April Verch Band & Curly Strings (CA/EE)
The Kaustinen Folk Music Festival will attract around 4000 performers during the second week of July. In addition to music and dance, there will be so many workshops, seminars and themed events that visitors will have plenty to do for the whole week. The festival programme is now complete, but the games programme will be added to the next edition in early July.
- Many perform twice and may play in many different line-ups, so no one can even count the exact number of gigs. Work has already begun on organising the volunteers, and construction of the site will start in early June. The miracle of accommodation and catering happens every year, and now we also have new services, for example for group meals," says the festival's executive director. Silja Heikkilä tells you.
- The number of visitors has increased every year. Last year, around 47 000 visits were recorded. That's how many people we expect to visit Kaustinen again in July.
Unobstructed access throughout the area
Kaustinen has around 30 stages and almost all of them are accessible. Wheelchair access is available throughout the festival area, and invalid parking is available near the Music High School.
This year's theme is rhythm and internationalism in folk music and dance. Rhythm is a reminder that music can be perceived through different senses besides hearing. One of the partners of the festival is the Hearing Associations. On Wednesday 10 July, Signmark, Finland's best-known sign-language rap artist, will perform.
Assistants for disabled card holders will be admitted free of charge. This year, a visually impaired person will also be admitted free of charge if they show a visually impaired card.
Buses every two hours
The proximity of Kokkola helps to accommodate guests. The festival bus runs every two hours to the festival area in Kaustinen and back to Kokkola market. You can get on the bus from the railway station, which many hotels offer to festival guests.
This year, the journey will also be made by museum train. On Tuesday 9.7., the flap hat will leave from both Jyväskylä and Oulu in the morning. Contact details for hotels, campsites and accommodation have been compiled at www.kaustinen.net/info.
Kaustinen Folk Music Festival 8.-14.7.2019
Programme and services: www.kaustinen.net.
Programme brochure: https://issuu.com/arctosmedia2/docs/kaustinen_ennakko-ohjelma_2019web
Museum train: https://www.reissujuna.fi/kaustiselle-lattahatulla/
More info:
* Marita Salonen, Festival Information Manager, 040 658 5340, press@kaustinen.net
* Anne-Mari Hakamäki, Festival Programme Director, 040 358 2446, anne-mari.hakamaki@kaustinen.net
* Silja Heikkilä, Executive Director of the Festival, 040 1729 566, silja.heikkila@kaustinen.net