FATHER’S DAY – November 9, 2025

Father’s Day will be celebrated at Ursula with a traditional lunch. Our head chef has designed a menu that brings the best flavors of autumn to the table — while also including beloved classics. The highlight of the Father’s Day lunch is a strawberry cream cake freshly made in our kitchen. Vegan options are available upon request, and for the little ones, our kitchen will be serving Ursula’s traditional meatballs.

You can make a table reservation for the Father’s Day lunch here:
Father’s Day Table Reservation

Please note that on Father’s Day we accept table reservations only for the Father’s Day lunch.

CAFÈ URSULA’S GIG SUMMER 2025

Summer in Kaivopuisto wouldn’t be complete without Ursula’s live gigs, which we enjoyed on twelve evenings this season. The nights were a great success, people gathered under the big sail to enjoy music, the unique atmosphere, and culture.

Thank you to all our guests and performers 💗

And a special thanks to Mr Moonhead / Samuel Abaijón for planning and promoting the gigs 💗

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Gigs 2025

June 12: Dub Vallila / Helsinki Day
June 13: The Valkyrians
June 27: Sami Saari & Jazzpojat
July 4: Emilia Sisco Duo
July 11: Faarao Pirttikangas & Kalloreki
July 18: AT’s Roots & Ramblin’
July 25: Jo’ Buddy’s One Man Stomptet meets DJ Frankly Jo’
August 1: Dan & Claudia Zanes (USA)
August 8: Antti Autio (solo)
August 15: Blaster Master
August 22: Mary Ann Hawkins
August 30: Samae Koskinen (solo) / Venetian Night

 

The music starts at 8:00 PM on gig days.
Reservations for the terrace cannot be made, so it’s recommended to arrive early to secure a spot.
The terrace is covered with a large sail, ensuring that rain won’t be an issue.
The restaurant’s terrace kiosk will be open during the gigs, alongside the indoor facilities, offering a high-quality selection of drinks and food. A la carte dishes are available until 9:00 PM.

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The season kicks off on Helsinki Day with the city’s own reggae jazz superband Dub Vallila, who have just released a new single together with Paleface.
This well-known rhythm music group, originating from downtown Helsinki, combines in their production traditional pumping basslines, familiar reggae horns, Finnish electric guitar, both classic and modern dub effects, as well as grooving electro sounds.

The band members are well-known musicians from various rhythm music ensembles, such as The Valkyrians, Ricky-Tick Big Band, Jukka Poika, and Giant Robot.

LINEUP
Toni Puskala – drums
Tommi Ranta – bass
Samuel Abaijón – keyboards
Juho Virtanen – guitar
Mamba Assefa – percussion
William Suvanne – saxophone, flute
Jussi Vuorinen – trombone
Mikko Gunu Karjalainen – trumpet
Zuiko – shamisen

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The Valkyrians are our country’s most successful Ska/Rocksteady band and are the undisputed flagship of the genre. The band’s musical inspiration comes from 1960s Jamaican music as well as the British 2 Tone releases of the 70s and 80s. To these influences, the band adds a spoonful of their own brilliant pop flair. The result is very positive, energetic, and entertaining dance music.

The Valkyrians’ latest album, Monsterpiece, is one of the highlights of the band’s career and has received excellent reviews as well as extensive radio play around the world.

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URSULA’S MIDSUMMER

Ursula’s Midsummer is a traditional urban festival for the people of Helsinki.
On Midsummer, people gather at Kaivopuisto, drink glasses of sparkling wine, and enjoy the celebration and atmosphere of the midsummer night.

The Midsummer event is full of activities:

Teemu Harrinkari entertains on the terrace with his accordion in three sets at 1 PM / 2 PM / 3 PM.

DJ Tokemon will play summery sounds from vinyl records from 6 PM to 2 AM.
Tokela picks the best vinyls from his collection to ensure a summery atmosphere.
Dancing is encouraged!

The bonfire will be lit at 9:30 PM, provided that forest fire warnings allow it.
We will monitor the warnings during the event week and inform about the bonfire lighting or any restrictions on our website and social media channels.

Current warnings can be seen here:
Finnish Meteorological Institute / Warnings

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Sami Saari and Jazzpojat play 1960s jazz and original songs. Expect ear-pleasing and danceable swinging jazz and soul from here and beyond. Known as a small-scale grower and big consumer of Finnish soul music, Saari has always been a jazz man at heart. For this reason, he has formed the Jazzpojat band alongside him, where strong, charismatic soloism and irresistible swing join forces.

