Bringing Finland to Canberra, Finnish Crazy Games style!
Finnish Crazy Games, held for the third time, brought Finnish activities and sense of humour to Canberra.
On October 12 the Finnish Crazy Games returned to Canberra for a third time in a row, this time as part of the Windows to the World, an open day for many Embassies in the capital.
Activities for everyone
The day was action-packed from the first minute to the very last. The hobby-horse track attracted lots of interested people from all ages, and mobile throwing inspired Canberrans to compete for a brand new Nokia smartphone. The mobile phones used for throwing will be recycled in cooperation with MobileMuster. The newest addition to the Finnish Crazy Games activity roster was bucket-sneaking, which challenged the participants to balance two water-filled buckets through an obstacle course without spilling. Prize for the champion? A brand new bucket, of course!
The main event of the day, hän-carrying, brought together the bravest couples to race against time to win Finnish beer, and a moment in the spotlight of the TV cameras. Some competing couples tumbled on the way, but luckily everyone survived to the finish line with no injuries. The winning couple continued their celebration in the Embassy sauna, where Australian Sweat Bathing Association conducted guided sauna sessions.
Taste of Finland in Australia
What would a Finnish event be without some Finnish goodies? The Finnish Society in Canberra helped to refuel the eventgoers with Finnish doughnuts, ‘munkki’, and Karelian pies. Finnish classics like Fazer chocolate and salmiakki flew off the shelves in the company showcase in the Embassy’s multifunction room. Other Finnish staples, such as Iittala Moomin mugs and Marimekko items were a hit among the crowd. While parents were shopping for their pieces of Finland to take home, children could write their letters to Santa’s letterbox and watch an episode of Moominvalley in the children’s corner.
The event would have not been a success without all the support from our main sponsor, HMD Global, and all other collaborating partners. We hope to see you again soon!
If you want to know more about the participating companies and the background of the Finnish games, check out the previous articles about the Finnish Crazy Games. Check out the Embassy’s Facebook page(Link to another website.) for more photos from the day.
Leeni Varis
Mirjam Ligi