Hillamarkkinat | Golden Cloudberry Fair
August 2–3, 2025 – Ranua, Lapland
Golden Cloudberry Fair – Wild Berries, Wilder Spirit since 1974!
Find local products and your inner Ranuan at the two-day fair event right after the cloudberry season peak. The event is created annually with big hearts and the collective effort of the whole village. All proceeds go toward supporting the well-being, hobbies, and opportunities of children and young people in Ranua.
The Golden Cloudberry Fair is a two-day open-air event held annually on the first weekend of August since 1974. Organized by Lions Club Ranua in cooperation with the municipality, local businesses, and associations, the fair is a celebration of Ranua’s cloudberry season and community spirit.
Each year, the fair brings together locals, Ranua-born visitors, summer cottage dwellers, and tourists—doubling the town’s population for a weekend filled with flavors, village charm and quirky, Northern hospitality!
Entry to the market area is free and accessible for visitors of all ages. However, certain side events—such as dances and competitions—may have age limits or require a ticket. The programme will be updated shortly!
Market stalls are sold via our online store, but if you're interested in participating as a vendor or an exhibitor, you can also contact our market coordinators directly:
Keijo Pernu: +358 50 345 3109
Jouko Erkkilä: +358 40 561 9867
Grown from the North, Loved by All
“In the Ranua way of life, there’s the time before Hillamarkkinat—and the time after it.”
When the very first Golden Cloudberry Fair was held in Ranua in the mid-1970s, we imagined a small gathering—a fair for local foragers and producers. In fact, we didn’t even accept vendors from outside the area. But already during that first event, we realized we had something bigger on our hands. It quickly became clear that this could grow into a market fair for all of Lapland.
Today, we're proud to say the Golden Cloudberry Fair is a national event, attracting visitors and vendors from across Finland—and beyond.
We’ve even conducted a visitor and vendor survey, and the results confirmed what we already sensed: after Lapland, most of our guests come from the Uusimaa region. While Ranua is well-known for the Ranua Wildlife Park, it’s safe to say the Cloudberry Fair has become a second calling card. In the survey year, over 15,000 people attended the event—and that wasn’t even our record!
Visitor numbers vary each year depending on weather and nearby events, but the Golden Cloudberry Fair is always held on the first weekend of August. Sometimes, that means sharing the stage with other festivals in neighboring villages. But one thing that always draws people in is the cloudberry itself—and how plentiful the harvest has been. Even in the rare poor berry years, we always make sure fresh cloudberries are available at the fair. So yes, we’ve truly earned our name.
We believe the Golden Cloudberry Fair will continue to be a cherished tradition for both locals and visitors. Our market vendors—the heart and soul of the fair—are warmly welcomed year after year. Loyal sellers who have stood with us for decades, and new faces alike, all help make Hillamarkkinat what it is.
Here’s to good sales, great company, and a joyful, buzzing summer weekend. This event is for you—come and enjoy it!
Programme 2025
Golden Cloudberry Raffle
Tickets available until Sunday, August 3, 2025!
The Golden Cloudberry Raffle, organized by Lions Club Ranua and Ranuan Yrittäjät (Ranua Entrepreneurs' Association), will be sold in local businesses until Sunday—or while tickets last. Prizes include local products and gift cards. The official draw takes place on the market stage on Sunday, August 4 at 15:30.
(Ticket count: 3,000 | Sales region: Lapland Police Department area | Permit number: RA/2023/623)
Saturday, August 2 | 10:00–17:00
10:00 Fair opening ceremony
– Paula Erkkilä, President of Lions Club Ranua
11:00 Master Magician Tapio Salomaa
11:45 Live music: Duo Poutapilvi
13:30 Dance performance by Dance Ambassadors Group
14:00 Tapio Salomaa, magic show (2nd performance)
15:00 Duo Poutapilvi, second set
15:45 Final of the Veli Kumpuniemi Memorial Powerlifting Meet + prize ceremony
17:00 Market closes
Sunday, August 3 | 10:00–16:00
Music by Eero Kuosmanen throughout the day!
10:00 Market opens
10:15 Interviews with market vendors
11:00 Tapio Salomaa, magic show
12:00 Dance: Dance Ambassadors Group
13:00 Berry Doctor published by Kuriiri newspaper
14:00 Tapio Salomaa, final performance
15:00 Aerial ring performance: Meri Kuha (weather permitting)
15:15 Boot throwing prize ceremony
15:30 Official raffle draw for the Golden Cloudberry tickets
16:00 Market closes
——
Side Program – August 1–3, 2025
More events will be added soon.
The Book Bar Pop – August 1–2
At the Old Library, Kirkkotie 7
Start your Hillamarkkinat weekend with an adults-only music fest at The Book Bar Pop!
Featuring live performances by Movetron, Disco, Stepa, and more.
Check out the full lineup, schedule, and get your early bird tickets at:
The Book Bar’s website
Events around the Market Area
Powerlifting Competition
Veli Kumpuniemi Memorial Meet
Organized by: Ranuan Peura
Laser Shooting Challenge
Test your aim in a fun competition!
Organized by: Nikkilä Experience Village
Boot Throwing
For all ages – come throw for glory!
Sunday, August 4 at the sports field
Organized by: Ranua Ratakarhut
Cloudberry Dance Night at Peuransarvi on Saturday
Featuring the band Tähtihetki and special guest vocalists:
– Juha Alvari, Lapland’s Tango King 2014
– Eero Kuosmanen, Lapland’s Tango Prince 2014
– Aleksi Nilsen, Northern Star 2025
Cloudberry-Curious?
The cloudberry season will be over when the fair hits the town, so be sure to arrive in Ranua in July to pick your golden nuggets!
If you have berries or something else to sell or exhibit at the fair, book your own toripaikka in time from our web store.
“Toripaikka” is a vendor area of 4 x 4 m or 4 x 8 m. You may book yours online or by contacting Keijo Pernu +358 50 345 3109 or Jouko Erkkilä +358 40 561 9867.
The price includes breakfast, access to shower and restroom facilities, and 24-hour security for the market area.
Please note! If you are selling groceries, you need to file a declaration of temporary sales location. Here you can find the form for it:
Other things to do in Ranua…
Ranua Wildlife Park
Finland’s northernmost zoo (est. 1983), home to ~50 Arctic species including Finland’s only polar bears. Open daily 10–16 h with a 2–3 km accessible forest trail—ideal for a leisurely half-day visit.
Guided tours and activities?
At Ranua Resort, you may also book a visit to a traditional five-generation reindeer farm just outside town. Feed and learn about the reindeer’s life cycle, enjoy a small sleigh ride, and sip warm drinks by the fire. Sessions daily at 15:00, about 30 minutes long.
Or fancy some outdoor activities? The scenic guided paddles last up to 2½–3 hours. Beginners welcome—the tour includes paddling intro plus campfire snacks and drinks on the lakeshore.
Other outdoor & Arctic activities include hiking, husky farm visits, Finn-horse carriage rides, fishing, fat-biking, SUP rentals, and more offered by providers like Ranua Resort and Lupland Adventures.
Be your own boss! Local Culture, Museums & More for a few extra days…
On the Ranua Finland website you’ll find the best options for a self-guided exploration. Maybe a museum day including the Ranua Church & Village Museum – early-20th‑century wooden church and parsonage museum, and the Saukkojärvi School Museum – a vintage 1930s rural school near village Saukkojärvi (open Tuesdays–Thursdays in July)?