Polar Night Light Festival

Behind the light installation are Sun Effects, Rukakeskus, and the local tourism association, which brings stunning light art to delight people in the midst of the pitch-black season for the 11th time, from January 15 to February 7, 2027.

You can experience the light artworks best while skiing, snowboarding, from the gondola, or by walking through the village along marked paths. The lights are most visible early in the morning or later in the afternoon.

The event is free of charge, but a spectacular part of the event is located on the ski slopes—mostly the light artworks are situated at Kuru slope and Front slopes.

Join a guided snowshoe adventure through a magical forest, surrounded by the enchanting vibes of Polar Night Light Festival. If we are lucky enough, the northern lights might dance above us.

Read more about the tour here.

All skiers with a lift pass are welcome to Torchlight Ski Parade during the Polar Night Light Festival, every Friday at 19:00 at the Kuru slope.

The torches will be placed along the Kururinne slope, where skiers can pick them up and return them to the bottom of the slope after skiing down.

See event info

Welcome to enjoy the festival atmosphere at the top of Saarua at Base Eat&Heat! To celebrate the festival, we are serving a special PNLF dish and a custom drink, which are a perfect match for the light art tour as the evening gets darker, or for wrapping it up afterwards. These specials are available for a limited time during the festival.

Around BASE you will also find light art installations, which you can easily combine with a visit to the sauna and a dip in the outdoor pools. 

You can book your sauna slot and a table at Base Eat & Heat here.

Located in RukaValley, CAMP Kitchen & Bar serves food, drinks and visual treats during the Polar Night Festival: you can admire light art right around the restaurant. Drop in to warm up and soak in the atmosphere. Don't miss out on the festival's special drink either!

Book a table at Camp here.

Night Skiing on Fridays

There’s nothing dark about wanting to hit the slopes even at night. In Ruka, night skiing takes place under bright lights every Friday from 19:00 to 23:00. Explore night skiing.

Sledding on the Slopes

You can enjoy evening “stiga” sledding on Ruka’s slopes from Sat to Thu at 19:30–21:30, after the slopes have closed for skiers. Read more about sledding.

Feeding Reindeer and Other Slope Activities in Ruka

You can meet Rudolf and his friends up close weekly together with the Ruka Ski School. See all winter slope activities here.

Pond Hockey at Lake Kaltiolampi

What would winter be without ice hockey? Come see what Europe’s largest yet most relaxed ice hockey tournament, 14–16 Jan 2027, looks like on the ice of Lake Kaltiolampi under colorful lights.