Finnish Craft & Design Fair is evolving: changes in arrangements and content - From 16 to 18 November 2018, Tampere will once again host the Finnish Craft & Design Fair with numerous visible changes in the arrangements. There will be changes in the layout, restaurant and café services, traffic arrangements, opening hours and programme. This year the fair will not be accompanied by other events, so the weekend will be all about crafts and design. The themes for this year's fair are children and young people, traditions and the circular economy. At the opening ceremony on 16 November, the Taito-Finlandia winner, Artisan of the Year and New Product of the Year will be announced and the theme speech will be given by Minister of Education Sanni Grahn-Laasonen. The fair will be hosted by journalist and host Ella Kanninen. Last year the Finnish Craft & Design Fair, Dolls' House Fair and Railway Modelling Event were held at the same time and there were a total of 750 exhibitors and a record-breaking 49,331 visitors.

One of the biggest changes will be the moving of the Deli area and main lobby cloakrooms to Hall D that will open half an hour before the other facilities. The hall will also feature a large restaurant area with seating. The other halls will also have more restaurant spaces, the main lobby will have about 200 seats and Saturday's opening hours will be extended. Public transport will be improved remarkably from last year with added bus services to the fair.

"The Finnish Craft & Design Fair is the number one crafts event in Finland and it shows in the visitor numbers. It has been our aim for quite some time to make improvements to this year's event and we are now responding to the feedback by adding rest areas and free water supply points and by making entrance through the main lobby smoother," says Project Manager Jasmin Saadetdin-Rikkinen.

Once again the programme will offer engaging shows, interesting exhibitions and various workshops as well as the familiar Taitokatu ("Skills Street"). Glowing with joy and light, the popular fashion shows will be organised in a new way this year and the fair will be hosted by the delightful Ella Kanninen. Additions to the programme will be announced throughout the year.

Joulupuu campaign as charity partner: crafts for a good cause

This year the Finnish Craft & Design Fair's charity partner will be the Joulupuu campaign, now held for the 13th time by JCI Tammerkoski to collect presents for the children of low-income families. The hope is that people would bring hand-made gifts to the collection at the fair.

"We are so grateful that such a big event wants to support our aim of giving every child at least one Christmas present. The campaign focuses on low-income families and many of them do not have a similar safety net as other families. The children may not have a grandma who would knit woolly socks or an uncle who would give them their first knife," says Timo Puhakka of JCI Tammerkoski.

What do hobbyhorses eat?  – crafts competition for kids and teens

One of the themes for this year's fair is children and young people, which can be seen in various workshops, exhibitions and shows. Our long-time partner 4H celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. We will organise together with them and the 120-year-old Novita Oy a competition and a related exhibition for children and young people. The task is to create handicrafts that are food for hobbyhorses.

Now held for the 23rd time, the Finnish Craft & Design Fair is the largest handicrafts and applied arts industry fair in Europe with approximately 700 exhibitors and more than 45,000 visitors annually. The Finnish Craft & Design Fair is organised by Tampere Trade Fairs together with Taito Pirkanmaa ry.

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Jasmin Saadetdin-Rikkinen, Project Manager, tel. +358 40 135 0110, @JSaadetdinR
Jenna Antila, Communications Officer, tel. +358 40 172 1188, @Jenna_messuaa