The countryside is not just postcard landscapes – it is living everyday life, community and opportunities. On Saturday 13.9 September you can test yourself whether the countryside could be your future. “The Wonderful, Horrible Countryside – A Day of Housing” offers a concrete opportunity to get to know rural life in nine municipalities in Northern Satakunta and Northwest Pirkanmaa.
Try it, get attached and settle in – the countryside is alive and inviting
Visitors can freely wander through over 150 event points, showcasing local housing, early childhood education, schools, hobbies, businesses and village life. The bravest municipal ambassadors even invite guests to their homes for coffee and volunteer work. You can participate freely in the event points and tour the sites according to your own schedule – most of them are free to enter, and any participation fees are announced separately.
"Visitors can sit by the campfire and roast sausages with the scouts, participate in the atmosphere of sports competitions or take a peek at a vintage boutique in the middle of the village square. Pop-up cafes, food shops and yard sales offer a communal atmosphere," says Noora-Mari Syväluoma, the event's project manager.
The proximity to nature is evident in many places: there are mushroom tours, nature walks and moments of calm in the middle of the forest. The program also includes local entrepreneurship - a winery food day, a traditional bakery's dough barrel carousel and a factory visit to a sports equipment factory open up perspectives on today's rural entrepreneurship.
For culture lovers, there are art exhibitions, guided tours of local museums and philosophical discussions about living in the country. The little ones in the family will enjoy drawing stations, the thrill of hill-drawn cart races and the company of farm animals. At the end of the day, you can sit down to watch the mayor lead a bingo party or dance gracefully in traditional stage dances.
Schools, plots and hobbies – the basic pillars of life in your hands
On the day of the event, the municipalities will also present their own services – hobby opportunities, land campaigns and everyday life in early childhood education and school. Maybe you will find a new favorite hobby, fall in love with an affordable plot of land or notice that the children are enjoying themselves at the local kindergarten. Each participating municipality warmly welcomes both current residents and those considering moving to the country.
"The event day program also includes open apartment viewings by real estate agents, which offer a concrete opportunity to get to know the area's housing. All event locations
– including apartment displays – can be found on the event page and on a digital map, which allows visitors to navigate directly to the sites,” says project coordinator Noora Elonen.
Basic information about the event day
- Date: Saturday 13.9.2025
- Time: event locations open all day, see opening hours on our website
- Municipalities: Ikaalinen, Jämijärvi, Kankaanpää, Karvia, Kihniö, Merikarvia, Parkano, Pomarkku and Siikainen
- Mainly free: most of the event locations are free to enter, any fees are listed separately.
- Event page: www.ihanakamalamaaseutu.fi/event
- Follow the atmosphere of the event in advance on Instagram: @ihanakamalamaaseutu
Tip for the media
The event day offers plenty of photo opportunities and interviewees. Contact the organizers and arrange a visit in advance - you will get a unique perspective on rural life.