The Kaustinen Folk Music Festival was launched in advance on Sunday 10.7. with running, walking, dancing and playing a Cretan tour of the Kaustinen church village. The crowd of 50 participants was warmed up with a folk dance-based FolkJam warm-up - of course with a live performance by the local players - and with the opening fanfare of the Kaustinen Torviseitsiko, they got going. Along the routes and at the finish line, pelican music was also played at the Pelimannitor.
Tour of Crete 2016 - let's go! (Photo: Arto Kuorikoski)
In the five-kilometre race, Mika Utriainen won the men's race in 20.05 and Kirsi Anias won the women's race in 22.57. In the five-kilometre race without timing, the prizes were drawn. In the two-kilometre children's category there were six runners. In the dance and instrumental category there were two instrumentalists and two dancers. After judging by a prestigious panel of judges, the winner was Juha Alaspää, whose repertoire included guitar, kazoo and singing.
The number of participants was half of last year's, but the atmosphere was great and the sunny weather was kind to the participants - even though it still looked ominously rainy in the morning. ”People particularly praised the combination of sport and culture on the Crete tour. Many people thought that the music of the pelican along the routes crowned the run or was even the primary reason for taking part in the Cretan Tour,” says Juho Viiperi, the Kaustinen Pohjan-Veikko's club manager, of the feedback he received from the participants.
Sini Keränen, the Executive Director of the Folk Music Festival who came up with the idea for the Crete tour last year, decided not to run this time, citing her festival commitments: ”My goal is that next year the festival arrangements are in such a good shape that I can run. Of course, I should be able to train!” Keränen is planning. ”The ladies who took part in the dances are planning to recruit a group of dancers for next year's tour of Crete, so let's organise the tour for a third time,” Keränen promises.
Half of the entry fees will be donated to charity. The proposals again focused on supporting children and young people and music. The choice of the charity was made during the awards ceremony, and the winner was "Nibbles".
Based on the good experience and feedback, it seems that the Crete Tour will continue next year. The event was organised in cooperation with the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival (Pro Kaustinen ry) and the Kaustinen Pohjan-Veikot.
Tour of Crete 2016 - Will the air horn be the instrument? (Photo: Arto Kuorikoski)