Kuhmo & Chamber Music
What a breath of fresh air and relaxing lifestyle! Surrounded with beautiful unspoiled nature, a sandy shore by the lake, and an amazing sunset to boot, this is truly a paradise!
Kuhmo
The town of Kuhmo is about 650 kilometers away from Helsinki with the population of 8,500 residents. It belongs to the Kainuu region in the south eastern corner and runs along the Finnish-Russian borderline. Foreigners living in Kuhmo is less than 1% of the population and the majority are from Russia.
Famous Events
The most known international event is the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival held annually during the summer July 14-27, 2019. This year, the festival will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. Music lovers and international musicians gather to the east to celebrate the sound of the piano, harpsichord, organ, violin, viola, cello and other instruments. International pianist Izumi Tateno, who have lived in Finland since 1964, and has travelled all over the world to perform in various concerts, will also be performing in the festival.
Yoshiko Arai is a Japanese-born violinist who moved to Finland in 1969. She has recorded a lot of music from the famous artist Sibelius and a respected teacher in the Sibelius Academy She is a founding member of the Jean Sibelius Quartet and the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival together with her husband cello artist Seppo Kimanen. Both of them will perform in the festival.
Getting there and away
There are long distance buses between Kuhmo and Kajaani vice versa. Kuhmo is approximately 102 kilometers, so about an hour and 20-min drive to Kajaani City. The city is wherein the nearest airport, train and bus station that travels towards the capital city of Helsinki and other parts of Finland.
Where to shop and eat
The town offers basic needs and grocery stores such as S-Market and K-Market. The grocery stores and gas station are open around 8 am until 9 pm. Small shops and restaurants close as early as 5 pm.
Other activities
Kuhmon uimahalli is a small public indoor swimming pool and outside is a running track where you can also ski on wintertime.
Kuhmo is surrounded with forests, clear lakes and sandy beaches, which is why outdoor activities are a common past time. The forest offers a haven to unwind and breathe fresh air. There are plentiful of berries and mushrooms for harvesting. Among the favorite past time activities include sauna and grilling outdoors.
Entertainment and Nightlife
“Kuhmotalo” is a public townhouse that organizes concerts and public shows regularly. Hotel Kainu is the only hotel and nightclub in town, and it is open during weekends.
Where to stay
There are two hotels in Kuhmo, Hotel Kainuu and Hotel Kalevala. Both of them are usually packed when there are town events. You can also rent cottages or stay in private homes.
Maycel NK