Everyone can participate in the festival!

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Pelimanni performers; players, dancers and singers are the heart of Kaustinen Folk Music Festival.

A Warm Welcome to the Heart of Folk Music! Join us in celebrating the joy of summer at the 58th Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, held from July 7th to 13th, 2025. Discover an unforgettable lineup of music, culture, and togetherness in the happiest days of the summer!

Festivaaleilla noudatetaan Turvallisen tilan periaatteita. Lisätietoa osoitteesta Kaustinen.net/info.

For Finnish Folk Dance groups

Hae mukaan ”Jaettuna parempi” -ohjelmaosioon 31.1.2025 mennessä ja mahdollista ryhmällesi esiintymiset Kaustinen Folk Music Festivalin kiihkeässä sykkeessä. Mukaan voivat hakea kansantanssiryhmät, joilla ei ole omaa yhtyettä ja ovat valmiita hyppäämään yhteistyöhön muusikoiden kanssa.

Ohjelmisto, jolla voi hakea mukaan tulee olla olemassa oleva kokonaisuus (6-10 min), jonka kappaleita on mahdollista tarvittaessa vaihtaa ja sovittaa Jaettuna parempi -yhtyeen kokoonpanolle sopivaksi.

Application time has ended.

Tarkemmat tiedot löytyvöt sivulta Kaustinen.net/jaettuna-parempi

The festival shuttle bus takes you smoothly from your accommodation to the festival area and back – no parking stress.
Show your performer wristband and travel for free on the Kaustinen–Veteli and Nikula–Pelimannitori routes.

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Trips to and from Kokkola cost €8 each way.

NEW This year a minibus runs from Halsua via Tastula, Vintturi and Köyhäjoki to Pelimannitori.

From Halsua the fare is €8, but travel is free from Tastula, Vintturi and Köyhäjoki with your performer wristband.

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Schedules and routes are available here: Kaustinen.net/festivaalibussi/

Pelimanni performer – Welcome to the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival!

When you arrive at the festival, please come via the Music High School (Musiikkilukio) to collect your performer wristband and sort out any accommodation matters.

Please take note of the following before your arrival:

Check-in:

• At the performer reception, you will receive your personal performer wristband and the festival programme.
• Note! No new names will be added to the group list at the reception. Any changes (e.g. substitutes) must be reported in advance by the group’s contact person. If you're unsure whether your name is on the list, please contact your group contact as soon as possible.

Opening hours:

• If you know you’ll arrive outside performer reception opening hours (Sun 12–18, Mon–Sat 9–21), please contact the reception by phone or email. In that case, your wristband can be reserved for pickup at the info desk with valid ID.
• If you arrive unexpectedly outside opening hours and no wristband has been reserved for you, the info staff can verify your access rights based on separate instructions and a valid ID.

Others than performers:

• Companions, family members, and helpers are warmly welcome to the festival – please note that unless a special agreement has been made in advance, they will need to cover their own entry.
• Special guardian passes must be arranged in advance through groups contact person. Please also note any discounted tickets announced separately!

 

Below is a map of the Music High School to help you find your way.

 

During the festival, two information points, a performer reception desk, and an accommodation office are available to assist folk musicians and all festival visitors.

The Music High School Info Desk is open 24/7
from Monday, July 7 at 12:00 until Sunday, July 13 at 12:00.

The Festival Yard Info Point is open
Tuesday, July 8 – Saturday, July 12 from 10:00 to 20:00.

Performer Reception at the Music High School is open July 6–12, 2025:

Sunday: 12:00–18:00
(We kindly ask performers from Kaustinen and nearby areas to pick up their wristbands on Sunday if possible.)
Monday: 9:00–10:00 and 12-21
Tuesday–Saturday  9:00–21:00

Accommodation Office The Accommodation Office at the Music High School is open July 7–13, 2025:

Monday: 9:00–21:00
Tuesday–Saturday: 9:00–21:00
Sunday: 9:00–15:00

If you arrive outside of the listed opening hours, please let both the performer reception and accommodation office know in advance. Thank you!

Soitinnarikka palvelee musiikkilukiolla:

ma 7.7.- la 12.7. klo 8–02
su 13.7. klo 8–12

Soitinnarikka on tarkoitettu pääsääntöisesti soittimille. Soitinnarikan ollessa suljettuna musiikkilukion info palvelee narikkaan liittyvissä asioissa.

