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Hiljaa Fest logo on a wetland background | Source: instagram/finnishparks
A Festival Built on Silence: What to Know About Finland's Hiljaa Fest
Oct 13, 2026 - 03:00 P.M.
At the Finnish festival, the headliners are black grouse, the wind and bog moss, and visitors are asked to slow down and listen. Hiljaa Fest opened this month in a national park, and it’s free.
There’s a new kind of festival that encourages people to slow down, and it’s hosted in Finland, which the World Happiness Report has ranked the happiest country. The festival, dubbed Hiljaa Fest, Finnish for “Quietly Fest,” features the sounds of nature as the main acts.
A signage promoting Finland's Hiljaa Fest | Source: instagram/finnishparks
Hiljaa Fest, as the Visit Kotka Hamina regional tourism group describes it, is the "first ever festival of nature listening" and the “world's quietest festival.” Nicknamed "Quietchella," the free festival began on October 10 at Valkmusa National Park in Pyhtää, about 90 minutes from Helsinki, and continues through the fall.
Visitors are encouraged to set their own pace in enjoying the park’s peace and quiet, with 40 wetland habitats, observation towers, rest stops, and boardwalks. The festival also features 13 "nature stars" across four stages, including the Rämekulmumittari moth, one of Finland's rarest and the park's official symbol. The headliners are black grouse, the wind and bog moss. Visitors are expected to respect nature and leave no trace.
A woman admiring a tree in a foggy day | Source: instagram/finnishparks
According to creative director and wilderness guide Simo Peri, the aim of the festival is for visitors to appreciate the small details in nature, such as how the wind and moss sound.
“We have planned the first ever Festival of Nature Listening so that visitors get to tour the national park and really listen to the music nature creates,” Peri said. “It is a festival trip designed to nurture one’s soul and one’s mind.”
Finland has ranked first in nine of the past 10 years of the World Happiness Report, based on residents' own ratings of their lives. If you plan to travel to Finland, Helsinki entrepreneur Olli Salo says packing a trip with activities "is not the Finnish way," which is also echoed by the Hiljaa Fest’s slower pace.
Check with Visit Kotka Hamina for current dates before you go.
