Honkavaaran Perinnepiha, a historic farmstead in Hammaslahti in eastern Finland, hosts private parties for up to 100 guests and meetings for 10 to 50 people. The site works as a made-to-order restaurant open all year, so every event is catered on the premises.
Seminars and company events
Meetings are organized for 10 to 50 participants. The catering and any side services follow the client's wishes. Wireless internet is included at no charge, and the meeting kit consists of a flip chart, an overhead projector, a projection screen and a CD player. There is no mention of a dedicated projector or video conferencing setup, so teams that rely on those should check ahead.
The farm also sells activity days that can sit around a meeting. In summer, the program is a trip out into nature, a presentation of the Honkavaara chapel (tsasouna), lunch in the farm's parlor and a round of kyykka, the traditional Finnish throwing game. In winter, the day is built around snowshoeing, lunch in the parlor and the same chapel visit. These formats suit a team day or a group that wants a break from the conference room.
Weddings and receptions
The site presents itself as a place for parties, meetings and group travelers. Parties of up to 100 people are held in the farm's own rooms. The official pages do not describe a wedding package, so couples should ask the farm what it can arrange for a reception.
Rooms and capacities
The main building has a traditional parlor and separate chambers. The farm states that each of these seats about 50 diners at a meal, and that the whole site can take events of up to 100 guests. The headcount must be confirmed four days before the event, and the invoice follows the confirmed number.
Catering
Meals are served by advance order only, and menus are adapted to each group. Party options include a Karelian buffet, a festive buffet and a festive soup, and Christmas party menus are also offered. The farm says it buys its ingredients as close to the site as it can. Dietary requirements can be handled on request. The restaurant holds a full alcohol license.
History and setting
A farm was founded at Honkavaara in the 1600s, and the old buildings around the yard date from the middle of the 1800s. The place once ran as a coaching inn, where the folklorist Elias Lonnrot stayed during his trip collecting poetry. The yard keeps the unhurried mood of an eastern Finnish farm of that period.
Getting there
The address is Rekivaarantie 22, 82200 Hammaslahti, in the Joensuu area of North Karelia. The official site does not describe public transport or parking, so organizers of larger groups should confirm access with the host, Tarja Lehikoinen, by phone or by email.
