tranquillity in the darkness of an autumn evening. Will the interplay between the works create a symbiosis, or will the performance end up merely existing within the light installation? The performance is a collaboration between the Haukanmaa Summer Theatre art collective and the band VANNI.

Admission to the event is free. The event forms part of ‘City of Light’ and is organised by the City of Jyväskylä in collaboration with local organisations.

Tourujoki River Restoration Opening Ceremony

Sat, Nov. 7th 2026

The Tourujoki River restoration project is complete, and the revitalized river area with its new routes will be opened for use. The event will be hosted by Mikko "Peltsi" Peltola.