Oliver Laiho has built a summer programme on Vallisaari where the island itself is the stage — over 40 events from May through September, all on an island you can only reach by ferry. If you haven’t been before, start with the complete Vallisaari guide. Wine tastings where the sommelier goes table to table. DJ evenings where the DJ plays into a sunset that never quite arrives. Long table dinners for 30 guests. And on Thursdays, wine dating evenings for singles, where wine does the work no dating app ever could.
All events and tickets: iisivallisaari.fi/tapahtumat
Wine Tastings (Fri + Sat)
The sommelier selects five wines each week by theme and goes table to table telling the story behind each producer — where the wine comes from, who makes it, why it matters. Not a lecture, not a quiz. More like having dinner with someone who happens to know everything about Piedmontese red wines. A DJ plays between the pours, and the tasting breathes with the music. 100 seats, about 2 hours, sea-view terrace.
The theme changes weekly: Italy, France, Spain, natural wines, New World. You don’t know what you’re getting until you’re there. That’s the point.
Insider tip: Friday at 1 PM. Less known than Saturday. Smaller crowd. The sommelier lingers longer at each table and tells the extra story — the one he doesn’t have time for when it’s fully booked.
Every Friday and Saturday, June through August. Popular sessions sell out 1–2 weeks ahead. Full wine tasting guide
Wine Dating (Thu)
Thursday evenings for singles who want to meet people without the artificiality of dating apps. 30 men, 30 women. The sommelier runs the evening — each wine is a conversation opener, and guests rotate between pours. A format where wine does what small talk never can.
June through August. Small groups, sells out fast.
DJ Sunset (Fri + Sat evenings)
After the tasting — or separately — the DJ plays on the terrace into the sunset. Deep house, funk, something that shifts the evening’s energy without demanding attention. Free entry. The moment when the light turns gold at 10 PM and the music hits just right — that’s why people miss their ferry on purpose.
DJ lineup updates on Instagram: @iisivallisaari
Yoga (Sun)
Sunday morning yoga on the historic Aleksandersbatteri — an 1800s artillery battery where the sea view opens in every direction. One hour, all levels. The setting does half the work.
Long Table Dinners
Vallisaari’s signature event: a long wooden table on the island, 30 guests, 5 courses with wine pairings. The chef in the kitchen, the sommelier choosing the wines. Once a month, June through August. Sells out in days — not weeks, days.
Special Events Summer 2026
Midsummer Wine Evening (June), Helsinki Biennial collaboration events, and harvest celebrations in September. The programme updates as the season progresses — follow @iisivallisaari.
Private Events
Weddings, birthdays, corporate events — up to 80 guests on an island accessible only by ferry. Wondering about Vallisaari vs Suomenlinna for your event? Both work as venues. A setting that can’t be replicated on the mainland.
Contact: oliver@iisivallisaari.fi or +358 40 027 8849
Book Tickets
All events, dates and tickets: iisivallisaari.fi/tapahtumat
Programme updates weekly. Popular sessions sell out 1–2 weeks ahead.
Oliver Laiho · IISI Vallisaari · Updated for summer 2026 with AI assistance.