Info
What is ASSEMBLY?
Assembly is the biggest computer festival in Finland and the biggest demoscene event in the World, organized time in 1992. These days Assembly is organized two times a year, once in winter and once in summer.
The event provides a lot to see and experience centered around gaming, computer hobby, and digital trends. Assembly hosts the largest LAN area in Finland, multiple program stages, and the EXPO area for our partners to host and display their own activities. The party program consists of shows revolving around computer culture, seminars, contests, and meeting similar-minded people. Assembly is a place to play games, meet friends, follow the show, take part in activities and tournaments, and discover what the different partner stands have to offer.
Tickers are sold in two kinds:
- computer place tickets for party goers with their own equipment (computer, console)
- visitor tickets for single or multiple days for those coming without the need of a dedicated seat in the LAN hall
Read more about tickets here.
If you are a parent thinking about letting your child visit Assembly, please read our info package for parents.
Opening hours and the venue
ASSEMBLY Winter 2023 is held on the winter holiday week of Southern Finland, on February 23-26, 2023, in the Helsinki Exhibition Centre.
The doors open on Thursday Feb 23 at 12:00 and close on Sunday Feb 26 at 16:00. The event is open around the clock, 24h. Multiple day ticket holders are entitled to enter the sleeping hall in the Exhibition Centre. The LAN area is open 24h but the EXPO are is closed during the night.
EXPO area opening hours:
- Thu Feb 23, 12:00 – 23:00
- Fri Feb 24, 11:00 – 23:00
- Sat Feb 25, 11:00 – 23:00
- Sun Feb 26, 11:00 – 14:00
The partners at the EXPO are listed on the expo page.
Arrival
The event venue Helsinki Exhibition Centre is located in Pasila with great transit connections. You can arrive by train, tram (lines 7, 8, 2), or by bus (e.g. lines 59, 69, 506, 510). The venue is located 500 meters from the Pasila train station. If needed, HSL travel guide can help you choose the best public transit option.
There are two entrances into the event:
- Visitors with computer place tickets enter through loading door 5.6 (addredd Ratapihantie 17). Quick stopping for unloading is possible. However, after unloading vehicles need to leave or go to the parking hall.
- Visitors without computer tickets enter through the Southern Entrance (Messuaukio 1), the main entrance to the Exhibition Centre.
A child’s parent may escort their child to the computer place and help them unload their equipment to the computer place. This policy holds for leaving as well. Other visits during the event are not possible for parents without their own ticket.
Parking
Computer place ticket holders are recommended to park in the Exhibition Centre parking hall, Expo Car Park. The Expo Car Park is within walking distance from the loading door 5.6.
Visitor ticket holders are recommended to park in Siipi parking area. It is a short walk away from the Southern Entrance to the Exhibition Centre.
The parking is handled by Euro Park. We recommend that you purchase your parking ticket in advance.
For more info please check Exhibition Centre parking info.
Bracelet exchange and ticket sales
All tickets to the event are personal and they will be exchanged into bracelets at the entrance. With the bracelet you may leave and enter the event again freely. Visitor tickets are sold at the entrances. Computer place tickets are sold only in the online ticket shop.
There is a security check at the entrance. Please read about forbidden items.
Availability of ticket sales
SOUTHERN ENTRANCE
TICKET SALES, BRACELET EXCHANGE AND ACCREDIATION
Thursday 23.2. 10.00 (Premium) / 12.00-22.00
Friday 24. 2. 11.00-22.00
Saturday 25.2. 11.00-21.00
LAN-ENTRANCE AT DOOR 5.6.
TICKET SALES, BRACELET EXCHANGE AND ACCREDIATION
Thursday 23.2. 10.00 (Premium) / 12.00-22.00
BRACELET EXCHANGE ONLY (NO TICKET SALES, NO ACCREDIATION OR CODE REDEEMS)
Friday 24.2. 11.00-22.00
Saturday 25.2. 11.00-21.00
Outside of the ticket sales opening times, the event’s security personnel will help you to exchange your PURCHASED ticket to a wristband. However, they do not sell, accrediate persons or offer code redeems. You will find QR codes at the doors, with which you can purchase your ticket online at any given time.
Sleeping, sauna, and showers
Visitors with computer place ticket or multiple day tickets are welcome to use the provided sleeping area, showers, and sauna at the Exhibition Centre. The sleeping area is in hall 2, and it is guarded by our staff who will help you with security in the area. You may bring your own mattress with maximum width of 80 cm (160cm for couples etc. that sleep on the same mattress). The mattress can be filled with electric pump but then the filling and emptying must be done outside of the sleeping hall.
