The Kaustinen Folk Music Festival next summer is full of surprises: air guitar playing, unisex costumes, a foot race, and an arts sauna. A record number of musicians will head to the folk music festival from July 13th to 19th, with as many as 750 bands, and of course Antti Paalanen.
If the festival organizer Pro Kaustinen ry were to place all the 1800 performances and concerts of the festival week on one stage, the sound would be on for night and day for over a month – 900 hours or 37.5 days!
The world's largest gathering of national costumes will take place on Thursday, when customized costumes and unisex outfits are also expected for the iconic photo opportunity. The World Championships Air Guitar Workshop offers surprises with an opportunity to participate on Friday with any instrument. In the evening, the workshop participants will take part in a gig led by reigning world champion Aapo "The Angus" Rautio. The Finnish Championship tournament returns to the program after a 20-year hiatus on Thursday.
New artists in the program are now Ilta, T3ho, Deira (Spain), Josén’s Dark Side, Startijenn (France), Vimma, Juurakko and Maria Kalaniemi & Pekko Käppi. Previously announced artists include Steven ‘n’ Seagulls, Vilma Jää, Moskitto Bar (Canada), the band Hilja Grönfors & Latšo Džinta of the year, Helmi Marleena, Trolska Polska (Denmark) and Maija Kauhanen.
The whole week culminates in a big concert by Kaustinen's accordion virtuoso Antti Paalasen at the KPO Arena late on Saturday evening. Since the Takatukka craze created by the UMK competition brings many young and small fans to the festival, Antti Paalasen will meet them on the Juhlapihka stage with his own Tuliterä family orchestra as early as on Saturday afternoon.
Nypykät, who once rocked Finland, is spending their last gig season, and the Saturday night gig at Kallioklubi is one of the last of the season.
New record for game bands
Professionals and amateurs of folk music are heading to Central Ostrobothnia in July from all over Finland and numerous European countries, even from further away. Paula Kettu, producer of the game mandolin program, says that as many as 750 game mandolin groups signed up for the game mandolin search in the beginning of the year.
– There were a hundred more applications than last year, but we’re just rearranging the venues a little bit and we’re getting more performance time, for example to the Folk Art Centre and Kaustinen Church, Paula Kettu describes her work career.
It can be difficult to understand how 1800 performances and concerts are even possible at one festival.
– It works very well when the gigs and concerts are spread over 30 stages and for an entire week. This is a very nice challenge for the organizers, smiles Valtteri Valo, operations manager of Pro Kaustinen ry.
Of course, the record number of performers also predicts a large audience. It helps a lot that the full festival experience can be had already on Monday. Restaurants and services are open, almost all stages are also open.
– The first day is free of charge for everyone thanks to OP Jokilaaksot He wants to offer everyone the opportunity to attend the festival. Thanks to this partner, the free Monday is certainly also guaranteed in 2027 and 2028, Valtteri Valo says.
Youth, a growing trend
The organizers of the folk music festivals are pleased to see that the number of young people has grown year by year.
– Last summer everyone realized how many young people there were in the area every day. This phenomenon has inspired us organizers a lot to a completely new and fresh level, program director Anne-Mari Hakamäki says.
Hundreds of young performers from all over Finland will perform on the KPO stage on Tuesday and Wednesday. This year they will come from as far as Canada, when the North Shore Celtic Ensemble will perform together with the Festarinäppärit ensemble.
– There are also some really lively and energetic performances by the Canadians! They just don’t stop; they come already on Sunday and don’t leave until Friday.
During the festival week, it is possible to dance from morning until late at night in the workshops and on numerous stages. Already after the opening ceremonies, two iconic bands will dance for the audience: JPP is known as the flagship of Kaustinen folk music for decades, and the state-funded professional band Tallari, which receives VOS funding, is performing a significant educational task across Finland. Both have significantly influenced the emergence and adaptation of new folk music.
The biggest stage dances in Finland, a real dance marathon is promised on Wednesday when the Peltola Boys and the Taikakuu dance orchestra perform four dance sets on the arena in succession.
To the sauna and swimming
The sauna culture has come to Kaustinen to stay, as the sauna village has been a real haven of well-being and happiness for festival guests for many years now. Therefore, the tent saunas are coming again for a week to the festival area, the Mosala camping area and Hotel Kaustinen – including the art sauna from the European Capital of Culture event of Oulu2026. Of all the saunas, you can take a dip in the sand beach at Perhonjoki towards the end of the festival.
This year’s nationwide theme comes from North Ostrobothnia and will be presented throughout the week. On Friday, the Kymmenen virran maa main concert will take place at the KPO arena, and the evening concerts will be held at the Soittosalmi hall.
The largest folk music festival in the Nordic countries is one of the few festivals that have been held every year since its founding – even during the coronavirus years, once as a large online festival and once with limited attendance. Kaustinen Folk Music Festival will be held for the 59th time in a row from July 13 to 19, 2026.
Caption: The band Deira from Spain is to be thanked. Salvador Daza (left), Juan Almaraz and Gonzalo Llao presented their debut album at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow. Now it’s Kaustinen’s turn. Photo: Leti Cernuda