Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, the largest folk music event in the Nordic countries, has once again been a success. Total attendance for the festival week was 54 371. A total of 20 461 tickets were sold in advance, online or at the gates. The organiser is very pleased with the figures - total attendance was up 5% on last year and the number of tickets sold was up 10%.
- It feels good. We had a special youth ticket as a novelty this year, and it was very well received. The young people found the event very popular," said the festival's executive director. Valtteri Valo says.
Also the chairman of the festival organiser Pro Kaustinen ry. Ira Järvelää is delighted by the growing proportion of young people in the audience.
- Our goal is not to break records, but to keep folk music and tradition alive. However, the still growing interest in our event shows that we have once again succeeded in creating an interesting and touching event for the public.
Kaustinen Folk Music Festival was held for the 58th time. As usual, there were a lot of players: in all, about 700 groups of musicians and dancers from Finland and abroad: from the Nordic countries, the rest of Europe, North America, Asia and the African continent. There were performers from 25 countries. The regional theme was Häme.
Next year's theme will be tradition
Planning for next year's festivals is already well underway. Festival theme for 2026 ”Traditions in hand” highlights the traditions of handmade craftsmanship: craftsmanship, instrument making, costume design and creative embellishment - everything where tradition is passed on from one maker to another through concrete craftsmanship.
The vitality of folk music and dance depends not only on performers and performances, but also on the skills and knowledge that enable them: the building of instruments, the making of costumes, the use of natural materials, and creative hands-on work. The theme brings visibility to these tradition bearers who often work behind the scenes.
Programme director Anne-Mari Hakamäki says that the theme also aims to encourage people to get involved in concrete ways: making things themselves, experimenting, exploring materials, participating and sharing their knowledge.
- The festival can thus act both as an arena for tradition and as a living extension of it, a space where everyone has the opportunity to take tradition in hand, literally. The "Traditions in Hands" theme celebrates craftsmen, makers and craftswomen. It makes tradition visible, touchable, shareable and preserved for the future," concludes Hakamäki.
ABOVE PHOTO: There were performers from 25 countries this year. Hájenka performed dance and song from all over Slovakia on several days. Photographer: Risto Savolainen