June 9 – 15, 2014Vekara-Varkaus Childrens Summer Festival

Детский летний фестиваль «Векара-Варкаус»

Facts about the Festival

•Founded in 1995, celebrating its 20th anniversary•Organised by Navitas Kehitys Oy, tourism•The only children’s festival in Eastern Finland•24 500 attendees in 2013•Circus theme in 2014• Large variety of programmes; arts, exercise, sport,

crafts, food culture, tourist services

Power of collaboration

• About 80 different events and workshops executed by companies, associations, artists, church parishes, city of Varkaus and neighbouring municipalities

• Hotel accommodation and vacation packages for families

• In restaurants special food and Waffle competition

• Marketing cooperation

National Children’s literature prize LukuVarkaus 3,500.00 euros

•Stora Enso Oyj and City of Varkaus•Preparatory work since January: bookstore Suomalainen Kirjakauppa, Library of Varkaus, literature expert •Winning book is selected by a 6-person jury of children ages 7-12•Publication during Vekara-Varkaus Festival week

Song Contest for Children and Young PeopleWednesday June 11, 2014 at 6:00 pm in Warkaus Hall

• National competition• Series for children under 10 and for children ages 10-16,

ten competitors/series• Prize money and jury costs will be paid by the Varkaus branch of

Pohjois-Savon Osuuspankki• Jury consists of a representative of the bank and three music

professionals• Festival office is responsible for practical

arrangments• Entrance fee to song competition 8 euros

Fairytale Tours to Sturgeon Facility• Humorous guided bus tour to sturgeon

facility of Carelian Caviar Ltd.• Guided by sturgeon lady who was

created just for Vekara-Varkaus tours• Tour presents the history of sturgeon

fish and the process of producing caviar• Annual favourite• Festival office is responsible for costs• Entrance fee is 5 euros

Summer Street NightThursday June 12, 2014 from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm

• The shopping street of Varkaus turns to a walking street • About 90 street-level shops• Programme: Children’s verbal expression competition (poem, nursury

rhyme, joke, story), Presenting the award for 4-12 year-old Child Photographer of the Year, music, pony riding, workshop, street artists, circus programme, bouncy castle, variety of food spots etc.

• Expenses are paid by the festival office and Varkaus Development Association Potkuri, which represents shops.

Disco Jam, Ravintola NizzaTuesday June 10, 2014 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm

• Local restaurant organises a children’s disco• Additional programme offered such as face painting and

a variety of food service• The restaurant is responsible for expenses and charges a

small entrance fee

Art Centre Väinölä

• Joy to Eastern Finland naïve artists in Varkaus, exhibition for the whole summer• Paper Doll Theatre presentations• Art Centre is responsible for expenses, volunteer entrance fee

5 euros

Trip to Garden Farm

• Bus trip to an organic farm located near Varkaus, which has farm animals and a garden

• Tour of nursery garden (apple trees, useful plants) • Children get to know farm animals (cows, sheep, chickens,

cats and dog)• Give names to chickens, eat delicious pancakes and have fun

in a country setting• Entrance fee

Trip to observatory of Härkämäki• In partnership with Savonia University of Applied Sciences, the

Varkauden Kassiopeia astronomical association, and the festival office

• Participants get information about the Planets and solar energy and look into space with observatory’s telescope

• Pancakes fried at lean-to• Entrance fee

Other collaboration• Adventure Island is open during the whole festival week • City Tours on the Kalakukko Street Train• Theme cruises with Lady of the Lake electric boat• Magic of theatre performances at Varkauden Teatteri• Circus workshops• Finnish Summersault Championships• Parkour workshop• Frisbee workshop• Sand sculpturing• Workshop for playing harmonica• Fishing schools• Karelian pastry station• Football school• Navitas Junior Marathon• Workshop for bus stop painting • Station for driving radio-controlled cars• Newspaper workshop• Tarzan jump rope competition• Picture orienteering

And many more…