Ilosaarirock, known locally as the best weekend of the summer, takes place in Joensuu from the 12th to the 14th of July, 2019. The festival is held at a scenic lakeside location (street address: Linnunlahdentie 3), and is within walking distance from the city centre.
Ilosaarirock has been running since 1971, and is organised by the Joensuu Pop Musicians' Association, a non-profit organisation founded on the idea of supporting the live music scene. A share of the profits go to supporting local musicians, artists and cultural events, as well as towards environmental projects that aim to protect the local wildlife. Ilosaarirock prides itself on being independent, responsible and ethically- sound. The festival is much loved and treasured by both the organisers and guests, who return to the festival year after year.
One of the oldest and most legendary summer festivals in Finland, and with 60 000 – 70 000 annual guests, Ilosaarirock is also one of the biggest. The sought-after tickets are often sold out even before the festival begins. The carefully selected programme, beautiful natural surroundings and the amiable, easy-going atmosphere result in our guests wanting to come back for more. Brace yourself for the best weekend summer 2019 has to offer – and watch out: Ilosaarirock is highly addictive!
Tickets
Ilosaarirock Festival tickets sales are operated by Lippu.fi and Tiketti. In Joensuu you can buy tickets from record store Levy-Eskot, Carelicum or Prisma.
Age limits
Ilosaarirock Festival does not have an age limit, but we recommend that children under 12 years old are accompanied by an adult. Under 8-year-olds get in for free with an adult who has a ticket.
Festival area
The festival site Laulurinne is a park-like area designed specially for large events with green grass and a beach. Ilosaarirock Festival has five stages, plenty of different services and entertainment.
Changing ticket for wristband
At Rokkikontti, located next to Joensuu Art Museum (street address: Kirkkokatu 23) and Lidl Pilkko, you can change tickets to the wristband from Wednesday 10th July to Friday 12th July.
You can change your ticket for a wristband on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at ticket change point next to the Main Gate.
Please change your festival ticket to the wristband at the camping site gate when you are checking in to Ravileirintä camping.
Wristband exchange is open:
At Rokkikontti
Wednesday 10am–5pm
Thursday 10am–7pm
Friday 10am–7pm
At Lidl / Pilkko
Wednesday 11am–6pm
Thursday 11am–7pm
Friday 11am–7pm
At the Main gate
Friday 2pm onwards
Information desk and Lost & found
The Ilosaarirock Festival information desk help the festival guests in all questions and queries about the festival. The information desk is located near the Main Gate. It is open from Friday onwards.
During the festival weekend, any lost property will be taken to the information desk. After the festival from Monday 2pm onwards, all lost property will be taken care of by North Carelian Lost and Found Office: www.pklp.fi.
Cloakrooms (Narikka)
Cloakrooms are located after the Main Gate are open throughout the weekend. Please note that you can have your items back from the cloakroom only if you have a cloakroom ticket!
Cloackroom opening hours:
Friday 2pm – 2:30am
Saturday 11am – 2:30am
Sunday 11am – 2:30am
Cloakrooms cost 4€ / each visit.
As cloakrooms are closed for the night, remember to fetch your items in time. The festival is not responsible for items left in unmanned cloakrooms.
Bicycle parking
Close to the festival site Laulurinne, about 150 metres from the Main gate, there is a guarded bicycle parking area. Parking fee is 3 euros.
Bicycle park is open:
Friday 2pm to 2:30am
Saturday 11am to 2:30am
Sunday 11am to 2:30am
As bicycle park is closed for the night, remember to fetch your items in time. The festival is not responsible for items left in unmanned bicycle park.
If you arrive by bicycle, please use guarded bicycle parking area.
Accommodation
In Joensuu, during Ilosaarirock you can choose from the two official Ilosaarirock Festival camping sites (Ravileirintä and Nice and Easy), school accommodation, Holiday Linnunlahti camping site and hotells in Joensuu and nearby areas.
Read more about accommodation options.
Cashless
Ilosaarirock is a full cashless festival.
Cashless is a payment method that utilises a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip, without bank cards or cash. Like numerous big festivals in the recent years, Ilosaarirock Festival uses cashless payment. This means that within the festival grounds you cannot pay with cash or bank cards, but all purchases are made with the cashless wristband.
Learn more about cashless: ilosaarirock.fi/2019/english/cashless
Services
The festival area features various services from phone charging stations to food stalls that cater to meatlovers, vegetarians and vegans alike, not forgetting special dietery requirements.
There are also vendors in the festival area selling clothes and jewellery, amongst other things. The official Ilosaarirock Festival merchandise (t-shirts, hoodies, bags, etc) are sold by Longplay Music. Official festival merchandise can also be bought from Longplay Music's online store.
There are several licenced bar areas in the Ilosaarirock Festival area with varying product ranges. The age limit for all licenced bar areas is 18 years. Be prepared to prove your age: always keep an official identification document with you (a photo ID card, a passport, or a driving licence).
There are several toilet areas and free water taps in the festival site, also for the handicapped.
Accessibility
The guiding principle of the Ilosaarirock Festival arrangements is that everyone should feel welcome at our festival.
The Ilosaarirock Festival site is a park with dirt roads, and the area is more or less flat except for the uphill to the Main Tent area. Near the festival area, there is a parking area with a limited number of disabled parking spaces. To park your car there, you need a designated disabled parking permit. There are viewing platforms near the mixing desks of the Main Stage, the Main Tent and the Rento Stage. Toilets with wheelchair access are located near the viewing platforms and in toilet areas.
Assistants of disabled people do not need to buy a ticket to access the festival area. Assistants get their wristbands at the ticket changing points at the Main Gate.
Ticket refunds
Changes to the line-up, schedules and other arrangements of the festival are always possible and will be communicated without delay. The general practice is that festival tickets cannot be returned or refunded due to such events.
