Hurmos, the academic year kickoff event for students in Oulu, was celebrated over three days this year. The outdoor sitsit, held for the first time, were part of the special program for Oulu2026, the European Capital of Culture, kicking off a major week of celebrations. Valtteri Råman, who served as Hurmos’s project coordinator, says his favorite moment of the week was actually the gathering on Wednesday.
“It was 4:30 p.m. in Åstrominpuisto Park, when the DJ put a record on and the line stretched all the way to the church. As the gates opened, it all came together—something that began three years ago when we submitted an application to the cultural foundation for an event like this, one that had never been organized before,” Råman recalls.
On Thursday, the traditional Hurmos Fair filled the Linnanmaa campus Väylä with booths and a frenzied rush to fill out registration forms.
The opening celebrations culminated in Friday’s Hurmos Festival, which once again drew nearly 7,000 students and student-at-heart revelers to Kuusisaari. Two stages featured Finland’s top artists as well as performers from within the university community. This year’s headliners were good boys, VIIVI, and ibe.
A major event requires a huge amount of work and a large team of people. The organizing committees work year-round to prepare for Hurmos. All that work comes down to the event week, when long days are the norm and stress levels can run high. That’s when a strong sense of camaraderie really carries the day.
“What really stands out in my mind is that great vibe we had while setting up the event. On Thursday, as we were setting up the event area at Kuusisaari, that sense of camaraderie really came together as we worked together in the dark and cold to build the pressure fence. We all agreed that, ‘Man, this is fun and wonderful,’ even though everyone was tired,” says OYY event producer Annika Tallila.
High-energy performers
When Friday night’s first act, DIVON, struck up their instruments, there were only a handful of people in the area, and the guys ended up playing their first songs for just a few of their most devoted fans.
By the time good boys took the stage, the area had begun to fill up at a steady pace. It’s a joy to watch good boys in action. Perhaps one of Finland’s most energetic bands really got the crowd going. The stage was full of movement, funny banter, and plenty to keep the audience engaged.
On the Hurmos stage, Misfortune’s heavy thrash metal immediately sparked a mosh pit from the opening chords, which happily kept spinning until the end of the performance. New Oulu Big Bang, a band constructed of University of Oulu staff, entertained the audience with timeless classics. DJ Sofia wrapped up the evening on the Hurmos stage, serving up danceable house music to the most enthusiastic partygoers before they headed off to after-parties.
The first fans began lining up for VIIVI’s set an hour before it even started. The charismatic artist immersed herself fully in the music on stage, moved the crowd with her lyrics, and, of course, had the audience singing along.
Despite the large crowd, the atmosphere felt close-knit and intimate. As a performer, VIIVI was warm and friendly, chatting with the audience between songs—and even broke the “cap rule” by performing one song while wearing a technical student cap she’d received from the audience.
Perhaps the most polarizing performance of the evening came from ibe. The artist experimented with a new DJ concept during the show, in which he served as the DJ for his own set. The bright, flashing lights caused some festivalgoers to leave the area even before the set was over, even though—especially during ibe’s most-played hits—the ground shook from both the thumping bass and the audience’s dancing.
As dusk fell, the festival grounds filled with a sea of colorful overalls, the echoes of sing-alongs led by the artists, and groups of celebrating students. Although the largest crowd gathered near the stages to dance to familiar songs, cheerful faces could be seen throughout the area, enjoying drinks, food, and the company of friends. The clear highlight of the side program this year was the karaoke tent, where singing rang out throughout the evening.
The event organizers are truly pleased with the Hurmos Week as a whole. “In my experience, every day of the event was a success, and we’ve received great feedback. It feels great to see how everything went,” says Tallila.
Råman agrees with his colleague. “I’m grateful for this successful project, but at the same time, there’s a touch of wistfulness now that my part in the project is over,” says Råman.
Thoughts already turned to next year
Next year’s Hurmos is already on the organizers’ minds.
“Our thoughts have already turned to what’s coming next year. We’re incredibly excited to start planning for 2027,” says Tallila.
“We’ll take our time going through the feedback and take a member-driven approach to figure out what visitors want from us,” says Råman.
Tallila encourages everyone to provide plenty of feedback, as it’s a way to influence the event’s future. “We take note of all the feedback we receive, and use it as the basis for next year’s event.”
“We’re certainly not backing down from this. The event has established itself as a fixture of the fall semester for students in Oulu and is Oulu’s largest and most prominent student event series,” Råman sums up.
Check out the photo gallery from Hurmos festival here.
Hurmos is a joint academic year kickoff event organized by the Student Union of the University of Oulu (OYY), and the Student Union of Oulu University of Applied Sciences (OSAKO).
