FIXED IN LOCAL CALENDAR

The 12th edition of Helsinki Temple Fair kicked off on Thursday evening as the drum beat of the dragon and lion dance gathered hundreds of people downtown. The dragon pilots were a group of Finnish youngsters keen on Kong Fu.

The parade then marched to the main promenade in the central shopping district, where an outdoor show was on stage for four hours despite the freezing temperature. The performance was given by Beijing National Orchestra, Long Yun Martial Arts Group and Beijing City Contemporary Dance Company, all arriving in Finland only days before.

Dozens of booths demonstrating Chinese folklores were put up along the promenade. At the booth of Beijing Tourism Committee, people were seen lining up for trying on dramatic costumes, while others were sightseeing Chinese tourism attractions with VR glasses.

At the booth of the Finnish food company Atria, visitors queued for the braised pork snacks cooked in Chinese style. One of the chefs said over 2,000 plates were handed out in just four hours. The company recently got the license to export raw pork to China, and became the first time sponsor of the Temple Fair.

Twelve newly carved zodiac ice sculptures were seen placed in various locations, including the railway station square, pedestrian streets, and the commercial centers. On an ice ring at the railway station square, girls from Finnish figure skating clubs danced against the musical background of Chinese theatrical singing.

Approaching 18:00 local time, or 00:00 Beijing time, Chinese Ambassador to Finland Chen Li and the Mayor of Helsinki Jan Vapaavuori addressed a thousands-strong audience and led the countdown to the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Synchronized with the New Year bells ringed in Beijing, fireworks were set off at the temple fair venue in Helsinki. Two hours later, a massive firework show was given near the Toolo Bay 500 meters away.

Like in previous years, it was estimated that some 40,000 viewers took part in the event on Thursday. As no more than 5,000 Chinese nationals live in the capital city of Finland, the Temple Fair has obviously become an indispensable festival for locals in Helsinki's winter calendar.