HELLO HELSINKI

Lasipalatsi Square, Helsinki Show map

open every day from 12:00 // free

This is your chance to let your inner geek shine (or make your boyfriend very happy).

The Helsinki Comics Festival is the biggest of its kind in Northern Europe. Check out rare collectibles, new up and coming comic artist, diy zines and everything in between. Of course you can’t have a comics festival without a manga event (no surprise), which is probably worth checking out, even if it’s just to look at all the creative young people dressing up as their favorite characters.

There will be plenty of art shows, exhibitions, lectures, discussions, interviews, signings, competitions, performances and evening events, and the best of all is, it’s completely free!

Visit the sarjakuvafestivaalit web site to find the entire programme and venues.

www.sarjakuvafestivaalit.fi

@ Pitkämies 2 / Myymälä 2, Uudenmaankatu 23, Helsinki Show map

18:00 – 21:00 // € 5

When the Pitkämies 2 Comic Book Store opened in May, who would have guessed it would turn into such a great generator for parties and concerts? The store is situated inside the Myymälä 2 gallery, which is mainly featuring young local artists, making it the perfect venue for down to earth (it’s actually ‘under ground’) artists and art fans alike.

Pitkämies 2 / Myymälä 2 are hosting a series of concerts over the summer and it sure looks like a rather interesting programme so far. All earnings from sold tickets will go directly to the artists!

“Surunmaa is a Swedish-Finnish band playing Finnish bar room blues & old hillbilly folksongs with some tango to boot. They sing in Meiänkieli (that weird half Finnish language they speak up north in Sweden).

Jaakko Laitinen & Vaara Rähä just recently released their debut album on Helmi Levyt and it is a strong contender for being the ‘summer album’ of the year. Balkan inspired Finnish folk with catchy melodies!”

If you can’t make it this time, you’ll have a second chance to catch Surunmaa at Musta Kissa on 7 July.

Check out Surunmaa on MySpace
Jaakko Laitinen & Vaara Rähä on MySpace

www.pitkamies.net
www.myymala2.com

@ Pitkämies 2 / Myymälä2, Uudenmaankatu 23, Helsinki
18:00-21:00 // free

Pitkämies (Eng: Tall Man) is opening a new store in Helsinki Centre and invite everyone to celebrate. (Oh, yeah, for the people among you who have no idea what I’m talking about, the Pitkämies is pretty much the coziest comic book store in town!) With the new store in the Myymälä2 Gallery in Uudenmaankatu, owner Jelle Hugaerts promises to supply you with even greater gems, like artistic comics/artbooks and clothing, as well as graphic novels and music.

No Party without gifts and treats: naturally you’ll be able to buy selected books and music at a special opening party price. On top of that you’ll get a free Aapo Rapi postard on every purchase.

If you’re worried about your Finnish reading abilities, just ask the nice bearded man on the photo for his special “Finnish for Foreigners” selection.

Bring friends!

Pitkämies 2 event on facebook
www.pitkamies.net

@ Ptarmigan, Nilsiänkatu 10, Helsinki
10:00-12:00 & 14:00-19:00 // free

Team Usurper has prepared two amazingly useful workshops for the general public. You should definitely check them out:

1) because you’ve always wondered how to walk your dog in a comic way…
2) … you want to get rid of that really annoying kazoo, that your boyfriend just looooves!

Featuring artists: Usurper: Ali Robertson and Malcy Duff

Comic Workshop (The Dog Walking Technique)
10:00-12:00 // free
A character based comic book workshop hosted and designed by Malcy Duff. Participants will be invited to create characters through unique drawing techniques, and explore further possibilities in character development using a method invented by Malcy Duff.

Team Usurper workshop
14:00-19:00 // free
You are invited to join Usurper (Ali Robertson and Malcy Duff) in a workshop of dismantling instruments and improvising. Participants will play a show as part of the workshop on 9 May. Please bring an instrument you are willing to dismantle.

Make sure to check out the other Usurper workshops and events going on this week at Ptarmigan.