On April 25th, Sami Saari released a new single, “Jari,” together with Jazzpojat. The single is the first taste of the Nyt tai ei koskaan album, coming out on May 22nd. This album is the third installment in the “dance jazz trilogy” by Jazzpojat and Sami Saari. In addition to streaming services, the record will also be released on vinyl.

Lineup:
Sami Saari – vocals and guitar
Mikael Myrskog – piano
Eero Seppä – bass
Ville Pynssi – drums

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Born and raised in Helsinki, Finnish-Zambian Emilia Sisco has quickly emerged as a promising name in contemporary soul music. Her powerful voice and storytelling ability through music seamlessly blend soul, jazz, and blues. Emilia’s voice carries deep emotions that reflect the diversity of the human experience.

Her music has been described as timeless yet modern at the same time. Inspired by soul icons such as Aretha Franklin, Etta James, and Billie Holiday, Emilia brings a modern touch to traditional soul and R&B elements.

The other member of the duo is guitarist Tuomas Metsberg, who is especially known for promoting country and roots music. In addition to working with Finnish artists, Metsberg has toured and performed with notable international musicians such as Grammy-winning Redd Volkaert (USA/CAN) and Ted Russell Kamp (USA).

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Faarao Pirttikangas & Kalloreki is the new lineup of storyteller Pekka Pirttikangas, originally from Varpaisjärvi. Humu Records will release the band’s debut album Kallorekilauluja in May 2025, featuring a unique blend of wilderness folk music.

Pirttikangas, who relocated from Savo to Tampere, is known for his long, remarkably versatile, and prolific career. The critically acclaimed artist is remembered not only for his solo albums but also as the frontman of Cosmo Jones Beat Machine, a founding member of the Astro Can Caravan band, and for his collaborations with Pekko Käppi and Talmud Beach.

In 2018, Pirttikangas was awarded Artist of the Year at the Blues Awards gala.
In Faarao Pirttikangas & Kalloreki, alongside Pirttikangas, are multi-instrumentalists Timo Kinnunen (Cleaning Women, Cosmo Jones Beat Machine), Konsta Eskelinen, and Marko Niittymäki, who plays stringed instruments. Eskelinen and Niittymäki are familiar collaborators of Pirttikangas from the Nubialaiset ensemble.

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AT’s Roots & Ramblin’ is a young and energetic trio with their own unique sound and a fresh take on rock ’n’ roll. The band describes themselves as a kind of fusion that falls under the roots and Americana labels.

The group released their debut album, Notes From The Backwoods, in May 2019 and toured not only in Finland but also in Sweden with Fatboy and in England at the Rockabilly Rave festival.
At the end of 2021, they released their second album, Golden Lane, which is a cohesive collection of traditional rock, swing, jazz, big band, roots, country, and rhythm ’n’ blues music. The album relies on big arrangements and a stripped-down yet simultaneously massive sound world.

The band’s third album, Teased Up!, was released on April 4, 2025.

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Jo’ Buddy, a life-achievement award-winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, currently living in London, England, is celebrating 43 years as a performing musician.
He recently released the album Lockdown Sessions & Beyond Vol. 1, which has received excellent international acclaim.

Thousands of performances in 17 countries and hundreds of recording sessions have shaped him into an internationally respected artist whose original sounds and songs have been imitated and performed worldwide.
Jo’ Buddy offers a timeless and delicious cross-section of the natural synthesis of rolling roots music styles from the southern United States, where blues, New Orleans R&B, swing, country, gospel, and rock & roll come together, adding his own instantly recognizable, joy-filled sound that keeps the vibe enjoyable throughout the show.

DJ Frankly Jo’ complements the festive atmosphere by spinning a wide range of the most soulful rhythm gems of all time that won’t leave anyone cold—except in the form of chills.
DJ Frankly Jo’ starts at 6:00 PM
Jo’ Buddy’s One Man Stomptet starts at 8:00 PM

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Dan + Claudia Zanes (USA-HTI)
— Grammy-winning roots folk straight from the heart!

