Seasons. June, Helsinki Samba Carnaval.

In June my all time favorite happening is Helsinki Samba Carnaval. It was 22nd time this year. It takes place in Helsinki day 12th June or next saturday if the day is in the middle of the week. 

The event is one of Helsinki's largest free public events, the audience is around 20-30 000 people. The parade  included seven samba schools from different cities of Finland, as well as other performing groups like circus and capoeira, a total of over 1,000 dancers and musicians. Helsinki Samba Caranaval corresponds to the Rio Carnival, only the scale is smaller. 

The whole happening is so hilarious. It's just the opposite of what Finnish temperament normally is. By this I mean that we are not exactly dancing in the streets and dressing up colorfully every day. All the imaginative costumes, funny and ingenious themes that the schools have invented make me so glad. Not to mention the hypnotic drumming. If I would take part in the happening I'd like be a part of batterias banging the big drum, yes!

Maybe the best thing is that people of all age groups can participate in the same interest. From the little girls and boys, chicos and chicas  to their mamas and papas and grandparents. Everybody can find their own role in the phenomenon.

I have taken my kids to watch the show too. The first time they saw the color saturation and the wild characters the impact was so big that the next day it erupted in to these lovely drawings.