The organisers of the 2010 Kihaus Folk Festival wish you a warm welcome to Rääkkylä. The Kihaus Folk Festival offers a whole range of music including rockabilly, blues, folk music as well as traditional Nordic dance music, which is known as ‘pelimanni music’ in Finland. Visitors can be assured that they will experience virtuoso performances along with the rhythms and folk music from all over Finland.

As before there will a number of Rääkkylä’s own talents on the festival stages. Folk music has deep roots in Rääkkylä and is seen as a community asset. The organisers are proud to be able to introduce younger talent as well welcoming back musicians who have found fame outside Finland.

By joining us at the Kihaus Folk Festival you will also be able to enjoy the beautiful nature of Rääkkylä and its surroundings. Following numerous requests we will again enjoy Tupasoitot (Cabin music) in Perinnepiha (traditional courtyard). A bonfire will be lit in this idyllic setting. Music will also be performed in the Tsaiju tent and in the Concert restaurant until late. More peaceful selections of folk music can be heard in the beautiful wooden church of Rääkkylä.

Children will enjoy the Kihaus Folk Festival as well and families with young members will find plenty to occupy themselves. The activities are organised by Rääkkylä 4H Youth Organization and will be held in the courtyard.

So, do join us at the Kihaus Folk Festival in Rääkkylä this summer. You are warmly welcome!

With regards from the festival organisers
Rääkkylä Folk ry

KIHAUS FOLK

The meeting of Karelian and Finno-Ugric music with music from other parts of the world happens in early July and is unique amongst other Finnish folk music festivals. Our festival takes place in Northern Karelia, very close to the border with Russia. Therefore, our festival has been influenced by the Karelian and Finno-Ugrian people over the many years that the festival has taken place.

The home of Kihaus is Rääkkylä, which is a small municipality with about 2700 inhabitants in Eastern Finland, 450 km to northeast from Helsinki. The geographical situation links together the Karelia from the both sides of the border, i.e., Finnish Karelia and Russian Karelia.

THE LOCATION OF RÄÄKKYLÄ AND HOW TO GET THERE

Rääkkylä is located about 450 km northeast from Helsinki. By car, it is easiest to reach it by following the road signs on highway 6. The nearest railway station can be found in Kitee, 33 km from Rääkkylä. From Joensuu, the distance is about 60 km and from Joensuu airport, 70 km.

PROGRAMME Highlights

Friday 9th July

Tsaiju tent (Tsaijuteltta)

5.30 pm – 6.15 pm Avvaus! (Opening)
Kihaus Folk -musicians.
6.45 – 7.30 pm Ryppy
8.00 – 8.45 pm Halogeeni
9.15 – 10.15 pm Halvatun Papat
10.45 – 11.45 pm Kolpakko
00.00 – 01.00 am Night quadrille with Markku Ryynänen and Kuisma Lipponen

Concert Restaurant (Konserttiravintola)

7.00  – 8.00 pm Duo Kuunkuiskaajat  – the Finnish Eurovision Song Contest representatives
8.45 – 9.45 pm­ GangZi
10.30 – 11.30 pm Tuulenkantajat
00.15 – 01.15 am Puhti Rymäkällä

Traditional Courtyard (Perinnepiha)

6.15 – 6.45 pm Kitara soi! -  The Guitar Plays!
7.30 – 8.30 pm Tallari
9.00 – 10.00 pm Vienan Naisia
10.00 pm -> The bonfire is lit!

Saturday 10th July

Tsaiju tent (Tsaijuteltta)

11.00 am – 14.00 pm Folk musician cavalcade:
11.00 – 11.30 am Tallari
11.40 – 12.00 am Kihaus Folk musicians
12.10 – 12.40 pm U1 Pelimannit
12.45 – 1.00 pm Motora Folk Dance group: Ripakat
1.05 – 1.25 pm Folk Dance group: Fesukkaat
1.35 – 2.00 pm Ootheka
2.30 – 3.15 pm Ryppy
3.45 – 4.30 pm Anna Fält
5.00 – 5.45 pm Mikko Heino Trio
6.15 – 7.00 pm L.R. Phoenix
7.00 – 7.15 pm Rääkkylä dialect quarter
7.30 – 8.30 pm Sami Kukka
9.00 – 10.00 pm Ruuti
10.30 – 11.30 pm Trio Tepander
00.00 – 01.30 am Rat Cats

Concert Restaurant (konserttiravintola)

2.00 – 2.30 pm A document about Santtu Karhu
4.00 – 5.00 pm Tallari
6.00 – 7.00 pm Eija Kankaanranta
8.00 – 9.00 pm Tapio Liinoja & Pedro Hietanen
9.45 – 10.30 pm Burlakat
11.00 – 00.00 pm Teija Niku & Grupa Balkan
00.45 – 01.30 am Santtu Karhu & Talvisovat

Traditional Courtyard (Perinnepiha)

12.00 – 6.00 pm Childrens´ and Youths´ Kihaus Folk
2.00 – 6.00 pm Uulu´s Kalevala Adventure Path for the whole family
1.00 – 2.00 pm Vienan Naisia
3.00 – 3.30 pm Pippuri Soikoon! -concert for children
5.30 – 6.15 pm Ilkka Heinonen & Pekko Käppi
7.00 – 8.00 pm Veljekset Kellokoski
9.15 – 10.00 pm Laura Vuorjoki
10.00 -> The bonfire is lit!