The showers, separate for men and women, are next to the sleeping area in hall 2, and they are available 24 hours a day.
Sauna is located at the 2nd floor of the Holiday Inn hotel which can be accessed through the outside of Southern Entrance. Sauna is available for Assembly visitors from Thursday through Saturday at 09:00-16:30.
Remember to bring your own towel and washing stuff.
Accessibility
The event is fully accessible. It is possible to enter every hall and place with a wheelchair. The venue has accessible toilets.
Disabled persons may bring their assistant with them for free to the event.
The Expo Car Park offers free parking with the disabled id. If you use disabled parking, you must notify your car license plate number to the Exhibition Centre customer service desk.
Security and first aid
It is very important for us that our even is safe for all parcitipants. Our event is alcohol & drug free.
Security guards are present at the event all the time, and their job is to upheld the safety of everyone at the event. You can approach the security staff with any issues and they will help you to the best of their ability. If you notice any security issues or disturbance at the event, please contact the security staff immediately. Security staff is easily recognized by their yellow vests.
The event has free first aid staff on duty 24 hours a day. A certified paramedic is in charge of the first aid. The on-duty paramedic can be found from the event area, and you may contact them through the info desk or security staff.
Forbidden items
- Weapons of any kind (LARP or cosplay props that are sharpened in any way, regardless of the props’ material)
- Edged weapons such as knives and pocket knives
- Leathermans or similar tools with foldable knives (these are classified as edged weapons)
- Explosives or fireworks (e.g. firecrackers are forbidden)
- Alcohol, illegal drugs or medicine without a prescription (if required by the law)
- Laser pointers, laser pens etc
- Smoke machines
- Dry ice (“kuivajää”)
- Kickbikes, scooters, hoverboards etc
- Big loudspeakers
- Tents
During the years people have tried to bring in e.g. wooden club (which was 1 m tall) and a double-edged hand axe, which were probably made for LARP games. Please, leave such items home.
Alcohol & Tobacco & Drugs
You are not allowed to bring alcohol to the party place nor can you enter the party if you are intoxicated. Smoking is forbidden inside the party area. There is a separate smoking area outside the main entrance. Electronic cigars are also forbidden inside the Exhibition Centre.
Found goods
The 24h info desk collects lost items during the event. You may also notify the info desk if you have lost something, and we will contact you if your item is found.
After the event all found goods are delivered to Löytötavarapiste (HTP Palvelut) in Kamppi. Please consider that the process may be delayed due to registering and shipping of the items. More info about Löytötavarapiste.
Proper behavior and harassment contact persons
Everyone is welcome to Assembly as themselves. Our event does not condone any kind of discrimination, inappropriate behavior, teasing or harassment. If you notice inappropriate behavior, please do not hesitate to notify any security person or staff member.
Educated harassment contact persons are on duty at the venue and online, and if need be, reachable also after the event. With the harassment contact persons we wish to lover the barrier of telling us about seen or experienced harassment, which in turn makes it possible for us to intervene in the situation. Harassment contact persons are there to listen and help for anyone who has faced or experienced harassment – confidentially of course. You may also talk to them even if you have not noticed any harassment. The contact persons speak Finnish and English.
If needed, the harassment contact persons may offer a dedicated space to calm down and talk privately. Do not keep to yourself if you face harassment. If you are unsure if you have faced or experienced harassment, you may talk to the harassment contact persons about it and receive guidance.
Harassment contact persons can be reached on Discord with nickname ASSEMBLY HCR#6812 and by phone from number 040 557 0484.
Age limits
Assembly does not have age limits. The event is meant for the whole family. The recommended age limit for persons participating without supervision is 13 years of age. Children under 7 years of age can enter free of change with their guardian who has a ticket.
Cloakroom
The cloakroom is open 24 hours a day for the duration of the event. It is located at the Southern Entrance. The service fee is 2 € for each visit. Payment methods include cards and cash.
Luggage lockers can be found from the Southern Entrance. They operate with cash only and cost 2 € per use.
Filming and streaming at the event
The event is filmed and streamed on behalf of the organizer and the visitors, so there is no guarantee that one might not appear on the photos and recordings made of the event, either live or afterwards. By arriving to the event, you accept the possibility of being recorded/photographed.
As far as the organizing body is concerned, you can request, for example, to remove the pictures taken of you visible in ie. the Gallery, but not everything can necessarily be deleted. Assembly Organizing cannot interfere with material taken by individuals.
