Neighbourhood culture showed its strength as Olari assembled to celebrate Espoo Day

Espoo Day was celebrated around Espoo on 27–29 August – also in Olari. The walls and roof for the Olari event were provided by the Olari Winter Garden and Olari Living Room which were renovated and opened to residents in January this year. 

As its name and location suggest, the Olari Assembles! event focused above all on everything Olari-like. The programme included presentations of the activities of associations and companies in Olari, workshops bringing together Olari residents, as well as a gig by the legendary Olari-based rap duo Jeijjo and Nupi. The all-day programme for the whole family attracted around 400 residents and visitors to Olari. The event was organised by the City of Espoo together with the Espoo Mental Health Association EMY.

Together we are Espoo, but in our daily lives, we tend to stay in our own neighbourhood. The Olari get-together was an excellent example of the enormous potential of neighbourhood cultures and communities. When fun activities come this close to people, it is easy to join in. The encounters inspire more encounters, and the good vibes spread into daily life.

The majority of the participants in the event live in the vicinity of the Winter Garden and had noticed the advertisement for the event when passing by the event facility on their daily errands.

“Easy access is important for families with children. It doesn’t get much easier than this,” said the mother of two adorable toddlers.

“My whole life is in Olari anyway, so I prefer to participate in events here,” said another Olari resident who was out and about with their children.

“It’s nice to see people from the same block and to notice how many of us there are here,” some of the younger visitors said. 

Neighbourhood events also help local businesses and associations to find customers and members.

“Many people remembered one or two pieces of furniture they had that could be brought in for restoration,” said Eva Tolstova, who presented their restoration company Eva & Elämänpuu at the event.

In local events, the factor combining people is not age, work or hobbies, but the neighbourhood itself. Local events are a great way to dismantle misconceptions and increase our mutual understanding and humanity. Connecting with your neighbourhood and neighbours is liberating and empowering, as everyday chores gain a new level of safety and communality.

In Olari, one clear part of the neighbourhood identity is Olari rap. This subgenre and subculture are well known and appreciated, even in national rap circles. Therefore, the celebration, which drew inspiration from the Olari way of life, naturally included a gig by Jeijjo and Nupi.

Olari rap is a great example of the captivating power of neighbourhood culture. This is evidenced by an interviewee who arrived as a colleague of the event’s artists and who started their own rap career as a fan of Jeijjo and Nupi. Inspired by Jeijjo and Nupi, he also grabbed the microphone and later got to meet his idols in person.  The man who today rhymes under the name Phunky Mr. Olavi represents the so-called third generation of Espoo rap. Jeijjo and Nupi, on the other hand, belong to the second generation, which in turn was inspired by the big names of the first generation, such as Edu Kehäkettunen and MC Taakibörsta.

Some of the people interviewed on the spot had not heard of Jeijjo and Nupi before. But after learning about the duo’s local roots, they also wanted to come and support and hear the music. The stories of your own neighbourhood feel close in a way that Phunky Mr. Olavi expresses so well: 

“Olari rappers speak a language that locals understand. They rap about things that locals see in their daily lives. It really hits home.”

We hope that every Espoo resident will find a piece of the same sense of belonging and inspiration in their lives, which is so natural and intertwined with daily life. Fortunately, similar communities can be found all over Espoo – start getting to know your neighbours through these:

• You can search for events in your local greater area in the Espoo event calendar.
• You can easily organise your own events in libraries!
• Espoo’s 16 residents’ parks are low-threshold meeting places for local families with children.
• Organise or participate in clean-up events!
• Explore the activities by organisations and the opportunities for volunteer work near you in the Lähellä.fi service(external link, opens in a new window).