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The Tapiola district in the east of Espoo was constructed as a garden city in the 1950s and 1960s. The district is a showcase of Finnish architecture from that period and many of the buildings look quite innovative and unusual even today.
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Tapiola Sinfonietta is an orchestra specializing in Viennese classical music, but also plays modern music. They perform regularly in the Tapiolasali concert hall, sometimes together with international guest soloists.
"Mini-Tapiola" is a children's play park featuring a miniature version of the centre of Tapiola. Here children can have fun and familiarise themselves with the Tapiola district and basic traffic rules, while being safely overseen by their parents.
The name means "Espoo is Brewing and Partying". A small-scale beer festival hosted by the brewery restaurant Fat Lizard in Otaniemi and held on the restaurant's terrace. Various Finnish breweries come to showcase their beer and there is usually live music played. Held on three separate Fridays in the summer, one in June, one in July and one in August. See the restaurant's website for more information.
The campus of Aalto University (former Helsinki University of Technology) was designed by Alvar Aalto in organic modernist style, and includes the Dipoli congress center designed by Reima and Raili Pietilä in an eccentric style (lacking in right angles). Most buildings of interest are located either on the main street, Otaniementie, or on Otakaari, a loop road going from Otaniementie via Dipoli to the dorm village (Teekkarikylä), returning to the other side of the main building. The Laajalahti nature protected area, a good birdwatching site, is accessed from Otaniemi. At the headquarters of the Geological Survey of Finland, there is a museum display of geology, minerals and in particular a piece of moon rock gifted by the United States. At Tekniikantie 1 is Mikes (Centre for Metrology and Accreditation), with Finland's most accurate clock on its wall.
Espoo's most famous annual running and walking event. Held on a Sunday in late April. Three event categories: long run, short run and walk. All of them start and end at Otaranta. The long run is over 17 km and goes all across the Laajalahti bay, also visiting neighbouring Helsinki. The short run and the walk are 6 km and stay in Espoo. A nice opportunity to get some exercise and see the scenery in southern Finland. There is a fee for participation but spectating is free.