New stage and first batch of sideshow revealed
Oho – the number of stages at Ilosaarirock is jumping from four to five this summer, and the programme for our brand-new stage is out now!
An eclectic mix of art and music, hands-on workshops and talks that’ll spark your curiosity – why choose just one when you can have it all? At Ilosaarirock’s brand-new Oho! stage, you get the full experience.
Oho! will pop up in a completely new area of the festival grounds, right next to the familiar Main Stage area Food Court, beside the Laulurinne fountain. This visually striking new spot will feature the Oho! stage itself, plenty of comfy seating (yes, please!) and a charming new bar. It’s a feast for all your senses – and a treat for tired festival feet.
The Oho! programme over the festival weekend features a wild and wonderful range of art performances. Expect to see Sirkus Supiainen’s RauKat performance, Marika Sampio-Utriainen’s monologue For the Love of the Artist – Virginie, the dazzling burlesque of Kiusa Kabaree, tricks from magician Kristian Backman and a multi-art piece called The Red Serenade. On the music front, you’ll hear louna0nline – a fresh new name in ethereal hyperpop and modern rap hailing originally from Kontiolahti, Joensuu-based pop artist luke who just played his debut gig at Lunta Ilosaaressa this past March, and Tams, a DIY force diving deep into the moody magic of Finnish synthpop.
Want to join in on the fun? Oho!’s interactive sideshow acts include a drag workout, or a Dragxercise led by JumppaPits and a fabulous crowd of drag artists, a Shuffle dance workshop, daytime dancing to Jytää ja iskelmää and a Print It silk screen printing workshop where you can print Ilosaarirock-themed designs on your own clothes or tote bags.
And there’s more – Oho! is also a place to learn something new. At the University of Eastern Finland’s Science Corner, you can dive into topics like light, the metaverse of experimental Finnish literature, the role of culture in wellness content on social media and how music influences consumer behavior. Over at the Skill Corner by Karelia University of Applied Sciences, you'll learn how to turn a not-so-great photo into something actually pretty good with some image editing magic.
So yes – there’s loads to see, do and experience!
You can check out the full Oho! programme on our sideshow page over here. And we’re not done yet – the sideshow lineup for the best weekend of the summer will keep expanding as we head into spring and early summer. Stay tuned, folks!
