Merisärkkä
Dancing in the Finnish summer... what a perfect combination.
Social dance has always been a part of Finnish summertime culture. When the tourism business grew in Kalajoki, a place for dancing was sorely needed.
The answer to these prayers came in the early 1970’s when the Merisärkkä - dance pavilion was built. It represents a typical round-shaped dance pavilion style that is intended for summer use.
Merisärkkä quickly became a popular entertainment center, which still attracts people to dance and to party from all around Finland.
Entertainment Park
Hiekkasärkät Co, which was founded to develop different kinds of travel services, rented the Merisärkkä pavilion and turned it into an entertainment park in 1982.
Together with other locals, they designed and built Finland’s longest waterslide next to the pavilion – the slide was 80 meters long. Inside the building there was an electric racing car track, and outside other amusement park rides.
A small train, Rantajuna (“beach train”), started transporting people between the Camping Site and Merisärkkä Entertainment Park in 1984. It had its own small train tracks built on the sand.
A new café was also built next to the park.
Image descriptions:
- The waterslide in Merisärkkä was opened in 1982. (City of Kalajoki)
- Café Entten Tentten at Merisärkkä. (Kalajoki-newspaper)
- The entertainment center in the 1980s. (City of Kalajoki)
Address
Pakkainpolku 20
Tales from Hiekkasärkät
Do you know how Herrainpakat got its name? Where did Kekkonen, Tauno Palo and Ansa Ikonen visit? When did the JukuJukuMaa Waterpark first open? Is it true that there was a railway and Finland’s longest waterslide down at the beach?
Learn these facts and loads of other interesting tales about the history of the Hiekkäsärkät area!
When you click the heading image, you can swipe and see the rest of the pictures.
Information about the route:
- You can experience the route by walking or bicycling in part or in its entirety, or completely remotely in digital form.
- The entire route is app. 10 km long, but you can also just tour the central area of Hiekkasärkät.
- The route uses sidewalks, duckboards, and open areas.
The route is made in collaboration with the KUMA project and expert on built heritage Sari Alajoki.
Image sources:
- Camping site in the 1970s. (City of Kalajoki)
- Hilma's Hotel. (Kalajoen kotiseutuyhdistys)
- Midsummer celebrations at the beach. (Sari Alajoki private collection)