The First Summerburst Festival in Helsinki Turns Hernesaari Shore Into a Small Ibiza

A bunch of ladies feeling the beat of Alex Mattson at the Summerburst festival at Hernesaaren Ranta in Helsinki, Finland on June 11 2016. Picture: Tony Öhberg for Finland Today

The palm trees bowed humbly to the mild breeze at Hernesaaren Ranta (Hernesaari Shore), one of the hottest summer party venues in Helsinki, as chicks in shorts and guys in sunglasses bounced and waved their hands to the beat of a DJ in celebration for the beginning of summer.

This was the first Summerburst festival in Finland, and I was reminded of its Swedish origins while watching the cruise ferries passing over the horizon in the glow of the Saturday evening sun.

Enjoying the moment. Picture: Tony Öhberg for Finland Today

Big name DJs Afrojack, Steve Angello and The Nervo sisters – to name a few – kept the house/dance beat pumping while mixing electronic music from the 90’s and 2000s. The crowd sipped champagne and exotic drinks while determined to shake that thing like Miss Kana Kana in the famous Sean Paul song.

Alex Mattson, the Finnish producer/DJ. Picture: Tony Öhberg for Finland Today

One of the pleasant surprises was Alex Mattson, a Finnish producer/DJ, a newcomer, who was jumping wildly behind the turntables, dropping heavy basslines, making me spill beer over my Tapout shirt.

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“The vibe is great but the weather is getting a bit chilly. The music keeps us warm,” said a bunch of ladies standing next to me.

Picture: Tony Öhberg for Finland Today

The crowd was dressed in fashionable sneakers, trendy shirts, dresses and jackets. Many guys had shining hair and a fresh haircut. The champagne cost 14 euros a glass but the demand was strong. The spectators looked like people feeling at home at hip festivals like the Flow.

Hernesaaren Ranta is a cosy venue which hosts about 4,000 people.

With a party like Summerburst, the venue turns into a small Ibiza within a walking distance from the Helsinki center.