Tampere is known for its active cultural life. Some of the most popular writers in Finland, such as Väinö Linna, Kalle Päätalo and Hannu Salama, hail from Tampere. These are all known as writers depicting the lives of working-class people. Also from a working-class background was the famous poet Lauri Viita of the Pispala district (which is the original home of Hannu Salama too). Tampere also has old theatre traditions, with such established institutions as Tampereen Työväen Teatteri, Tampereen Teatteri and Pyynikin Kesäteatteri, which is an open-air theatre with the oldest revolving auditorium in Europe. Tampereen Teatterikesä or Tampere Theatre Festival is an international theatre festival held in Tampere every August.
Tampere is also known for its Tampere Art Museum, Tampere, Finland which featured American artist Richard Humann in 2004, for his exhibition entitled, Delicate Monster.
Tampere Film Festival, an international short film festival, is held every March. Tammerfest is Tampere's urban rock festival held every July. Similarly, the Tampere Floral Festival is an annual event, held each Summer.
Tampere is home to Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra. Tampere Music Festivals organises three international music events: Tampere Jazz Happening each November, and in alternate years Tampere Vocal Music Festival and Tampere Biennale.
Tampere is home to the television channel YLE TV2, with its studios in the Tohloppi district, known among all for such popular TV comedies as Tankki täyteen, Reinikainen and Kummeli.
A local food speciality is mustamakkara, which resembles black pudding of northern England.
Tampere's sporting scene is driven by two sports, ice hockey and football. The first Finnish ice hockey match was played in Tampere, on the ice of Näsijärvi. Tampere is nicknamed the hometown of Finnish hockey. Two notably exceptional ice hockey teams exist in Tampere—Lives and Tappara. They both have had a great