Grammy-winning roots-rock legend Dan Zanes and his wonderful jazz vocalist and music therapist wife Claudia Zanes are touring Finland and the Baltics with a concert at Cafe Ursula! Expect a warm evening filled with jazz-flavored acoustic roots folk and Haitian communal joy of life!

Over his long career, Dan has become known not only as a member of The Del Fuegos but also as a pioneer of modern American family music, touring worldwide with his multicultural ensemble “Dan Zanes and the Friends.” He has collaborated with artists such as Lou Reed, Nick Cave, Suzanne Vega, Sheryl Crow, Angelique Kidjo, and Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir. Beyond music, Dan is actively involved in the New York-based anti-racist group Constructive White Conversations, of which he is a founding member.

Claudia’s roots run deep in Haitian musical traditions, which inspire her wonderful ability to see music as a natural form of expression belonging to everyone. This straightforward approach allows music to flow through her freely and infectiously, whether performing on big jazz festival stages around the world or working as a therapist in hospitals or prisons.

The couple has been making music together since they met in 2016, dedicating themselves to uniting and empowering people worldwide through music.
www.danandclaudia.com

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Antti Autio is one of Finland’s most beloved new-generation singer-songwriters. Together with his band, Autio plays Finnish-language music rooted in fresh and strong vocal lyrics and intricate guitar work. His powerful and sincere songs about longing and love have enchanted listeners all over Finland. The artist’s intense and atmospheric live performances, which he frequently tours with, have often sold out. Autio has an exceptional ability to capture the listener in a state where the sense of time blurs.

Autio’s critically acclaimed albums Minä tuon mukanani sateet (2017), Pihalla tuulee taas (2019), Kaikki talot huojuu (2022), and Täällä sinua kaivataan (2024) have solidified his position in the Finnish music scene. He has a charming talent for subtly and comfortingly painting listeners’ emotions. The bond between softness and atmosphere is held together by an astonishingly intense, bold power and determination.

Autio’s music has been streamed over 22 million times on Spotify, and he has performed on the main stage of Flow Festival, among others. The artist’s work has received widespread critical acclaim in various media, often in a consistently praising tone.
The album Kaikki talot huojuu surpassed gold record status in autumn 2024.

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The Blaster Master is a Two-tone Reggae-Ska band from Oulu.

The band was founded in 1995 and has released four full-length albums as well as numerous singles, and has also appeared on several international ska compilations.

The Blaster Master is one of Finland’s best-known ska bands internationally and has played at nearly all major domestic festivals. Over their 20-year career, they have also toured in several European countries.

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Helsinki-based Mary Ann Hawkins solidified their position as the flagship of Finnish surf rock with their debut album released in 2022. The self-titled debut received glowing reviews from both domestic and international media. Having toured extensively across Finland and Europe, the band had already become a hot topic in the Finnish music scene thanks to their ecstatic live performances and two cult-status self-released EPs.

Their second album, Helsinki Surf City, released in February, is a twelve-track gateway into the world of Mary Ann Hawkins. It’s a place where foam-topped waves crash as high as Helsinki’s skyscrapers and the city’s sounds beckon you to dive into the whirlpool of rock ’n’ roll. Shiny streets echo with the wistful sound of guitars, calling the listener like a siren’s song into a surf rock movie. Reality and dreams blend together, and soon the listener finds themselves surfing through the thrill of the night city, guided by its dazzling lights. It’s a beautiful, fast-paced, and slightly frightening journey centered around danceable surf rock.

The album delivers the dynamic Mary Ann Hawkins surf sound that fans and critics alike have come to expect. Mostly instrumental, the record picks up where the debut left off. However, the band doesn’t settle for just meeting expectations but adds their own extra spices to the mix. The album pushes the boundaries of traditional surf music once again and surprises listeners with a few tracks featuring guest vocalists. The tracklist boasts real stars from various corners of Finland’s music scene. The lead single, “Beatlesin Viisaat Sanat” (“Wise Words of the Beatles”), features top Finnish rap artist Stepa. “Yöjuna” (“Night Train”) promises a cinematic atmosphere, perfectly interpreted by the legendary Marko Haavisto. “Rock ’n’ Roll Sydän” (“Rock ’n’ Roll Heart”) is set to become a rock classic, featuring the mysterious artist Maria Stereo, known also for her visual art. The album’s closing track, “Ison Cityn Valot” (“Big City Lights”), takes Mary Ann Hawkins’ artistry to new realms with its ethereal and intensely powerful interpretation by Minja Koski, also known as M.

