The House of Pacific Relations and its member Houses all take turns participating in a weekend of free shows in the Park. You are invited to bring friends and family to this offering of cultural traditions to all of San Diego and her visitors. 

Finland is a land of thousands of lakes, the midnight sun, and SONG and DANCE.  We love to show off our finery on a weekend evening under the soft summer sun and woo the opposite sex with traditional rhythms.  Come and see our colorful folkloric costumes, sadly only used on a few occasions to delight tourists today.  In Balboa Park, on the International lawn and stage we display the talents of young and old as they wear the clothing of yesteryear from the various provinces of the country.  Our singing of folk songs from centuries ago is typically accompanied by the violin, the accordion and Finland’s own national instrument – the kantele.  This ancient string instrument, sounding somewhat similar to a lute, but constructed to be played on a table or on your lap, sounds the mournful, haunting melodies of the northern forests and lakes. Finnish youngsters are always part of the scene, showing off their own honoring of our traditions passed on from generation to generation.  Come see them sing, dance and play music as it used to be in towns and villages back when. Perhaps you might hear a rendition of Jean Sibelius’ Finlandia, famous the world over!