Programme release I / 2019 - Kaustinen Folk Music Festival

Night hike. Photo by Krista Järvelä.

Press release 11.1.2019

52. Kaustinen Folk Music Festival 8.-14.7.2019

Kaustinen is already heading towards next summer. The festival will be launched Night hiking on Sunday 7.7. in cooperation with the Perhonjokilaakson hikers association. Monday's free opening day will be provided in cooperation with the festival by Kaustinen sub-regional unit, which is a joint organisation of five municipalities (Kaustinen, Lestijärvi, Toholampi, Veteli and Halsua) that develops the region and its economy. The county sees the Folk Music Festival as the most important event in the Kaustinen region and wants to promote the visibility of the municipalities in the region at regional and national level through cooperation.

FEEL THE MUSIC! #feel the music

This year's theme is rhythm, reminding us that music can be perceived through different senses besides hearing. One of the partners of the festival is the Hearing Associations. On Wednesday, Kaustinen will be the venue for performances and concerts by musicians from all over the world. Signmark, who is Finland's best-known sign-language rap artist. On Wednesday, there will also be sign language interpreters and presentation points for hearing organisations.

Band of the Year 2019

The Kaustinen Band of the Year is a bold, sensitive and hilarious playful band. ENCEL. The band was formed in 2013 from spontaneous airport jams and the band's musical approach has remained crazy and creative, as if the spontaneous jams were still going on. The band members Leija Lautamaja, Maija Pokela, Miia Palomäki and Iida Savolainen are strong folk music professionals who are encouraging people of all ages to be creative in their own way. Their music is modern, creative, crazy and interesting, and the band's all-round activities are based on their deep respect for tradition and their own playing style. With this choice, the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival wishes to highlight the importance of preserving the spirit of the band alongside their professional activities, and to support the idea of each band's own life as a superhero, which has become a wonderful brand for the band.

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Since the first year of the Kaustinen Festival, the international programme has played an important role. The annual theme of the National Folk Music and Folk Dance Promotion Centre, ”Around the World - Internationalism in Folk Music and Folk Dance”, fits perfectly with the nature of the festival and the programme features many ensembles and projects from different countries. The festival will feature guest artists such as the 30th anniversary of the Väsen (SE), Flemish intense brother duo Madingma (BE), interesting and fresh, multinational Farandi (FI/SE/BE/DK/UK) and the Kaustinen Festival, which was born at the festival and has gathered members from all over the world. SANS (FI/UK/AM). A magically skilful and swinging Crying Uncle's Bluegrass Band (US) is bringing an unparalleled energy beast to Kaustinen as part of its tour of Finland. The Nordic countries will be more visible than usual for the next two years with pulse funding from Nordisk Kulturfond. Puls concerts and workshops will see the Swedish and Norwegian Forest Finns following in their footsteps. Mats Berglund & Arto Järvelä (SE/FI) and the modern kneeling demonstration Vesselil (DK). The Nordic dance club is expanding into an everyday event. Folk dance will continue to play a strong role in the upcoming festivities, and the programme will feature some great traditional ensembles as well as brand new choreographies. The international programme of folk dance will also be prominent again. Alongside social dance and more traditional public dances, the festival will also feature a huge variety of dance soups, as well as a traditional dance show. The Night Theatre is moving forward in spectacular fashion under the leadership of its new leader Petri Kauppinen.

The whole family will see, among other things, the televised Little Two's Adventure Machine, where the adventurous company includes familiar presenters, a cheerful orchestra and, of course, the hero of heroes, Hogwarts. The children's tent is the place to celebrate Traditional birds to celebrate 20 years of the festival's children's programme. A crowd favourite Mikko Alatalo arrives in Kaustinen after a long break to sing for the singing enthusiasts. Other names familiar to the general public include. Samuli Edelmann and Orkestra Direct Broadcast and a good upward trend in the Vesterinen. The party will also feature a gorgeous vocal performance by Vuokko Hovatta Three of a kind, returning to Kaustinen after a long break and energetic Tsuumi Sound System and a world-famous games man Antti Paalanen. Taking a break from the show Bill Hota & the Pulvers also makes a spectacular return to Kaustinen and Jussi Raittinen celebrates 50 years of suomicountry with a band featuring some of the region's most popular musicians Eldanka -with the band. Classical music from the Kaustis region will be performed in a collection by Kreeta-Maria Kentala. Beethoven's Better March and Kaustislainen Kavalkad, a musical play based on Ilmari Wirkkala's incredible essay on the thousand-year history of Kaustinen. Tickets bought at the Kaustinen Mysteerio.

The festival will be accompanied by the fifth edition of the International Ethno Finland camp, aimed at young folk musicians around the world. In Finland, the main organiser is the Finnish Folk Music Association.