New KVARKENFEST Festival and VAASA RUN Sports Event Combine Forces – Run to the Festival at Elisa Stadion in June 2022!
The city of Vaasa will witness an outpour of culture and sports on Saturday June 18th, 2022.
Formal cooperation between Finland and Sweden in the Kvarken region celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, which is why the Kvarken Council EGTC plans to mark the event with a grand Kvarkenfest at Elisa Stadion in Vaasa. The folk festival will be opened by Vaasa Run, a major running and wellbeing event organized by Vasa Idrottssällskap (Vasa IS) for the second time next summer. Over 2,000 runners with different exercise backgrounds are expected to participate.
Kvarkenfest is a new, bridge-building festival that aims to strengthen contacts between people as well as cultural and business cooperation in the Kvarken region. The event, organized by the Kvarken Council EGTC, is a folk festival with multilingual programme for the whole family. National top artists and local rising stars – most with a regional anchoring – will perform at the festival throughout the day.
The first artists made public include the Ostrobothnian humor group KAJ, which is currently successful at Wasa Teater with the musical “Botnia Paradise” with over 20,000 tickets sold. We also offer a big show with Kvarken Allstars, a combination of top musicians and star soloists from all over the region. We can already tell you that Umeå’s and Sweden’s very first Idol winner Daniel Lindström (SWE), the Voice of Finland winner and Rakasta Joulua star Antti Railio (FI) and the rap duo Kuningas Pähkinä & Setä Tamu (FI) are among the soloists. More artists will be presented later.
The Kvarken Council’s Chairman, Mr Joakim Strand, views the event as a natural continuation of projects initiated and worked on by the Kvarken Council EGTC. He hopes for a big turnout from both sides of the Kvarken.
– We want the keep the threshold to participate as low as possible. Everyone must have the opportunity to enjoy the folk festival and celebrate Kvarken cooperation, which is why the Kvarken Council has decided to grant free entry to the first 500 persons who book a ticket to the event, Mr Strand states.
Artist and producer Mr Fredrik Furu is the festival’s Event Coordinator.
– After two extremely difficult years for the cultural industry, it feels incredible to finally introduce a new, major event in the Kvarken region. I’m grateful for the Kvarken Council’s Board for putting their trust in me, Mr Furu says.
Kvarkenfest is also a festival for local producers and actors, with locally produced food and drinks as well as other exciting activities in the festival area.
Unique Cooperation with Vaasa Run
Vaasa Run is a running and sports event for individuals, companies, and families. The event is intended for participants with all kinds of exercise backgrounds and organized by Vasa Idrottssällskap (VIS).
Ms Jannica Granbacka is the Event Manager and sheds light on the event:
– Vaasa has long been lacking a large sports event, which is why VIS now wanted to create an event for all. The routes are 5km and 10km, and you can walk, jog, or run by yourself or as part of a team, Ms Granbacka tells.
She considers the event a perfect opportunity for companies to improve togetherness and strengthen their brands, for instance by donning unified outfits and working together to achieve shared goals.
The route passes through Vaasa’s most beautiful seaside promenade, with the start and finish lines at Elisa Stadion. All participants receive a Vaasa Run T-shirt, a ticket to Kvarkenfest, and a goodie bag with local delicacies at the finish line.
The event strives to attract families with children, and the day is kicked off outside the stadium with a Kidz Run event for children under school age. In addition, Folkhälsan will set up an obstacle course for children and youth at the parking lot, and Kvarkenfest will begin its programme with the humour group KAJ performing on the main stage.
– We’re incredibly pleased to work with Kvarkenfest and to be able to offer our participants a fantastic package – both a sports event and a folk festival with music, food, and drinks, Ms Granbacka says.
– Our Vaasa Run ambassadors will continue to inspire even in 2022, and several new faces will soon be revealed, Ms Granbacka tells.
Tickets to both Vaasa Run and Kvarkenfest can be bought from NetTicket as of November 17th.
Facts – Vaasa Run:
– Held for the second year in a row at Elisa Stadion by VIS.
– Routes 5km and 10km, participate by yourself or as part of a team.
– Kidz Run – a free-of-charge event for children under school age, all participants receive a medal!
– Goal is to attract over 2,000 participants with different exercise backgrounds.
– Participants receive a ticket to Kvarkenfest, a T-shirt, and a goodie bag with local products.
– Routes 5km and 10km are officially measured this year. All participants are given a chip for official timing, although they can choose not to time their run.
www.vaasarun.fi
Facts – Kvarkenfest:
– a 50-year tribute to the Kvarken collaboration
– The festival will be held in 2022 with the aim to strengthen cultural and business cooperation in the Kvarken region.
– Organized by the Kvarken Council EGTC, with Fredrik Furu as the Event Coordinator.
– Unveiled artists: KAJ (FI) and Kvarken Allstars with star singers and musicians from the region. More artists will be announced at a later date.
– Presenters in both events are the TV profiles Kaj Kunnas and Jonathan “Jontti” Granbacka.
– In connection to the Kvarkenfest, the Kvarken Council will also arrange “Kvarken Talks”, an opportunity for discussion with representatives from the cultural industry, business world, and the public sector.
www.kvarkenfest.com
For more information, please contact:
Fredrik Furu, Event Coordinator, Kvarkenfest
+358-50 585 8975
fredrik.furu@kvarken.org
Jannica Granbacka, Event Manager, Vaasa Run
+358-40 737 3541
granbacka.jannica@gmail.com