Helsinki Comic Festival

The 41st Helsinki Comic Festival takes place at Stoa. The festival is open to everyone and free of charge. This year's theme is "Together" and the festival artist is Emilia Laatikainen, who has created the event's visual identity.

The programme includes author interviews, panel discussions, workshops, exhibitions, and publishers' comic markets. In keeping with the theme, several artist collectives and artist pairs from Finland, Sweden, Germany, Latvia, and Slovenia are participating. Participants include: CBK (SE), Keski-Suomen Sarjakuvaseura, Kuš! comics (LV), Kutikuti, Plenty, Pokuto, Stripburger (SI), Tusen Serier (SE), Wormgod (SE), Katja Tukiainen and Matti Hagelberg, Kaisa and Christoffer Leka, and Iriini Kalliomäki and Kiira Mukka. The guest list will be expanded throughout the spring.

The festival traditionally also includes the self-publishing event Zine Fest, where the best small magazine Taivaallisin and the best web comic Taivaallisin are awarded. The collective Erittäin salainen tissimerenneitoseura, celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026, is a guest at Zine Fest.

The third Children's Comic Festival takes place at Stoa on Friday of the same week, 18.9.2026. The markets, author interviews, and panel discussions focus on children's perspectives and comics for children. Entry to children's events is also free.