Suomen Kädentaidot to mark 30th anniversary with 750-exhibitor Tampere fair

The three-day event will be staged in Tampere from 13 to 15 November 2026, featuring up to 750 exhibitors and a program of workshops, fashion shows and demonstrations for hobbyists, shoppers and craft professionals.

Billed as Europe’s largest event for the crafts and applied arts sector, the fair opens on Friday with a HAMK fashion show titled Time is Running and an address by Finlayson business director Jukka Kurttila. The opening ceremony, hosted by Ella Kanninen, will reveal the winners of the Taito‑Finlandia 2026 and Artesaaniosaaja 2026 competitions and include a performance by Ida Elina on the kantele, the traditional Finnish zither.

The anniversary theme is "Yesterday, today and tomorrow: celebrating 30 years of Finnish design and handicraft." A new Living Heritage of Handicraft zone will showcase traditional skills passed between generations. The weekend program mixes heritage presentations with contemporary topics. Kurttila will take audience questions on sustainability and the future of domestic production, while Saturday sessions will explore Paasonen’s knitted gala dress and machine tufting as a beginner-friendly hobby.

Practical workshops are a major draw. Paper takes centre stage this year: Daniela Toivonen will lead a session on DIY snowflake decorations. Other hands-on offerings include Sinell crepe-paper flower workshops, gold-thread embroidery demonstrations and a kinusaiga-inspired technique where images are assembled from fabric pieces rather than painted with liquid pigments.

The fair closes on Sunday with a finale of performance pieces, including an evening burlesque costume show titled Art of Revelation and an acrobatic set by Duo Sairen. Organizers expect the event to attract tens of thousands of visitors looking for unique gifts, new hobbies and inspiration from Finnish design and craft traditions.