We had a delicious morning on the International Market on Narinkka Square in Kamppi, Helsinki. The market stalls that mainly sell food are still there tomorrow, so if you are quick, you’ll have a chance to enjoy delicacies from different countries and a pleasant atmosphere!
Lucky the event was far better than its pretty lame website. The idea of the market is to gather sales people from various countries to sell their delicacies in five towns in Finland, Helsinki was the last one of the tour. We don’t have a proper deli culture here, so for me it is enjoyable to go to a stall that sells something that looks interesting, but to be able to taste it a little before buying anything. Obviously, if you want to make it free, don’t buy, just taste and smell the variety!
Also, don’t forget the next Ravintolapäivä, Pop up -Restaurant Day in Helsinki on the 18th of August, another great opportunity to get to try different food for only a few coins. It is a day when anyone can open their own “restaurant” and sell food. Sell or buy, and get to know the people in your neighborhood too! The last time we tried some great Thai food in Vuosaari. Maybe this time it will be a the perfect opportunity to teach kids to eat with chop sticks then too? Journeys of the Fabulist gives a great induction to how to get started!
While I am at it: there will be no fees for entrance or activities on the Children’s Festival on Sunday 18th Aug 10am to 3pm by Töölö bay behind the Opera house. Music performances, bouncy castle, sumo wrestling, kick motorcycles, instruments etc to see and try. Take some cash if you want to buy something to eat, or take a picnic and join all the others on the lawn
If this hasn’t been enough of events and food in Helsinki, you can still take a look at the pictures Under the Sky of Helsinki (Helsingin taivaan alla) in a friends blog. Last Thursday was one of the communal events, where people where encouraged to lay a table outside with a white table cloth, and dine in the summer night welcoming everyone passing by to join them for a meal. Mrs G blogs in Finnish but the atmosphere and her good taste in beauty is to be seen in the pictures.
Free But Fun 
Oh, I’ve got an idea for a Singapore post for you – we hosted a friend on a stopover recently and the stuff we did fits right in. Just have to give me a chance to throw it all together.
Sounds good B, I look forward to your post about Singapore! 🙂
The pop-up restaurant tradition is a bit like the berry-picking stuff to me. Your local laws are very encouraging to both activities – there’d be prohibitive hassles with food licenses elsewhere, I’m sure. It’s interesting to see how laws interact with culture.
Thanks for the shout-out! Hope the chopstick post is useful enough. Good luck!
The pop-up restaurant stuff is a very new tradition, I think it only started two years ago. There was a huge outcry, as some officials had closed down some small kids “shop” were they on common ground had sold self-made pastries one day – so we have it too, all the licenses required (oh, and the taxes to be paid, we are especially good on that one…). But as a result of this Helsinki has made an exception on the normal rules regarding selling food on a 3-4 days a year, and the success has been great (or this is what I heard happened). I’ve heard even some kids clubs have participated and made it an entrepreneurial trial. However, there are warnings everywhere about you yourself being responsible that day but I have not heard of any e.g. big food poisonings yet. I’ve heard other cities are now starting to do this too. Also, these kind of events have really been a good way to get people talking, even though we have no culture of small talk with strangers. But yes, I like this development of things!