FESTIVAL Info
Ilosaarirock, known locally as the best weekend of the summer, takes place over three days in Joensuu, Finland from the 18th to the 20th of July, 2025. The festival is held at a scenic lakeside location, and is within walking distance from the Joensuu city centre. Ilosaarirock has been running since 1971, and the festival is organised by Ilosaarirock Oy, which is owned by a non-profit organisation founded on the idea of supporting the local live music scene.
Ilosaarirock Festival is much loved and treasured by both its organisers and guests, bringing together a crowd of some 70 000 people annually for one happy and unforgettable weekend. You can read more about the festival and its organisers here.
Tickets for Ilosaarirock are available as three-day, two-day, and one-day options, as well as VIP tickets for three and one-day options. Separate one-day youth and children's tickets are also available for purchase.
Official tickets for Ilosaarirock are sold through Ticketmaster. Tickets can be purchased online or at Ticketmaster outlets. Please note that delivery fees from Ticketmaster may apply to the final ticket price.
All Ilosaarirock festival tickets must be exchanged for wristbands before entering the festival grounds.
Ilosaarirock is an all-ages festival. However, we strongly advise that minors be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at the festival. Children under 8 can enjoy Ilosaarirock free of charge on one chosen day, as long as they are accompanied by a guardian, who’s purchased their own ticket.
Youth tickets are for attendees aged 13–17, while children's tickets are for those aged 8–12. Kids with a children's ticket can only enter the festival with a guardian who has purchased a ticket for the same day. The age of everyone with a youth or children's ticket will be checked at the wristband exchange.
If you're bringing children to Ilosaarirock, please let them set the pace and make sure they have a safe, alcohol-free festival experience.
Some festival services, such as all bar areas and VIP services, are age-restricted and reserved for adult attendees only.
We reserve the right to make changes to the Ilosaarirock lineup, schedule, and other arrangements, with updates shared as soon as possible. In line with live music industry practices, festival tickets cannot be refunded due to individual artist cancellations, and no compensation is provided for such changes.
Ilosaarirock tickets may not be used as prizes in competitions or raffles without explicit written permission from the festival organisers.
Ilosaarirock takes place in Eastern Finland at the Laulurinne area in Joensuu, located about one kilometre from the city centre. You can easily travel to Joensuu by train, bus, car, or plane. From Joensuu’s railway station and main bus stops, it’s about 1.5 kilometres to the festival grounds.
Summer is a very popular time for travel in Finland, so it’s a good idea to buy all public transport tickets, including train tickets for Ilosaarirock, well in advance. In addition to the regular train services, VR will run an extra return train from Joensuu to Helsinki on the night between Sunday and Monday of the festival weekend, departing on July 21 at 01:02. Tickets for all train services during Ilosaarirock are available on VR’s website and the VR Matkalla app.
A secure, paid bicycle park is available near the festival grounds and is open every day of the festival. You can pay for your bicycle parking upon arrival – no need to book in advance.
Paid, paved parking is available for festival-goers arriving by car. Please note that the parking area is not supervised overnight, and staying overnight in vehicles is strictly prohibited. Parking passes for cars will go on sale in spring 2025.
If you’re driving to Ilosaarirock, we encourage you to carpool with other festival-goers – it’s not only fun but also eco-friendly!
Festival attendees coming from outside Joensuu have the option to stay in the city's hotels, campsites (including RVs), or private accommodations, such as rental homes or apartments provided by local individuals during the Ilosaarirock weekend.
The nearest hotels are located in Joensuu city centre, approximately a 1,5 kilometre distance from the Ilosaarirock festival site. We strongly recommend booking your hotel stay well in advance as the city of Joensuu tends to get very busy during the Ilosaarirock weekend!
Check out the local hotels:
Sokos Hotel Kimmel
Sokos Hotel Vaakuna
Scandic Hotel Joensuu
GreenStar Hotel Joensuu
Lietsu Boutique Aparthotel
AadanKosio
Johanssonin Talo
Hotel Julie
Ilosaarirock does not have its own official campsite. However, for festival guests who’d like to camp, we recommend Holiday Linnunlahti, a campsite located right next to the festival area. At the popular Holiday Linnunlahti, accommodation options include camping, rental cottages, and caravan stays.
Guests staying at Holiday Linnunlahti can access the Ilosaarirock festival site directly through their own camping gate.
Holiday Linnunlahti is responsible for the arrangements of its campsite and the sale of accommodation tickets. For any inquiries related to camping, please contact Holiday Linnunlahti directly.
More information and bookings:
www.linnunlahti.fi
[email protected]
In addition to Holiday Linnunlahti, the Jokiasema caravan area near the Ilosaarirock festival grounds provides overnight parking for guests staying in camper vans during the festival weekend. Jokiasema also has a guest marina if you’re arriving by water. Jokiasema is responsible for managing the caravan area arrangements and handling space bookings.
Once Ilosaarirock nears, more private accommodation options become available. Accommodations such as locals’ apartments and vacation homes can be searched for on AirBnb or Tori.fi.