Sunday 11th July

Rääkkylä Church

10.00 am  Church Service
11.30 am Lunch at the Mission (Parish Community Centre)
1.00 pm  Church concert

Please check our Finnish site/Ohjelma 2010 to see the full programme.

Information about the performing artists is only available in Finnish, but most have their own websites with information in English. Please check our Finnish site Esiintyjät 2010.

TICKETS

Friday 9th July

Festival ticket 5 pm – 2 am
- 20 € adults
- 15 € students, unemployed, pensioners

Saturday 10th July.

Festival ticket 11 am – 2 pm
- 25 € adults
- 20 € students, unemployed, pensioners
- 7 € children (7 -16 years old)
- 50 € family ticket (2 adults + max three 7-16 year old children)

Saturday Evening ticket 6 pm – 2 am
- 20 € adults
- 15 € students, unemployed, pensioners

Sunday 11th July 13

Final concert at Rääkkylä Church
- programme guide 10 €, available only at the door

Ticket in advance from www.lipputoimisto.fi.  15 % discount until 31.5.2010

Free entry for assistants of the physically and visually disabled

EATING & DRINKING

Don´t  go hungry or thirsty during your stay! We will have excellent food and drink on offer including grilled sausages and a variety of beverages!

Both Tsaiju tent and the Concert restaurant will sell alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, coffee and tea. We also cater for vegetarians.

Additionally, the Kihaus Folk Cafe offers coffee, tea, soft drinks and local specialities, such as ryebread sandwiches, Karelian pies (very typical!) as well as berry flans for dessert.

ACCOMMODATION

How  about a different way of spending  your holiday? Stay overnight near the heart of the festival!

We can offer guests dormitory type accommodation, separate for women and men, at Rääkkylä upper school during the festival. Showers will be available. The nearest beach (and a chance to rent a sauna) is at Paksuniemi, 2 km away from the festival area.

Prices:
- bed + accommodation 12 €
- blanket and pillow 5 €
- bedsheets 5 €
- towel 2 €

Showers will of course be available. There is a beach (and a Finnish sauna to rent) at Paksuniemi, 2 km away from the festivalarea.

Additional information from majoitus(at)kihaus.fi or tel. +358 50 516 4322.

There are also several cottages fo hire in Rääkkylä or in the neighbourhood, please check our  Finnish site: Majoitus

KIHAUS FOLK MARKET

Come and sell your goods at our market place! The market place is conveniently close the main festival area.

Sales place prices
One parking square:

• Fri 25 € + VAT 22 %
• Sat 30 € + VAT 22 %
• Fri + Sat 50 € + VAT 22 %

Two parking squares:

• Fri 35 € + VAT 22 %
• Sat 40 € + VAT 22 %
• Fri +  Sat  70 € + VAT 22 %

More information majoitus(at)kihaus.fi or  call +358 50 516 4322

KIHAUS FOLK -PRODUCTS

We will be selling T-shirts:  Adults 15 €, children 10 € and  bags 5 €. Get yours from Kihauspuoti or in advance from Rääkkylä Folk ry office. More information www.kihaus.fi.

HISTORY

The history of Kihaus Folk Festival goes back to the beginning of 70’s. There was a local party called Heinähupa (something like the Rääkkylä Hayride), which was a village fair with dancing and amateur theatre. In the beginning of 1980′ folk music became a more central theme in Rääkkylä with courses held over the summer and new bands finding their feet – the most well-known is Värttinä (1983- ) whose music has deep roots in Northern Karelia. In fact, the Finnish Eurovision Song Contest representatives, Duo Kuunkuiskaajat, made up of Johanna Virtanen and Susan Aho, were previously members of Värttinä. They are performing at the festival this year! In the beginning of 1990’s people thought that “why shouldn’t we have a folk music festival?” And so the Kihaus Folk Music Festival was born.

Folk music and its compelling power at the Kihaus Folk Festival have produced local talent as well as providing never-ending encouragement to the folk music artists and performers who have joined us over the years. A good education combined with introducing folk music to the younger generation guarantees that the tradition of this type of music will continue in Rääkkylä. Rääkkylä sits at the border of eastern and western influences whilst its distinctly Karelian roots connect closely to other Finno-Ugrian performers, which has been a founding feature of our festival.

Kihaus has an important cultural duty and mission. The festival is organised by Rääkkylä Folk Association. It is a non-profit organisation, which organises also similar events and courses throughout the year.

CONTACTS

For more information, brochures, tickets etc. please contact Ms Jutta Anttonen, the Co-ordinator of the festival.

Rääkkylä Folk ry
Kinnulantie 14
FIN 82300 Rääkkylä
Finland

Mobile phone + 358 50 307 0539
e-mail: info(at)kihaus.fi

www.kihaus.fi

Supporters and partners

Please check our Finnish site.