New frontiers and beloved traditions at the Helsinki Baltic Herring Market

The Helsinki Baltic Herring Market takes place in the unique setting of the Market Square as an even more immersive archipelago experience from October 4 to 10. The market’s product selection is expanding, a cozy restaurant area will be built on Keisarinluodonlaituri Pier, and a program of events is planned throughout the week. The market week will culminate on the final day with a Herring Dinner prepared by four master chefs.

One of Finland’s oldest public events is renewing itself this year into an even more versatile whole. At the heart of the event remain the fishermen, Baltic herring, and beloved market traditions, but alongside them, more of the archipelago’s other tastes, on-site dining options, and experiential programming will be introduced for the entire market week. The sales huts familiar from the Helsinki Christmas Market will make the Market Square even cozier, and the restaurant area being built on the Keisarinluodonlaituri Pier will offer the opportunity to sit down and enjoy dishes made from Baltic fish amid the maritime market atmosphere.

The Baltic Herring Market’s offerings include carefully prepared fish products and other archipelago delicacies, both for purchase to take away and to enjoy on-site. This year, the market’s selection is more diverse than ever, and the new restaurant area on the Keisarinluodonlaituri Pier with its indoor tents invites visitors to enjoy maritime delicacies, matching drinks, and the atmosphere of the market area.

The restaurant area will feature sales points from five Helsinki restaurants. Offerings include risotto from Restaurant Mare, open-fire flamed herring and salmon delicacies rolled in flatbread from Loimukeisari, seasonal fish dishes with wine recommendations from Kuurna, Tumpin savukala’s popular hot-smoked salmon pita, and Ariel’s legendary salmon soup.

In the restaurant tent crowning the area, Southern Finland’s master chefs will prepare one of the market’s favorite products—herring soup—both for on-site enjoyment and to take home.

The proud wanderers of the maritime environment—traditional sailing ships the schooner Kathrina, Albanus, s/v Valborg, and the galliases Olga and Vivan Kotka—will serve fish products to eat on-site, restaurant dishes with drinks, sweet treats, coffee, and traditional crafts in their atmospheric spaces.

Six fishermen will arrive at the boat slips of the Market Square quay, and a total of over 20 fishermen and vendors of archipelago products will occupy the market’s sales stalls. The selection will include lampreys, mergansers (“pöhkösiä”), spiced fish, canned and processed fish products, as well as previous years’ hits such as lobster herring, lime perch, cured whitefish sandwiches, and hot-smoked salmon mousse. In addition, products such as garlic, sea buckthorn, apple, and honey products, various breads, savory and sweet pies, and handicrafts like wool products will be available.

The herring craze, which begins as early as September during the Helsinki Baltic Herring Market in restaurants (Silakkamarkkinat Stadin rafloissa) theme weeks, will culminate in a Baltic Herring Dinner prepared by master chefs on the final day of the Helsinki Baltic Herring Market, Saturday, October 10. Master chefs Luka Balać, Helena Puolakka, Sasu Laukkonen, and Tom Hansen will conjure up a five-course dinner featuring herring and pike in various forms in the Emperor’s Landing restaurant tent starting at 4:00 PM. This is a communal dinner set at long tables for a total of 60 dinner guests. The articulate gourmet masters will talk about the menu, the ingredients used, and the Baltic Sea while they work. The proceeds from the 100-euro dinner tickets will be directed to the John Nurminen Foundation for Baltic Sea conservation work.

Helsinki Mayor Daniel Sazonov will open the Helsinki Baltic Herring Market on Sunday, October 4, by ringing an old ship’s bell at the Keisarinluodonlaituri Pier restaurant tent. “The Helsinki Baltic Herring Market is one of the anticipated highlights of autumn for me and many other Helsinki residents. Organized for centuries, the market event is a unique combination of beloved traditions, new frontiers, and, of course, top-tier maritime delicacies. Every year, the event brings Helsinki residents together by the Baltic Sea in a wonderful way,” says Mayor Sazonov.

The Herring Jury’s awards—the Herring Surprise of the Year and the Spiced Fish of the Year—will be presented on opening day, Sunday, October 4, at 4:00 PM. This year, the market’s best herring products will be selected by journalist Jenny Jägerhorn, musician Mikko Kosonen, Helsinki mother Annika Nylund, graphic designer Kasper Strömman, radio host Harri Moisio, actor Riko Eklund, fishmonger Petri Nätti, Johanna Suni from the John Nurminen Foundation’s communications team, Saara Kankaanrinta founder of the BSAG foundation promoting the state of the Baltic Sea, nutrient-cycling expert Seppo Knuuttila, and Alf Norkko, professor at the Tvärminne Zoological Station and diver. In connection with this, the Finnish Gastronomic Society’s selection of the Herring Dish of the Year will be announced as part of the Helsinki Baltic Herring Market in restaurants event.

The Baltic Herring row and the Herring hike events, which are traditions of the Market’s opening day, will land this year in front of Katajanokka’s legendary marina, MarinaBay, accompanied by the wind orchestra of the Helsinki Finnish Club (Helsingin Suomalainen Klubi). Mayor Daniel Sazonov serves as the official patron of the event. Seija Vesterinen will perform maritime accordion music throughout the opening day.

From Sunday to Tuesday, the sauna boat Saunaship Island Lady, offering visitors enjoyable steams, will be located off the Keisarinluodonlaituri Pier. From Wednesday to Sunday, the Stockholm brig Tre Kronor will grace the quay, organizing not only introductory tours of its magnificent spaces but also guaranteed unforgettable public sails off the coast of Helsinki. The joint stall of the Finnish Fish Farmers’ Association (Kalatalouden Keskusliitto) and the Martha Association (Marthaförbundet) will offer instructions on fish handling and recipes for preparing fish dishes, among other things. Jannen Kalastus ja Kayakki will, true to its name, guide the curious into the secrets of fishing and kayaking in Finland’s water systems. On Thursday, the market will celebrate Children’s Morning featuring the Secret Herring orienteering and other fun activities. One of the highlights of Friday evening will be the DJ collective Markkinavako, raising the atmosphere with a set that breaks genre and era boundaries.

The Helsinki Baltic Herring Market is open at the Market Square from Sunday to Saturday, October 4–10, 2026. Opening hours for sales are Sunday to Friday from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm and Saturday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. The Herring Dinner prepared by master chefs takes place at the Market Square on Saturday, October 10, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

Image: Kim Öhman