Traditional Sailing Ship Day 2026

Tarvaxholmen Barrel & Traditional Sailing Ship Day 2026

Traditional sailing ships compete in the Tarvaxholmen Barrel sailing regatta on the Saturday after the Herring Festival. The starting gun is fired at sea off Helsinki, and the finish line lies south of the Brunnsparken-Katajanokka line - vessels arrive at the finish around 3-4 pm.

After the race, the ships gather in the Sail Parade, which brings them sailing to the South Harbour around 4 pm. The vessels then moor at the Cholera Basin and its surroundings at Market Square.

Visitors can meet the sailing ships and their crews from 10 am to 4 pm. Coffee, pastries, salmon soup, and archipelago music are served on the ships and at the quays.