Please be aware of possible scammers when reserving your private accommodations! We recommend you book your stay via verified channels or people you know and can identify. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is! Ilosaarirock Festival is not responsible for any possible scams you may encounter when reserving a private accommodation.
Please remember to respect the local residents' privacy in the nearby area and avoid littering as well as loitering in the yards of residential buildings.
Ilosaarirock’s festival grounds, Laulurinne, is a park area located by the shores of Lake Pielinen, featuring plenty of grassy spaces and a lovely beach. The site is mostly navigable via sandy paths, with the exception of a gentle incline leading to the back area of the festival grounds.
Throughout the festival weekend, Ilosaarirock will bring fantastic live music, exciting side activities, visual experiences, and delicious food and drinks to Laulurinne. It’s the perfect recipe for the best weekend of the summer!
Cash payments are not accepted within the festival grounds. Ilosaarirock accepts the most common debit and credit cards, as well as contactless payments and mobile payment options that support contactless transactions.
Information Point and Lost & Found
The Ilosaarirock information point, located by the festival entrance, is the place to go for any festival-related issues, from lost tickets to missing backpacks. You can also purchase gate tickets here, provided the festival hasn't sold out in advance.
Throughout the festival weekend, the information point also serves as the lost and found.
A paid cloakroom service is available near the festival entrance and will be open throughout the entire festival weekend.
Food, Drink and Water Stations
The Ilosaarirock festival grounds offer a variety of food stalls serving hungry festival-goers throughout the event. All food vendors provide a wide selection of vegetarian and vegan options, and special dietary needs are also accommodated at each food stall.
There are several bar areas within the festival grounds, serving adult festival-goers. Please be prepared to show ID at the entrance to these areas! In addition to delicious cocktails and light alcoholic drinks, the bars also offer non-alcoholic options.
The festival site also features several water stations where you can refill your water bottle.
There are plenty of toilets and urinals available on the festival grounds and right outside of the festival site, close to the entrance.
Accessible toilets can be found at every toilet area across the festival site. Ilosaarirock uses Vessapassi (Toilet Card).
At Ilosaarirock, 100% of waste is either recycled or used for energy production. Recycling stations are set up across the festival grounds for organic waste, metal, glass, cardboard, plastics, cans and bottles, and hazardous waste. There are also dedicated ashtrays for cigarette butts.
Ilosaarirock offers seating and resting spots throughout the festival grounds. A large part of the festival area is grassy, providing a comfortable place to sit back, relax, and soak up the atmosphere of the best weekend of the summer.
Ilosaarirock's own festival merchandise and fan merchandise of the bands and artists performing at the festival are available for purchase at Ilosaarirock Shop inside the festival area.
Ilosaarirock merchandise can also be bought in advance at shop.ilosaarirock.fi.
Elevate your festival experience to new heights as Ilosaarirock’s VIP customer! With a VIP ticket, you'll enjoy the festival atmosphere in a truly unique way. In addition to the festival's main programme and services, you'll have access to exclusive VIP areas, offering everything you need to create a five-star festival experience, without compromising on quality!
Ilosaarirock offers one-day and three-day VIP tickets. All VIP tickets are for ages 18 and over, as the festival’s VIP services are located in age-restricted bar areas.
In addition to regular festival entry, a VIP ticket gives you access to Ilosaarirock's exclusive VIP areas and a range of special services designed to enhance your festival experience. Please note that food and drinks are not included with VIP tickets.
Ilosaarirock offers two exclusive VIP areas, located in front of the festival's largest stages. Both areas feature stylishly decorated VIP spaces, complete with top-quality services for your comfort. Both VIP areas also feature flush toilets.
Original Long Drink VIP
Located right next to the Main Stage, the Original Long Drink VIP is a two-story structure surrounded by a cozy outdoor area – offering the best views of both the stage and the crowd. The ground floor features a well-stocked bar with a wide selection of drinks, while the outdoor seating area provides the perfect spot to soak in the festival vibes, enjoy live performances, or simply bask in the summer sun.
No need to leave the VIP area for a bathroom break – onsite flush toilets ensure a smooth and comfortable festival experience.
The second floor of this exclusive VIP structure is reserved for Ilosaarirock’s private VIP Box guests.
Star VIP
Nestled next to the YleX Stage, Star VIP is your go-to spot to unwind, enjoy top-tier performances, sip on refreshing drinks and socialize in style! This exclusive VIP area is located right by the YleX Stage and offers direct access to the brand-new VIP Front Row, an exclusive viewing area reserved just for our VIP guests.
With a stylish terrace and plenty of comfy seating on the lawn, Star VIP is perfect for both partying and relaxing. VIP guests also have access to private flush toilets conveniently located right next to the area.
Ilosaarirock is fully committed to ensuring that everyone is welcome and can attend our festival.
Ilosaarirock takes place in a park area, where most of the site is navigable via sandy paths. The terrain is mostly flat, with the exception of a few gentle inclines leading to the back areas of the festival. There are plenty of signs throughout the grounds to help guide you around the festival.
There is a paved parking area near the festival grounds, which includes a limited number of free disabled parking spaces.
All Ilosaarirock stages have viewing platforms for customers with limited mobility, located in the crowd in front of the stage and accessible via gentle ramps.
