The Finnish Craft and Design Fair is an annual three-day event held in November at the Tampere Exhibition and Sports Centre in Finland. Described as the largest crafts event in Europe, the fair’s website boasts over 46,000 visitors and 768 exhibitors in 2025.
Experiencing the Event
On the second day of the event, visitors got to experience cosplay and burlesque presented as art among other crafts, but at times the size of the event can be overwhelming. Most of the programming was also held in Finnish, although depending on your interest on the stalls, some showcases, and the fashion shows the language may not matter as much.
The event had four exhibition halls with stalls and visitors filling every corridor, and it wasn’t uncommon to hear a visitor say you need the full three days to look through everything. The stalls were mixed, meaning there was no clear division between exhibitors selling their crafts or supplies, such as paints and yarn, which made the event difficult to navigate at times.
It’s a good idea to take notes if you want to have any chance at finding a specific exhibitor again – and one way to do that was by using the printable map shared before the event.
Beginner-friendly Introduction to Cosplay
The second day’s cosplay programming was easy to spot because the cosplay show (titled a celebration of creativity) and the Worbla workshop, which showcased a specific material cosplayers favour, were held on stages, although in two different halls. There were also four cosplays on display next to the Fashion & Design Stage so that most attendees were likely to spot them, and there were cosplayers near the displays to discuss the process and answer any question about the tools and techniques they use.
It wasn’t taken for granted that the audience knew about the craft, either: both the cosplay show and the Worbla workshop included a brief introduction to cosplay as the art of recreating characters and costumes.
The cosplay show was only ten minutes long and included nine cosplayers’ work. The introductions were written by the cosplayers, allowing them to highlight the most difficult or interesting aspects of each outfit.
You could hear the audible gasps when the audience took in the skill on display. Compared to fan conventions, the audience full of crafts hobbyists at the fair may have a better understanding and appreciation of the techniques used, which means that the show can be a valuable source of inspiration to the audience even outside of cosplay.
The 30-minute workshop, held by merryallnighter, explained that Worbla as a material isn’t difficult to use but may be on the more expensive side. During the workshop, the material was used to turn pre-cut pieces into a bracelet, and at the end there were several questions from the audience who were interested in the material and where to buy it.
For how short the workshop was, it did a great job highlighting the usefulness of the material. At the end, some members of the audience even discussed how the material could be used for other crafts due to its similarity to modelling clay, fast cooling time, and non-toxicity.
Overall Thoughts on the Event
The crowd was filled with enthusiasm and attention to detail, and you could often hear the visitors praise the cosplayers’ work, ask the exhibitors how certain crafts were made, or learn how a tool is used. The ability to purchase all the supplies, from paints to leather to sewing machines, also means that both professionals and hobbyists, cosplayers included, can easily restock their supplies or find something new to try out at the fair.
For anyone interested in next year’s fair (13.–15.11.2026), where the event celebrates its 30th anniversary, I recommend preparing for the crowds by planning what you want to see and buy ahead of time. It may also be a good idea to leave some room for surprise purchases as the artistry on display, from outfits to ceramics, can make it difficult to not indulge!
Basic Information
Event Finnish Craft & Design Fair / Suomen Kädentaidot -messu
Date 14.–16.11.2025
Location Tampere Exhibition and Sports Centre / Tampereen Messu- ja Urheilukeskus
Picture Credits
Finnish Craft & Design Fair / Suomen Kädentaidot (Mia Surakka 2025)
