Culture

Turku’s Ice Cream Night draws record crowds with cheap—and free—soft serve

Turku’s Kupittaa Park became the epicenter of Finland’s largest overnight ice cream gathering as thousands of people queued for hours to buy discounted—and eventually free—soft serve. The 11th Ice Cream Night, organized by the park’s Pingviini kiosk, saw an unprecedented turnout, with around 4,400 cones sold, shattering previous records (Iltalehti).

The event began at 9 PM, with soft-serve ice cream priced at one euro. Each subsequent hour, the price dropped by ten cents, culminating in a free hour between 7 and 8 AM. Flavors included vanilla, chocolate, and salty licorice, catering to a wide range of tastes. Despite the financial loss—entrepreneur Henri Lahti confirmed the event is not profitable—the kiosk’s team of five worked tirelessly through the night to meet demand (Iltalehti).

A viral sensation and summer tradition

The surge in popularity may be linked to the kiosk’s recent viral chip-bag ice cream, which has boosted its visibility. For many locals, the event has become an annual summer ritual, with customers inquiring about it as soon as the kiosk reopens. While the event typically takes place in August before the school year starts, there is no fixed date (Iltalehti).

Kiosk CEO Henni Pirilä described the queue as the longest in the event’s history, stretching hundreds of meters at its peak. Some customers waited up to two hours, though Pirilä noted the atmosphere remained cheerful, with strangers bonding over their shared mission. However, not everyone was willing to endure the wait—a reader told MTV Uutiset they abandoned their plan after seeing the 500-meter line (MTV Uutiset).

A nationwide trend

Originally launched at Kupittaa Park 11 years ago, the Night of Ice Creams has since spread to other Pingviini kiosks across Finland, including Oulu’s Nallikari kiosk. Despite the financial strain—Lahti joked that the more they sell, the greater the loss—the event remains a beloved community tradition (Iltalehti). Staff worked at full capacity, with a shift change at 2 AM, ensuring the line never fully dissipated (MTV Uutiset).

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