All large toilet areas at Ilosaarirock have accessible toilets.
Ilosaarirock does not have separate tickets for disabled attendees or those who require a personal assistant – everyone simply purchases a regular ticket. If you require a personal assistant, your assistant can attend the festival free of charge. There is no need to reserve the assistant’s wristband in advance; both the assistant and the person being assisted can collect and exchange their wristbands at the festival’s info point upon arrival. Wristbands are always attached directly to the wrist, so they cannot be picked up on behalf of someone else.
No official proof of disability is required, but if the need for an assistant is not visibly apparent, documents such as an EU Disability Card or a doctor’s certificate may help streamline the process at the info point. This policy also applies to interpreters. Please note that assistance dogs are not permitted at Ilosaarirock.
If you have any questions, concerns or feedback regarding our accessibility, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
Equality has always been one of Ilosaarirock’s core values. Our visitors, volunteers, performers, employees and partners are all welcome at our festival as they are. We want every single person to feel safe and free to express themselves at Ilosaarirock. We do not allow or tolerate any kind of discrimination or harassment at Ilosaarirock.
We have a zero tolerance policy for sexual harassment or abuse at Ilosaarirock. Our security guards and entire festival staff have been trained to recognise incidents of harassment and how to intervene. Additionally, a sexual harassment support person works on site and the police will keep the threshold for reporting crimes low.
We are all responsible for our own actions – even in the festival frenzy. Please respect the physical and mental integrity of each and every one of your fellow revellers and take others into consideration in the midst of having fun. If you witness or experience any inappropriate behaviour, alert or turn to any of the festival security guards or Ilosaarirock staff members.
Ilosaarirock’s principles for a safer space have been compiled in the festival’s Rock Etiquette, which you can find here.
Ilosaarirock belongs to each and every single one of us. There is no place for any kind of harassment or inappropriate behavior at the Ilosaarirock Festival. Let's ensure together that summer’s best weekend is truly the best for everyone.
Respect others
Respect the physical and mental integrity of every festival goer, as well as their autonomy. Remember that no always means no – respect the boundaries set by others. Treat other people's belongings and the surrounding nature with respect as well.
Don't assume
Don't make any assumptions about other people. Embrace everyone with an open, non-judgmental attitude and allow everyone the space to be their most authentic selves.
Ask for consent
Don't touch others without their permission – including any assistive devices. Ask for consent before entering someone else's physical space. Remember that consent must always be mutual.
Treat others with kindness
Don't criticize, mock, discriminate against, or embarrass anyone with your words or actions – not even as a joke. Treat everyone and everything around you with kindness, warmth and respect.
Stand up for others
We are all responsible for creating the atmosphere of summer’s best weekend. Remember that your actions also affect other festival goers. Intervene in inappropriate behavior and stand up for both yourself and others.
Listen and take responsibility
If you receive any feedback about your actions, receive and be open to it. Apologize if you have unintentionally or intentionally hurt other individuals or their property with your words or actions.
If you feel unsafe at the festival or encounter behavior that violates the Rock Etiquette, always turn to the nearest security guard or other festival staff. Let's create summer’s best weekend for everyone together!
Safety first! We want all of our customers to be able to concentrate on enjoying the festival with peace of mind. The Ilosaarirock organisers work closely with different authorities to ensure safety at the event, and the festival has been praised for the smooth running and peacefulness of the event – also by the authorities.
We have hundreds of security guards both inside the festival site as well as the area just outside it, ensuring the safety of our customers. The local police and rescue services as well as first aid and support services are also all on duty on the festival grounds.
We also take part in developing even safer ways of organising events in cooperation with various national and international parties. We are constantly planning and mapping out safe alternatives and options for the event organising industry.
Access to the festival grounds is through a security check. The purpose of these checks, carried out by event staff, is to prevent prohibited items and substances from being brought onto the site.
There is a first aid point at Ilosaarirock, available to festival-goers throughout the weekend. In addition to the main first aid point, first aid teams will be patrolling the festival grounds.
Dense Crowds and Crowd Surfing
Ilosaarirock hosts tens of thousands of people over the weekend. If you start feeling uncomfortable or anxious in crowded areas, please avoid dense crowds. Crowd surfing is strictly prohibited for safety reasons.
Animals are not allowed at Ilosaarirock, including service dogs.
Sound levels at the festival may exceed recommended limits. Protect your hearing by using earplugs or earmuffs.
Using various video and camera equipment is allowed at the festival. SLR and DSLR cameras, GoPros and other action cameras, tablets etc. are allowed, but please leave any big flashes or lights at home. Selfie sticks are also allowed. Drones/UAV’s, however, are not allowed for safety reasons.
Please remember to respect the privacy of your fellow festival goers – so don’t post pictures of other people online without asking for their permission first. The security guards also have the right to ban photography and filming, for example at a performer’s request during their gig.
Can't find an answer to your question? Our festival info will get updated throughout the year as the festival weekend nears and more details become clear. If you're unsure about anything, don't hesitate to shoot us an email, or reach out on any of our social media channels – we'd be happy to help!