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Ilosaari

Finland / Pohjois-Karjala / Joensuu /
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Ilosaari is an island in a centre of Joensuu, in Pielisjoki (the river). Itäsilta (East Bridge) goes through it. There are a University office building, a lagoon where you can swim, a building, Karjalantalo (House of Kerelia), with a restaurant and a small stage in it and an open air stage which was build in 2006.

It's a nice park to have a picnic in the summer. There are two rapids on the both sides of the island for those who want to fish.

Meny happenigs is held in the open air stage. In fall there's a music festival mainly directed to University and other students, Lehtiä Ilosaaressa (Leaves in the Ilosaari). It's organized by Joensuu University's student organization. It's held on Wednesday in September and there performs 4 to 6 semi-big bands from Finland. So far, at least one of them has been of local origin. There's also held a rescue performance in the lagoon in the summer and in winter snow sculptures and an ice scating ring in the lagoon.

Ilosaarirock was originally held in Ilosaari 1971 before it grew too big for a small island to handle (the island pulls ca. 5 000 people) and it was moved to a bigger area in Laulurinne (check Laulurinne -part in the map). Today Ilosaarirock is one of the biggest festivals in Finland having 20 000 visitors and it's sold out at least past 10 years. There performs ca. 60 band in 3 days and has many side-kick events so its total lenght is a week plus Kohti Rokkia -events (Towards Rock). Nowadays in friday of the Ilosaarirock weekend a music festival called Ilovaarirock (vaari = elderly person(male)) is held in the Ilosaari. It's directed to elderly people and there performs bands who play music from 60's and 70's. For the most part it's a place for the local to meet old friends.
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Coordinates:   62°35'57"N   29°46'13"E
This article was last modified 10 years ago