Fan Fest provides entertainment for children at Global Series

HELSINKI -- Hundreds of school children waited mostly patiently in line for the 2026 NHL Global Series Finland Fan Fest to open at Narinkka Square in Helsinki on Thursday.

When they were given the go-ahead at 9 a.m., they flooded through the entrance to try the more than 25 hockey-based activities featured at the festival. The children were the initial visitors to the Fan Fest ahead of the first game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Seattle Kraken at Veikkaus Arena on Thursday (12 p.m. ET; HHN, Prime Video, CARNHL, KONG, NHLN, SN+, TVAS).

About 4,000 school children from the Helsinki area are expected to visit the Fan Fest during special four-hour sessions Thursday and Friday that are closed to the public.

"It's really to give them that great experience," NHL vice president of international operations Mark Black said. "For some of them, it's going to be their first experience with hockey, and we just want to make it a memorable experience for them. Obviously, for the teachers, it's a good opportunity to get the kids outdoors, looking for additional things, so we're always grateful for the schools and the teachers to bring their kids out. 

"For us, it's to give kids who know hockey the opportunity to engage with the NHL, but certainly for the kids who don't have hockey experience relevant to them, it gives them their first hockey experience."

The Fan Fest is open to the public beginning at 4 p.m. local time Thursday and Friday and 12 p.m. local time Saturday leading up to the second game between the Hurricanes and Kraken (1 p.m. ET; HHN, Prime Video, CARNHL, KONG, KING, NHLN, SN1). The Stanley Cup was expected to arrive Thursday afternoon and make appearances Friday and Saturday as well. There will be viewing parties for each game of the Global Series.

Admission is free. 

At the start of its seventh season, the Global Series Fan Fest has appeared in 40 cities in eight countries and drawn more than 440,000 fans. Giving the school children their own time on the first two days in Helsinki gets them out of classes for the day and might inspire some future hockey players or fans. 

Or as Eve Hathiu, a fifth grader at the Vuoniitty Comprehensive School, put it, "You can do fun activities and not just sit in the classroom."

Among the outdoor hockey challenges at Fan Fest are hardest shot, accuracy shooting, table hockey, knee hockey, hockey cornhole and a street hockey rink where participants can stickhandle around cones and shoot into mini nets. Inside the 3,200-square foot tent are games such as bubble hockey, air hockey, Score-O, virtual reality stickhandling, hockey Plinko and eGames, plus the 360 Goal Celebration camera station and a mascot photo booth.

The children each received starter packs of Upper Deck hockey cards and a Fan Fest Activity Pass to collect stamps for each activity they completed. Those who completed 12 activities received a Global Series poster. 

"It's nice to bring the kids somewhere especially where they can do things by themselves, being independent," said Jenni Karisto, a fourth-grade teacher at Munkkivuori Primary School. "The whole day is dedicated to this. They were very excited."

Hathiu said her favorite activity was the virtual-reality stickhandling, where participants wear a VR headset and must guide a puck through virtual obstacles.

"It was kind of like an out-of-reality experience," she said. "So, something very different."

Aurhi Mustonen, a sixth grader from Sakarinmaki Comprehensive School, liked the table hockey because "it was nice to play against your friend." Classmate Mario Blafield preferred Connect-3, where shooters try to hit three targets in a row on a grid.

"It was kind of hard at first," Blafield said. "So, when I got it, it was nice to achieve it."

Tomas Aalto, a second grader at Munkkiniemi Primary School, preferred air hockey because, "I won and it was nice to play with my friends."

Ultimately, having fun with friends while getting out of the school for the day was a winning combination.

"I like to enjoy new things and activities," Aalto said. "So, it's definitely nicer to be here."