The Qstock Festival in Oulu stretches partly over three days this year, for music on the Oulu2026 Stage starts already on Thursday, 27 July. The stage moves to a new location in Linnansaari island, and entry to the island will be free throughout the festival.
As before, the Oulu2026 Stage introduces rising bands and artists from Oulu. The acts on Thursday include pop/rap artist Sana, pop rock group Valkea, and spoken word artist Lajune. Friday acts are electronic artist Recend, metal group Slow Fall, prog pop band Kos Mos, and singer/songwriter Eereka. The final day is Saturday when the Oulu2026 Stage presents rapper Mactopias, the folk moods of Haamusoittajat, the melodic punk of Saa kiljua, the electronic folk of Junna, and the explosive energy of Kiestus.
“We want to highlight the versatility of the Oulu music scene by introducing artists from many different genres. There are acts who are just starting their careers as well as ones with a little more experience. All of them are united by the urge to develop and take strides toward bigger and bigger stages,” says Executive Producer Henri Turunen from the Oulu 2026 foundation.
The Oulu2026 Stage is part of Oulu’s journey to becoming the European Capital of Culture in 2026. Turunen says that music is an integral part of the cultural identity in Oulu, and that is why the Oulu2026 foundation wishes to offer local artists opportunities in Europe as well as locally.
Qstock takes place in the area of Kuusisaari and Raatti islands in Oulu on the last weekend of July. The festival has been sold out for nine consecutive summers and established a status as one of the biggest festivals in Finland, gathering 40 000 people over two days.