In recent years, Mary Ann Hawkins has been praised for their versatile performances and has become a familiar sight at front-line festivals, afterparties at skateboarding events, squatted houses in Central Europe, and concert halls at home.

The secret to the band’s unique sound lies in combining traditional surf music and the twang of the electric guitar with cinematic moods aided by lead saxophone, reaching as far as spaghetti western atmospheres, all while delivering energetic rock noise.

Their elegant visuals and short film-like music videos have captivated fans and critics alike, and the band has been hailed as one of Finland’s best live acts and the new rulers of surf rock.

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Come celebrate the summer’s grand finale at the atmospheric Venetian Night at Café Ursula — an unforgettable evening of music and sea views awaits, featuring the charming Samae Koskinen on stage.

Samae Koskinen began his career as the frontman of an English-language indie band but soon found himself in the middle of a Finnish-language solo career. His first album’s radio hit “Hän asuu näillä kulmilla” (“She Lives Around Here”) and the Emma Award nomination for the follow-up album Elossa (“Alive”) were soon followed by a series of beautiful songs and concerts.

For years, Samae has performed solo with an acoustic guitar or with varying ensembles across Finland, adapting effortlessly from libraries and pubs to large concert halls. On his solo path, Samae is known as a songwriter who finds sunshine in the underbrush and makes something great out of the small.

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PAST EVENTS

 

 

Café Ursula’s summer includes free terrace live concerts. Concerts are held from mid-June to the end of August every Friday.

What could be a better way to spend a relaxed early evening than listening to Finland’s most interesting artists with a stunning sea view as the sun sets, in good company, with your favorite drink in hand.

 

At Ursula’s terrace, you’ll see Finland’s highest-quality free concerts: including the winners of the first episode of “Levyraati,” Inginmaa / Hypnomen, as well as the Teosto Award winner Tinyhawk & Bizzarro.

 

For the second summer in a row, the music polymath Samuel Abaijón (Moonhead Music) is booking Ursula’s live concerts.

You can follow Samuel’s work and musical expertise through various projects:

Levylaukku / Moonhead / The Valkyrians / Café Ursula / The Mike Bell Cartel / Dub Vallila / The Bunkers.

Samuel’s contacts and experience in the music industry bring a diverse range of artists to Ursula, entertaining a wide audience.

The common thread in booking artists has been to find performances that best suit Ursula’s terrace with its maritime view.

Abaijón describes seeking “intense gigs that sound good even at low volume.”

“According to the weather forecast, Finland’s summer will be warmer than average. While meteorology might not be entirely reliable, it’s certain that it will be hot on Café Ursula’s terrace every Friday.”

 

 

The music starts on concert nights at 8:00 PM. Tables on the terrace cannot be reserved from the restaurant,

so to secure a spot, it’s advisable to arrive early. The terrace is covered with a large sail, so rain won’t be a problem.

The restaurant’s terrace kiosk serves drinks and food during the concerts alongside indoor service, offering a high-quality selection.

À la carte dishes are available until 9:00 PM.

 

 

 

 

 

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Inginmaa/Hypnomen is an example of a perfect musical cocktail. They blend decades of refined expertise in psychedelic groove music with the charismatic jazz-like prowess of their vocalist.
Anna Inginmaa and Hypnomen found each other on the album “Huominen on uni,” released in 2016, which was a collaboration with Kauko Röyhkä.
This critically acclaimed album took the group to stages like the Flow Festival and intimate club gigs. Now, it’s time to unveil the long-awaited next step.
Their music, drawing from the melodic glow and groove of the 1960s and 1970s, the danger-laden atmosphere of film noir, the elegance of black-and-white era ballads,
and the echoes of psychedelic pop, sounds like vintage quality yet refreshingly modern.

The core of the album, released in the fall of 2023, consists of their own strong songs, embodying a timeless blend of romance and edge. Anna Inginmaa has spent the last few years building a jazz career as the leader and vocalist of her own band. The musicians of Hypnomen, who have enjoyed a cult following since the 1990s, have been heard in various projects including Nieminen & Litmanen, Maria Gasolina, and Pekka Laine & The Enchanted.

