Festival Area
The Ilosaarirock festival area is Laulurinne, built in 1986 to serve as a venue for large (music) events and other recreational purposes for the people of Joensuu. Laulurinne is situated close to the city centre. The distance to Laulurinne from the city's market place is about one kilometre. Ilosaarirock is the largest annual event organised in Laulurinne these days.
Ilosaarirock Stages
Ilosaarirock festival has five stages: Main stage, YleX Stage, Sue Stage, Rento Stage, and Rekka Stage.
Artists on the Main stage and the Rekka stage play at the same time, whereas artists on the YleX, the Third and the Relax stages also let the audience indulge in musical pleasures simultaneously.
The Main Stage
The Main stage is situated in the middle lawn of Laulurinne. At the lawn in front of the Main stage you will also find two licenced bar areas, and the food stalls are situated on one side of the middle lawn. In front of the Main stage there is a platform for those who need a wheelchair.
The YleX Stage
The YleX Stage, a marquee stage with a capacity of about 8,000 listeners, is situated in the sandy area between Laulurinne and the horse track. Performances on the YleX Stage will begin already on Friday with the Sulo Club. In front of the YleX Stage there is a platform for those who need a wheelchair, and a licenced bar area with a fine view to the stage is situated in the back, opposite the stage. The YleX radio channel works in cooperation with Ilosaarirock Festival this summer as well and records the performances on this stage.
The Sue Stage
The Sue Stage is situated close to the Main Gate. Like the YleX stage, it is a marquee-type stage, and hosts fascinating acts both from Finland and abroad. This year the Sue Stage comes alive already on Friday 15 July, as the host to the Töminä Club.
The Rento Stage
The Rento Stage, situated on the Linnunlahti beach, emphasises R n' B. It has actually become a festival of its own inside the context of Ilosaarirock festival. You can dance your worries away in the sand, relax, and enjoy. In between gigs on the Rento Stage, the Tunnelmissa reggae disco keeps the mellow moods alive with affable and dancable rhythm music from various corners of the world.
In addition to the Rento Stage, the beach area hosts toilets, a licenced bar area and food stalls.
The Rekka Stage
The Rekka Stage, located next to the YleX Stage, offers you new and exciting talents. The Rekka Stage also tunes in already on Friday for the Sulo Club.
Clubs
Ilosaarirock Festival starts with club events on Friday 15 July. As before, the Sulo Club jams on both YleX and Rekka Stages. The Töminä Club goes in to the Sue Stage marquee tent.
There are no age limits to Töminä and Sulo Clubs. There are separate licenced bar areas at the Clubs, and to enter these you need to be 18 years of age.
There are also club events on Saturday and Sunday at restaurant Kerubi (address: Siltakatu 1). The age limit for Kerubi clubs is 18 years.
Cloakrooms (Narikka) and Alcohol Deposits (Viinanarikka)
Cloakrooms and alcohol deposits are located close to both the festival site Main gate and the horse track gate (see map). Cloakrooms cost 2€, alcohol deposits are free. Even sums for deposits make our work a lot easier while you spend less time queuing, so bring your coins!
Cloackroom opening hours:
Fri 5pm – 3am
Sat 11am – 2am
Sun 11am – 1am.
Alcoholic drinks to alcohol deposits (Viinanarikka)
It is forbidden to bring alcoholic drinks to the festival site. You cannot bring in any alcohol bottles either, no matter what they contain. This is because it is impossible for the security personnel to know what is in your bottle. Alcoholic drinks must be left in the alcohol deposits, which are free of charge!
Changing Ticket for Wristband
You can change your ticket for a wristband on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at ticket change points along Linnunlahdentie street (see map).
Ticket change points opening hours:
Fri 3pm – 11pm
Sat 10am – 11pm
Sun 12am – 8pm.
Please check immediately the moment you get wristband that it is well fastened and will not slip off your wrist. If the wristband is not well fastened or it is too loose, let the festival staff know about it at once in order to avoid problems at the gates later on.
Disabled festival goers who need an assistant can bring one in to the festival area free of charge. The assistants get their wristbands at Poppikoppi.
Gates
There are two gates to the festival area: the Main Gate on Linnunlahdentie, and the YleX Gate close to the YleX Stage. Both the Main Gate and the YleX Gate are open throughout the festival weekend, that is, on Saturday and Sunday. On Friday July 15, the Töminä Club entrance is through the Main Gate, and the Sulo Club entrance through the YleX Gate.
Food, Jewellery, and Clothes Stalls in Ilosaarirock
About twenty-five food, jewellery, and clothes stalls at the Ilosaarirock Festival site are ready to serve you. Food stalls are all located in one row next to the Linnunlahti Camping site's fence. Jewellery stalls are located between Laulurinne and the beach. You will find regular, vegetarian, and vegan food in the food stalls.
Licenced Bar Areas
There are four licenced bar areas in the Ilosaarirock Festival area. The age limit for all licenced bar areas is 18 years. Be prepared to prove your age: in other words, always keep an official identification document with you (a photo ID card, a passport, or a driving licence).
You cannot take alcohol drinks out of the licenced bar areas.
Toilet Areas
There are several toilet areas in the festival site. Please, use them, not bushes! In the areas you can find both regular toilets and urinals. There are also toilets for the handicapped in the area.
Water Taps
There are several water taps in the festival area as well as in camping areas. Remember to take care of your fluid balance by drinking enough water!
Litter and Recycling
There are several recycling points in the festival site and camping areas. There you can sort out glass, metal, cardboard and mixed waste. If you are not sure which waste goes where ask staff at recycling point to show you, they'll be happy to help you!
Non-smoking Areas
According to new smoking legislation, smoking is forbidden in front of all stages. Please respect this prohibition – it is nicer and safer for all of us when nobody's smoking in the crowd.
