Alavus – bold and beautiful
Finland’s largest department store offers a destination for a memorable day trip
The main attraction in Alavus is Keskinen Brothers’ Village Shop in Tuuri. In addition to offering a unique atmosphere, the shopping centre houses almost a hundred high-quality stores and service providers. With its fun Moomin playground, Tuuri offers things to do for the whole family.
At Tuuri, you can also visit numerous events ranging from the Miljoona Rock Festival and karaoke competitions to flea markets and the Finger Wrestling World Cup event. These events feature Finland’s biggest stars in the fields of music, stand-up and vlogging.
Culture and arts from Toivo Kuula to milk jugs by Arabia
The famous Finnish composer Toivo Kuula was born in Alavus, and his influence is still evident in the numerous concerts and performances hosted by the region. One of these events is a singing competition that carries the composer’s name. Located on the shore of Alavudenjärvi, Art Gallery Harri hosts changing exhibitions and a permanent exhibition of Matti Annala’s works. The gallery also houses a Toivo Kuula room and a veterans’ memorial room. The Town of Alavus showcases its extensive collection of milk jugs by the Finnish ceramics company Arabia on Kauppakatu in Keskinen Brothers’ Village Shop.
The centre of Alavus also houses the Chapel of Memories and a cemetery where war heroes from four wars have been buried. The area features a chapel designed by Eino Schroderus, with a beautiful stained glass window by Bruno Tuukkanen. Statues depicting Toivo Kuula and industrialist Heikki Huhtamäki and a memorial erected in honour of the Stenbäcks, a notable local family, are also located in the area. Situated next to Alavus Church, the Old War Veteran’s Museum showcases items related to local history on two floors. Downstairs, visitors can learn about the battle of Alavus fought during the Finnish War (1808–1809), local church history, tar burning traditions, and the history of farming in the area. The upstairs space features finds from the Stone Age and objects related to hunting and transport. Töysä Open Air Museum in Sepänmäki invites visitors to explore the local history at the beginning of the 20th century and during wartime, and offers an introduction to the life of cobblers, apothecaries and shopkeepers. Töysä Granary, located next to Töysä Church, showcases the church’s history.
Numerous events add colour to summer in Alavus
In addition to the events held at Tuuri Village Shop, Alavus is home to numerous other events. The Ryskööt and the Viinin ja viihteen ilta events spice up the summer season in Alavus. The traditional Ryskööt summer event is arranged on the first weekend after Midsummer, when the centre of Alavus fills up with stalls, performances and a happy market atmosphere. An annual event organised by the Alavus Entrepreneurs’ Association, the atmospheric Viinin ja viihteen ilta offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy dance music and delicious food and drinks on a summer’s evening in August. Local residents and visitors alike can also enjoy summer theatre performances.
Fast-paced activities for the whole family
Alavus is home to an airfield where you can participate in activities such as skydiving courses in summer. Visitors can also enjoy the thrill of speed on karting, enduro and motocross tracks and snow mobile trails. Those who prefer more conventional horsepower can find several riding stables in the area.
With its six rope courses of varying difficulty levels, Adventure Park Huikia offers excitement and adventures for the whole family. In addition to farm animals, Holiday Village Tuuri Resorts offers a wide range of activities, such as quadbike safaris, frisbee golf, guided hikes, swimming, fishing, canoeing and skiing. Parc Fermé, owned by the successful rally driver Jari-Matti Latvala, houses a rally car and award exhibition, meeting facilities and a children’s traffic park.
