The people of Kihaus Folk welcome you once again to enjoy the festival atmosphere in both Rääkkylä and Joensuu. With the 2009 theme Roots, Kihaus Folk offers the listeners a wide range of music. Roots can be seen and heard in different forms of country, bluegrass, and folk music, as well as traditional Scandinavian dance music, which we call pelimanni music. Be sure to expect virtuosic folk sounds, precise rhythms and vivid folk music experiences from all over Finland!

This year there will of course be a number of Rääkkylä’s own talents on the festival stages as well. Folk music has strong roots in Rääkkylä and it is one of our communal resources. We can proudly introduce young rising talents and welcome our own musicians back home from the world.

In Kihaus Folk, you can also enjoy the beautiful nature of Rääkkylä. This year we have been cooperating closely with other local operators in developing the programme, so the listeners will be able to enjoy music close to nature in the surroundings of Paksuniemi and Koivuniemi during the evening concerts. By request, we will also carry out the long-missed Tupasoitot (Cabin music) in Käskaski. It is also possible to kindle an evening fire in this idyllic courtyard. The music will play in Tsaiju tent and Concert Restaurant in the festival area from morning until late at night. More peaceful moments of music are offered in the beautiful wooden church of Rääkkylä.

Kids enjoy Kihaus folk as well! Families with children are important guests to us and that’s why Children’s Kihaus Folk offers even more fun and interesting activities around the theme of Roots. For kids we have once again compiled their own Children’s Kihaus Folk in cooperation with Rääkkylä 4H youth organization and Stora Enso Wood Supply Finland is also involved in the arrangements. So children are sure to find plenty to do in the Kihaus courtyard.

Join us in Kihaus Folk, a village festival in Rääkkylä and get your foretaste at Ilosaari, Joensuu. You are most welcome to celebrate with us!

With festival regards,
Rääkkylä Folk ry

KIHAUS FOLK

Karelian and Finno-Ugric music meet music from other parts of the world at Kihaus Folk Festival in early July. The role of Kihaus Folk Festival is unique among Finnish folk music festivals. It takes place in Northern Karelia, very near the Russian border, so it is easy to understand that the Karelian folk music and the folk music and folk dance of other Finno-Ugrian people have been the dominating themes at Kihaus during all these years.

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 3rd July

Concert restaurant(Konserttiravintola)

2pm – 3pm Avvaus! (Opening) (free entry!)
The opening of Kihaus Folk. Including for instance, Nordic Choro, samples of Karjala Kaustisella (Karelia in Kaustinen) – unity and the announcement of Kunniaheinämies (the Honorary Haymaker).

7pm – 9pm Mikael Konttinen yhtyeineen
(30 € includes area ticket) Mikael Konttinen is a young artist with great talent. His style is traditional Finnish schlager with 60s influence. Mikael’s career took off on fast-forward in 2006.

11pm-1.30am Humppaa!
(30 € includes area ticket)
11pm-11.45pm Rymäkkä
00.30am-01.30am Eläkeläiset
The most famous Finnish humppa band Eläkeläiset gives speed to Kihaus Folk Friday. Eläkeläiset mainly play cover versions of famous pop and rock hits in a fast humppa or slow jenkka style with Finnish lyrics — the original songs are barely recognizable. Warming up will be done by Rymäkkä. Rymäkkä was formed in Northern Kymenlaakso in spring 1997. They play mostly their own traditional songs, which vary from melancholic hambos to cheerful rallies. Humppa forever!

Auditorium (with area ticket)
3pm – 5pm Juuret-Roots!
In the Kihaus Folk theme concert 2009 we will hear how an old Finnish folk instrument jouhikko (the ancient Finnish-Karelian bowed lyre) sounds in the hands of Pekka Käppi – a virtuosic master of the instrument. Also performing a Rääkkylä native Pauliina Lerche & Co.

Tsaijuteltta (with area ticket)
for example:
5.45pm–6.30pm Pekko Käppi
9.30pm–10.15pm A-P Sarjanto
10.45pm–11.30pm Pauliina Lerche & Co.
00.00–1am Nordic Choro

Saturday 4th July

Concert restaurant (Konserttiravintola)
1pm – 2pm Kanteleen kyydissä (a Ride with Kantele) (with area ticket)
An interactive children’s concert full of action.

7pm­ – 9pm Rautavaara!
(30 € includes area ticket)
This evening concert showcases fresh interpretations of Tapio Rautavaara’s unforgettable songs! Professional folk musicians from different parts of Finland will step on the stage. Stories will be told by Waikko-Joe.