 

Kauko Röyhkä is a veteran writer and rock musician who, since 1980, has been both infuriating and enchanting the Finnish people with his songs and novels. His debut album “Steppaillen” (1980) is a Finnish rock classic, and his novel “Kaksi aurinkoa” was nominated for the Finlandia Prize in 1996. Röyhkä has also written film scripts, TV dramas, columns, and album reviews. In 1995, he was awarded the Suomi Prize, and in 2009, he received the State Art Award.

This multifaceted talent shows no signs of slowing down.

 

 

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Knucklebone Oscar celebrates his new album “Uncle Knuckle” on Friday, July 12th, at Café Ursula’s Terrace. On his album tour, Oscar and his band will deliver their trademark blend of rock ‘n’ roll, soul, and rhythm ‘n’ blues, seasoned with an entertaining stage show. Oscar’s resume is quite impressive. It includes extensive touring, a gospel album with Tuomari Nurmio, a wide concert hall tour, collaborations and singles with Eero Raittinen, participation in the Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu competition, touring all the way to China, and even a documentary about himself.

 

Tinyhawk’s guitar-driven world is full of adventure, fleeting landscapes, and dives into unexpected situations. Lived experiences are transformed into music. There’s the dance-like totality of flamenco, the Spanish classics of classical guitar, a wild love for Japanese culture ignited by Ghibli animations, and an uninhibited musical madness stemming from the Beatles-Black Sabbath-Jay Reatard-Grimes axis. There’s also the Savonian touch, a kinship with Khruangbin’s psychedelic funky imagination, massive guitar walls, crazy euphoria on the disco dance floor, and the deep warmth of melancholy. All of this is present in Tinyhawk & Bizzarro’s music, where the essence lies in the experience of feeling. It’s about creating connections to all dimensions. Their bold and fresh approach to guitar instrumental music has not gone unnoticed.

Tinyhawk & Bizzarro’s debut album “Nekorok” received an enthusiastic reception from seasoned Finnish music media in the fall of 2023. According to Ilkka Mattila of Helsingin Sanomat, “the band’s debut album ‘Nekorok’ sounds like a breath of fresh air, blowing the dust off the Finnish electric guitar music safely stored in the attic.” Susanna Vainiola of Yleisradio was delighted by the “stories told with the guitar,” while Arttu Seppänen stated in Keskisuomalainen that Tinyhawk’s debut is “one of the most delightful domestic albums of this autumn.”

 

 

 

Paleface is a groundbreaking Finnish rapper and cultural influencer. He has been awarded platinum records, Emma Awards, and recognition from the Finnish Cultural Foundation for his “social insightfulness.” Paleface has been prolific in recent years, both as a solo artist and as part of other groups, but it has been over eight years since his last full-length album, “Luova tuho.”

The artist performing solo at Café Ursula’s terrace reveals that the show will feature both acoustic music and rapping to the beat. The musical lineup promises to be diverse.

 

Marjo Leinonen & Bublicans trio’s music blends the styles of New Orleans march music and the Salvation Army’s brass band, meandering between soul and funk deep into the realms of blues and even the melancholic paths of schlager. Leinonen’s voice and performance are distinctive and leave hardly anyone unmoved. It’s sensitive, enraptured, powerful, groovy, and bubbling!

   

Motelli Skronkle was founded in the 1980s as a counter-manifesto to the mainstream. In the early years of the decade, theater director Hannu Raatikainen met actors Markku “Peltsi” Peltola (b. 1956 – d. 2007) and Esko Varonen (b. 1957 – d. 2019) at the Kajaani City Theater. This encounter led to the formation of a group that explored powerful and new forms of expression, breaking away from the city theater and eventually evolving into the band Motelli Skronkle. Currently, the lineup includes:

This band has remained incredibly strong over the decades and continues to roar in its own unparalleled style. Its close relatives might include primitive heavy metal, underground rock, futu-gospel, curse, and punk.

 

 

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Season’s Best Flavors

Cold days call for outdoor activities and seasonal treats! In Ursula’s, in addition to blinis, the head chef’s burbot soup will be available during week 3, from January 15th to January 21st. Blinis and burbot soup are among the best flavors of the season.

At Ursula’s, you can enjoy both blinis and burbot soup during week 3, which is the period from January 15th to January 21st.

Burbot soup, burbot roe and sour cream mousse L,G 26€