Experience Finland in August – six local tips

August in Finland is the soft golden glow after the high notes of midsummer. The nights begin to return, forests grow rich with flavour, and the cities hum with late-summer rhythm. It’s the perfect time to slow down and lean into Finnish end-of-summer life. From foraging and glassblowing to dancing at Flow Festival or spotting the season’s first Northern Lights, here are six ways to experience Finland like a local in August.

After weeks of endless light, the first real nights return to Finland in August. It’s the perfect excuse to stay up late, soak in a traditional or smoke sauna, and watch the stars appear above a darkening lake. In areas with minimal light pollution, like Koli, Nuuksio, or Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park, the Milky Way is visible on clear nights. With luck, you might even catch the first flicker of the Northern Lights. Auroras are most visible from the end of August to April in northern Finland.

August is crayfish season, and in Finland that means candles, singing, funny paper hats and delicious food. These seasonal feasts, known as rapujuhlat, are typically hosted in homes and cottages, but restaurants in cities like Helsinki, Turku, and Tampere often hold their own versions or serve crab in their menus. Try fresh Finnish crayfish with dill, toast and schnapps and don’t be afraid to join in the traditional drinking songs, if you get a chance!

August is peak season for wild berries and mushrooms. Head into the forest with a local guide or simply follow a marked trail with a bucket in hand. Blueberries, lingonberries, chanterelles and porcini are easy to spot and thanks to Finland’s Everyman’s Right, you’re free to pick them for personal use almost anywhere. 

This is also the season to look for restaurants offering foraged tasting menus, such as at Tertti Manor in Mikkeli, where local ingredients are at the centre of the plate.

For over a century, Finnish glassblowers, designers and artists have shaped everyday beauty from molten material crafting everything from humble jars to iconic objects of modern design. August is an ideal time to explore this legacy, as glass villages and museums are still open but far less crowded than in high summer.

The village of Nuutajärvi, founded in 1793, is Finland’s oldest glassmaking community. Set amid peaceful countryside, it’s home to artisan studios, galleries and a working glass workshop where visitors can watch the age-old process of blowing, shaping and cutting glass by hand.

In Riihimäki, just under an hour from Helsinki, the Finnish Glass Museum presents the full story of glass in Finland, from medieval utility to the golden age of design. Here you’ll find works by legends like Alvar Aalto, Kaj Franck and Oiva Toikka, as well as rotating exhibitions that explore contemporary interpretations of glass art. If you’re travelling farther afield, look out for glass studios in places like Iittala – home of the world-famous brand and factory outlet.

As summer fades, movement begins. Liminka Bay, just south of Oulu, is one of the best birdwatching spots in Europe during the migration season. It is also one of the most important bird wetlands in the continent. The modern nature centre is a great place to start, but the real show happens at dawn and dusk in the hides and wetlands, where thousands of geese and waders begin their journey south. The total number of nesting species at Liminka Bay is close to 160.