President Sauli Niinistö, accompanied by his wife, attended the event in the western Finnish town. The Seinäjoki Tango Festival attracts up to 100,000 visitors annually and remains a reflection of Finns’ love for their Argentinean-inspired version of the dance. The festival was first staged in 1985.

The festival presents a cavalcade of Finnish tango artists old and new. Tango dancing courses were also organized for young and old alike. This year visitors were treated to a sample of original Argentinean tango music courtesy of the Omar Mollo Trio. Mollo is from Buenos Aires and came to fame as a rock star but took up the tango a decade ago.

Finns adopted the dance enthusiastically in the 1930’s and began to write their own songs almost all of which are in a minor key. Love, sorrow and nature are among the themes of Finnish tangos.