Residents at the Heart of Kaskinen’s Wooden Town Revival
Kaskinen (Kaskö in Swedish) is a small wooden town over 200 years old, located on an island in the Ostrobothnia archipelago in Western Finland. Because of its remote location and past challenges, many people in the town have started to lose hope for the future. To change this, the town applied to become part of the BSR Cultural Pearls program.
Now, as a BSR Cultural Pearl for 2025, Kaskinen wants to bring people together. The goal is to encourage teamwork, build a stronger sense of community, and bring new hope and positive energy to the town.
One way Kaskinen is doing this is through a special event called the Wooden House and Renovation Expo, which will happen on 16–17 August 2025. During the event, about 15 homes and buildings will be open to visitors. Residents will decide what they want to show and share, inviting people to explore their unique wooden homes.
“The aim of the Wooden House and Renovation Expo is to showcase our beautiful wooden town to the public and to foster pride among residents for their hometown and their homes,” says Jonas Söderlund, Head of Education at the City of Kaskinen.
At this stage, the preparation work is in progress and the upcoming event has generated strong enthusiasm amongst the citizens – first information and discussion session in April was attended by many residents, engaging in a constructive dialogue about the event’s organization. A wealth of valuable insights and ideas were shared.
“We are confident that Kaskinen’s Wooden House and Renovation Expo will strengthen the sense of community and belonging among residents, while at the same time giving visibility to the unique Baltic Sea Cultural Pearl of Kaskinen,” says Söderlund.
On the same weekend as the Wooden House and Renovation Expo, there will also be a lively market at the deep harbour. At the same time, an international event all about lighthouses will take place. With all these activities happening together, the weekend will be a big celebration. It’s expected to bring many visitors to Kaskinen—especially since the town is also celebrating its 240th anniversary this year.
Photo: City of Kaskinen / Mårten Sjöblom and Leif Aspbäck
