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History
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90 Years Working for the Benefit of Business Life
The Finnish Fair Corporation was founded on 19 October 1919 to promote Finnish trade and industry and to boost confidence in domestic production opportunities after the turbulent years of gaining independence.
The first fair was held in the summer of 1920 in the field next to St John's Church in Helsinki. The fair became a huge festival with more than 120,000 visitors and nearly 1000 exhibitors.
Professionally organised fairs established themselves in Finland right away. Just one year later, in 1921, the next event was considerably more commercial in nature than the first fair. The Finnish Fair Corporation has continued to develop its operations ever since, always in line with current marketing methods of the times.
Growth in Operations, Requiring More Extensive Premises
In 1935, the Finnish Fair Corporation had their own premises built in Helsinki’s Töölö district. When finished, Messuhalli hall (now known as Kisahalli) on main road Mannerheimintie was the largest exhibition venue in the Nordic region. It was the Finnish Fair Corporation’s base for four decades.
In 1975, the company moved to the Helsinki Exhibition & Convention Centre, in eastern Pasila. The Exhibition & Convention Centre has been expanded over the years and is now an exhibition, convention, and congress centre of international standard.
Expansions:
- The congress wing 1983
- Two additional halls 1986
- Expansion of the main entrance 1995
- The Winter Garden 1996
- The Holiday Inn hotel 1997
- Renovation of Hall 1 1998
- Two additional halls 2001
- Multi-storey car park 2003
- New offices 2004
- New conference premises 2005
- Additional levels to the multi-storey car park 2010
- The seventh hall 2011
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