Performer Reception esiintyjavastaanotto@kaustinen.net , tel. +35840 130 4514

Accommodation Office pelimannimajoitus@kaustinen.net , tel. +35840 573 9275

Info info@kaustinen.net , tel. +35840 170 1966

First Aid tel. 040 707 9869

Kaustinen Folk Music Festival features 26 unique stages in the festival park – each with its own character. The happiest days of summer extend from the festival grounds to the warm-hearted meeting places around the village, and pelimanni performers even bring joy to the elderly at the local care home.

Explore the stages at Kaustinen.net/lavat (opens in a new window)

 

A detailed map is available at: Kaustinen.net/kartta-2025

 

Same in English

 

On the Kaustinen festival grounds, there are radios used by authorities as well as frequency-coordinated wireless microphones and in-ear monitors reserved for official festival use.

Tästä syystä omien langattomien mikrofonien, instrumentti -lähettimien ja korvakuunteluiden käyttäminen on ehdottomasti kielletty.

 

You are allowed to use your own sound system in Kalliokrouvi and Wiljami.

Please remember to set up and take down your equipment within your scheduled performance time. Let’s make sure every performer gets to start their set on time.

Thank you for your cooperation!

Even the most dedicated pelimanni performer needs food throughout the day to stay energized for performances and festival fun – and to enjoy a smooth journey to the next gig. During the festival (July 7–13), you can get a pelimanni discount on food and coffee by showing your performer wristband at the following places:

Festival Restaurant at the Primary School

Breakfast ti-su klo 8-10.00
Hot meals ma-la klo 11.00-20

Marjaananville's Cafe under the glass canopy at the Upper School

Mon 19:00–00:00
Tue–Sat 10:00–00:00

The Festival Arena food alley offers a variety of tasty options – open until late into the night. Be sure to check it out!

Pelimanni Accommodation – For performers accepted as official pelimanni

• Accommodation is always booked separately and is not automatically included for performers.

Kaustinen Folk Music Festival arranges shared pelimanni accommodation in classrooms, gyms, or sports halls. Groups are assigned accommodation based on performance days, group size, and transport needs. Festival buses serve more distant locations.

Price: €25–35 / person / night  

• Sports Hall €35, other locations €25
• Accommodation covers the night between performance days.
• Price includes a mattress, blanket, and pillow (more details in the form).

You can book personally or via your group’s contact person. 

Booking Accommodation

• The electronic Pelimanni Accommodation form is open (opens in a new window).
• Book by June 15 at 23:59 for yourself or your group.

More information on Pelimanni accommodation

• - Kaustinen.net/pelimannimajoitus
• email: pelimannimajoitus@kaustinen.net  

Check out other accommodation options on our website!

 

Festivaalin jälkeen fiilistelemme ihania keikkamuistoja, ikimuistoisia hetkiä ja yhdessä oloa – mikä sen parempaa!

Muistathan tehdä muistelun lomassa Teoston esitysilmoiutuksen, siinä ei mene kuin hetki ja näin kappaleiden tekijät saavat heille kuuluvat korvaukset. Kiitos!
Tästä linkistä pääset tekemään esitysilmoituksen.

 

Haluamme myös kuulla, kuinka festivaali sujui pelimannien näkökulmasta. Festivaali kehittyy vuosi vuodelta, ja onkin ensiarvoisen tärkeää saada ensikäden tietoa teiltä esiintyjiltä. Palautekysely lähetetään festivaalien jälkeen yhteyshenkilöille välitettäväksi sekä julkaistaan tällä sivulla. Kiitos jo tässä vaiheessa palautteesta!

A warm thank you to all the performers; dancers, musicians and singers for the happiest days of summer 2024!

We greatly appreciate your feedback and would like to hear how you thought the festival went. Please send us your feedpack by email to info@kaustinen.net by 31 August 2024.

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The Master Folk Musician, the Master Folk Singer and the Master Folk Dancer (Mestaripelimanni) is a title awarded by the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival to a person who, with his or her traditional skills, abundant repertoire or other significant merits, has promoted folk music or folk dance and promote their pursuit. The Masters have been named since 1970.

Applications for Master Folk Musicians, Dancers and Singers can be sent throughout the year. The applications can be sent to matti.hakamaki@kaustinen.fi or give a call to +358 40 574 1917.

 

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The festival program is complemented by concerts completed by folk music and folk dance professionals. All festival guests and enthusiasts will be able to participate in a workshops of many professionals throughout the festival week.

Performers applying for an artist gets paid for their performance. The free-form application can be submitted either by e-mail directly to the Program Director firstname.lastname@kaustinen.net or to artists@kaustinen.net. Offers should be sent during August to December.

NOTE! We get so many artist offers that unfortunately not all posts can be answered. However, all applications will be reviewed, and each potential band or group will be contacted in person. Inriquiries can be made either by email or by phone directly from the Program Director.