11pm – 01.30am Sykettä! (with area ticket)
11pm-11.45 pm Anna-Karin Korhonen & Avertere
00.30am-01.30am Voyagers

Tsaijuteltta (with area ticket)
4.30pm–5.15pm Kouon Frouva
5.45pm–6.30pm d´AIROT
7pm-7.45pm Klaus Thunder ja Ukkosmaine!
00.00–1am Rymäkkä
1.30am–2.30am Jussi Syren & The Groundbreakers

Please check our Finnish site to see the full programme.

The artist information is available only in Finnish, but most of our artists have their own website with English information. Please check our Finnish site.

TICKETS

Area tickets

(including Tsaiju tent, auditorium, KAMU-stage,Children’s Kihaus Folk, Käskaski programme and Kanteleen kyydissä – children’s concert as well as Sykettä! – nightclub)

Half day ticket Fri 3rd July│5 €
(2 pm – 6 pm)

Half day ticket Sat 4th July│8 €
(11 am – 6 pm)

Whole day ticket│17 €
(Fri 3rd July 2 pm – 3 am, Sat 4th July 11 am – 3 am)

Children (ages 7-15) │5 € (only one price)

Family ticket: a whole day area ticket
(2 adults + max. 3 children) │37 €

Concert tickets

(including a whole day area ticket)
30 €│children 15 € (ages 7-15)
Discount on S-Etukortti card 2 €

Mikael Konttinen and his band
(Fri 3rd July 7pm – 9pm)

Humppaa! Rymäkkä + Eläkeläiset
(Fri 3rd July 11pm – 1.30 am, K18)

Rautavaara! (Sat 4th July 7pm – 9pm)

Kihaus Folk-Pass

Fri 3rd July│50 € (concerts + area)
Fri- Sat 3rd -4th July│75 € (concerts + area)

Church concerts

Programme guide│10€

Koivuniemi

Free entry

Paksuniemi

Satama Soi! (free entry)

Verhojen varjoissa

Sun 5th July
10 € adults│5 € children and students

Advance reservations of tickets:
www.lipputoimisto.fi (available from 6th April.)
Karjalan musiikki, Kiteen musiikki and Rääkkylä Folk ry office (available from 4th May)

Free entry for assistants of the physically and visually disabled

RESTAURANT SERVICES

The region’s delicacies and local groceries! Kihaus-restaurant serves on both Friday and Saturday until 7pm. We serve dishes originating from Rääkkylä and North Karelia so the theme can be seen and tasted in our restaurant as well. Refreshments and snacks are available also in Tsaiju tent and the yard café. We attend to groups in terms of advance reservations and will organise You a high quality service during Your Kihaus Folk-visit. Contact Rääkkylä Folk ry office tel.+358 50 307 0539 or info(at)kihaus.fi

ACCOMMODATION

Kihaus offers its customers once again different options for accommodation during the event. You can spend the night with families, in a school or in apartments. Current and updated information about accommodation and rates at www.kihaus.fi. Additional information also from majoitus(at)kihaus.fi or tel. +358 50 525 7818.

KIHAUS FOLK -PRODUCTS

We sell for instance t-shirts for men and women 15 €, children’s t-shirts 10 € and Kihaus folk 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 Rääkkylä Hayride!), which was a village party with dances, amateur theatre etc. In the beginning of 1980’s folk music started to have more and more status in Rääkkylä. Folk music courses started in the summertime, new bands were founded – the most well known is Värttinä (1983-) whose music has been deeply rooted in Northern Karelia. 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.

The power of Kihaus and our folk music is in our roots, in local talents and “the fire of the soul” that has been an endless encouragement to people who nowadays are professionals in folk music. Good education in folk music and various groups of the younger generation guarantee that the tradition of folk music shall continue in our village. Another distinctive feature of Rääkkylä is geographical situation in Karelia, at the border of east and west. Karelianism and close connections to other Finno-Ugrian people has always been a basic feature of Kihaus. Kihaus has an important cultural mission! Nowadays the Rääkkylä Folk Association organizes the Kihaus Folk festival. The Association is a non-profit organisation, which organises also for example folk music courses.

CONTACTS

Please contact Folk Assistant Miss Jutta Anttonen to get more information about accommodation, brochures, tickets etc.

Kihaus Folk Festival
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.