The Old Holvisto Christmas 2025 program has been published.

HAMINA BASTION OLD ARCH CHRISTMAS 2025
Raatihuoneenkatu 12, 49400 Hamina
Sat-Sun 13.-14.12.2025 at 10.00-16.00

The Old Holviston Christmas is an atmospheric and traditional Christmas market event for the whole family, focusing on artisans, in the vaulted rooms and field area of ​​Hamina Bastion. The event features over 100 vendors and exhibitors! At the Old Holviston Christmas, you can experience a relaxed atmosphere and sense the scent and taste of Christmas delicacies as well as the warmth of the campfire. In addition, there is a wide variety of Christmas programs on offer. Admission to the event is free!

As usual, the event will also have a lot of programs this year, especially for families with children. On Saturday, December 13, 2025 at 12:00 and 13:45, all children's all-time favorites, Little My and Moominpitch, will be seen on the outdoor stage of Wanha Holvisto Christmas! After the approximately 10-minute stage show performances, the audience will also have the opportunity to meet Little My and Moominpitch for approximately 20 minutes. Lucia Day will also be celebrated on Saturday, and the Wanha Holvisto Christmas program will culminate at 14:45 with the atmospheric Lucia procession of the Kirvinet Choir.

The program numbers for Saturday and Sunday differ so much that we recommend that visitors visit the event on both days. For example, on Sunday, December 14, 2025 at 1:00 PM, there is a unique opportunity to see the Mimmit Duo and Puhuri concert on the outdoor stage of Wanha Holvisto's Christmas! Children and adults can join in the Puhuri concert to play, dance and sing! The concert will feature brand new winter and Christmas-themed songs. Familiar Christmas songs have also been given exciting arrangements. The concert (duration approximately 30 minutes) has been designed to fit the format of an outdoor stage in a small puhuri, but weather permitting. Let's hope the puhuri doesn't get too loud! The duo version of the Mimmit band consists of Pauliina Lercher (vocals, accordion) and Hannamari Vallila (vocals, violin). Mimmit is one of Finland's best-known children's music bands. Mimmi have performed over 800 concerts in Finland and abroad and released eight albums in Finnish and one in Swedish.

The full program of the Old Holvisto Christmas event can be found in the schedule at the end of the announcement and in the attached event poster. Changes are possible. Part of the program is subject to weather conditions.

The theme is Circus Elves and the Elves' Winter Circus.

This year, the theme of the event's children's program has been chosen as the Circus Elves and the Elves' Winter Circus. The theme is reflected in the Old Vault Christmas in many ways. The area will once again feature works by children's groups from Hamina's early childhood education. It is possible to participate in the Circus Elves' big Christmas quiz in the field area and on the upper perimeter of the Hamina Bastion. The City of Hamina's event production will be building the Elves' Winter Circus in the atmospheric vault, where visitors can also try out various circus equipment on Saturday, guided by the elves of the Hamina Teen Circus from 12:00 to 13:30. On Saturday, keen-eyed event guests can also see the elves of the Teen Circus performing tricks in the event's field area from 11:00 to 12:00. The theme is playful and does not tie up the entire event's program offering. The most important thing is the feeling of unhurriedness and the beginning of visitors' own Christmas anticipation.

Do-it-yourself activities from Independence Day to Epiphany

From Independence Day until Epiphany (6.12.2025-6.1.2026) you can visit Hamina Bastion to explore the Circus Elves' big Christmas quiz related to the Old Holviston Christmas event on your own. The Christmas quiz will go around the upper rampart of Hamina Bastion and will stop in the field area at the spruce park and the large Christmas tree. You can go through the questions by going around the loop in whichever direction you want. You can also admire the Christmas trees decorated by early childhood education groups coming to the Old Holviston Christmas event after the event weekend until Epiphany. NOTE! There will be no regular winter maintenance at Hamina Bastion after the event, so activities are subject to weather conditions.

Children's charity event for the Baltic Sea

Children aged 2-5 from Hamina's early childhood education have also made gentle and lovely sea creatures called lantern fish Valokas and Pallokala from recycled materials. The children have been discussing ways to take care of nature. Valokas and Pallokala's journey from daycare to the world is a new way to help nature. Sat-Sun 13-14.12.2025 from 10-16 at Hamina Bastion, a silent bidding competition is underway at the Wanhan Holviston Christmas event, where the highest bid will win the fish. The proceeds from the sales will be used in full to protect the Baltic Sea. More information about the charity event can be found at the Keskikaupunki daycare center (tel. 0400 718 741).

FULL PROGRAM OF EVENT DAYS

10:00-16:00 Vaults and field area sales points open

At Santa's Workshop:

Saturday and Sunday 13-14.12.2025
10:00-16:00 Santa Claus can be met at the Santa Claus workshop (porridge break 12:30-13:00)
10:00-16:00 Crafts in Santa's workshop / Piipa Toivonen
10:00-16:00 Write a Christmas card for an elderly person in Hamina

In the atmosphere vault:

10:00-16:00 Elves' Winter Circus theme, test your accuracy in throwing a bean bag!
10:00-16:00 Write a Christmas card for an elderly person in Hamina

Saturday 13.12.2025
at 12:00-13:30 Hamina Teen Circus equipment trial
at 14:00 PM-15:00 PM Balloon animals for children made by Magician Jari

Sunday 14.12.2025
at 12:00-13:00 Balloon animals, Riesa-Pelle
at 13:30-15:00 Hamina Teen Circus equipment trial

In the field area:

Saturday and Sunday 13-14.12.2025
10:00-15:00 Little Hooves trail riding (5€ per person, cash only)
10:00-16:00 Mini carousels
10:00-16:00 Animal friends from Hutko farm available for scratching
10:00-16:00 Discover the Elves' work machines.
10:30-13:00 Hamina's Buddy Dogs are being scratched

Saturday 13.12.2025
11:00-12:00 Hamina Teen Circus, skilled circus elves
1:00 PM-3:00 PM Hali-Bernit

Sunday 14.12.2025
At 11:30, 12:30 and 14:00 Säilättäret, regional program

On the program stage:

Saturday 13.12.2025
At 10:30 Opening remarks of the event, Hamina City Council
Chairman Elina Inkeroinen-Lalu
11:00 School children's elf choir
At 12:00 Moomin, Little My Greetings. Meet&Greet after the performance
At 13:00 PM Magician Jari, a magic show for the whole family
At 13:45 PM Moomin, Little My's Winter Wonderland. Meet&Greet after the performance
At 14:45 PM Kirvinet Choir and Lucia Procession

Sunday 14.12.2025
At 10:30, announcement of the winners of the Hamina Christmas Light Competition 2025,
Mayor Ilari Soosalu
At 11:00 PM Riesa-Pelle, Christmas stage show
12:00 Dance group Surprise, Christmas dances
At 13:00 PM Mimmit Duo – Speaker concert
At 14:00 PM Riesa-Pelle, Christmas stage show

Part of the program is subject to weather conditions. The right to change the program is reserved.

The event is organized by the City of Hamina's Events and Culture Unit. The Old Holvisto Christmas at Hamina Bastion is part of the Hamina City Fortress Christmas complex.