The Tyrnävä programme for the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture year will begin on New Year’s Eve, 31 December, starting at 6:00 pm with the New Year Fires outdoor fire event, which will illuminate the centre of Tyrnävä and extend far along the roadsides!

The Tyrnävä Church Village Association, together with its partners, will light the fires starting at 6:00 pm. Streetlights will be switched off, and the fires will begin to illuminate the roadsides in all directions from the church village roundabout (Vanhatie 1–2, 91800 Tyrnävä).

More help is still needed for lighting the fires – come and join the volunteer lighting effort, and if possible, bring your own lighter. Fire lighters will gather in the yard of the old vicarage (Vanhatie 3) at 6:00 pm, so please arrive there.

The programmed part of the event, starting at 7:00 pm, will take place indoors at the Tyrnävä Municipal Hall (Kunnankuja 4). Doors will open at approximately 6:50 pm, after which the event will begin at 7:00 pm with welcoming words and a performance by the Murto Youth Choir. The event will feature the premiere of a new local anthem created in honour of the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture year and dedicated to the Municipality of Tyrnävä, the plains, and the North. Local residents have taken part in writing the lyrics.

Follow the updated Facebook event page: 👉 https://fb.me/e/8PtiT6Ha7

The event will end on 1 January 2026 at 1:00 am, when the streetlights will be turned back on. The event is weather-dependent.

Welcome to opening the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture year together!

This community event is organised by the Tyrnävä Church Village Association, the Municipality of Tyrnävä, as well as volunteers, sponsors, and partners.

Warm thanks to the partners and sponsors who make this event possible: K-Market Tyrnävä, Eläkeliitto Tyrnävän yhdistys, Hierontapalvelu HeVi, Juha Karhula Oy, Keskusta Tyrnävän paikallisyhdistys, MLL Tyrnävä, Pitopalvelu Vikki, Rauta Suotula Oy, Tyrnävän Apteekki, Tyrnävän Riistansuojelijat, Tuula Alikoski-Matinolli, Seppo Aulin, Tarja and Anne Bäckman, Jenny Palo-Oja, Paavo Pakonen, and Markku Rahko.

Photo: Juha Koivuneva

The Tyrnävä Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture programme Perunagalleria 2026 brings together the municipality’s cultural programme, content created with partners, and the Perunagalleria 2026 – Researched Potato Knowledge in Action project.