1. Age Limit

There is no age limit to the festival. There are separate serving areas for people of age in the Qstock area. People over the age 60 and younger than 10 get in free of cost. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

2. Location

Qstock 2009 takes place in Kuusisaari, Oulu, Finland. This year, the adjacent Raatti is also part of the festival area. The area is undergoing changes during the summer of 2009, and we will keep you updated as promptly as possible. We strongly advise you to leave your car home when attending the festival. There is no parking in the festival area; the closest parking is outside the islands of Raatti and Kuusisaari. The distance from downtown Oulu to the festival area is only about 1 km.

3. Wristbands

You may enter the festival only when wearing the festival wristband. You can exchange your ticket for a wristband during the week leading up to Qstock 2009 from several locations, which will be announced at a later date. We recommend that you exchange your ticket for a wristband in advance and thereby help us keep the lines as short as possible.

NB! There is no possibility to get your wristband in any of the entry ways to the festival area. Please get your wristband from the city center or at the wristband exchange booth leading to the festival area (map section 2). No entry with a broken wristband. We take no responsibility over a broken wristband.

4. Stages

The Main Stage will again be set in Raatti. The stage will now be set at the south end of the area, facing Kuusisaari island. The sponsor for our Main stage is The Voice. Outdoor Stage is another big stage outdoors. The stage is located on the Kuusisaari moor where the former main stage used to be. The sponsor for the Outdoor Stage is Kaleva

Rockpolis Stage is also outdoors, right in front of the Kuusisaaren Paviljonki building where the former Outdoor Stage used to be. The stage is the result of fruitful cooperation between Qstock and Rockpolis, the music information and promotion centre of the city of Oulu. This stage will focus on displaying the best quality of local music, bands who just haven’t had the time to sell those millions of records just yet.

Indoor Stage (Kooma Stage): As usual, Kooma Stage is located indoors, in the Kuusisaaren Paviljonki building. The capacity of the stage is only about 1 000, so please make note of this in “must see” events and show up early. Wacken Metal Battle 2009 will be fought on the Indoor Stage (Kooma Stage) in the early hours of Qstock 2009 Saturday.

Q- Tent – formerly known as the O2 tent – the atmospheric old tent of Circus Finlandia will move to Raatti this year. The program in the tent will feature interesting names from Finland and abroad. The sponsor of the Q-tent this year is S-Bonus card.

Real Deal Beach Party: The Kuusisaari beach will come alive in a completely new way in Qstock 2009. An old favorite, Real Deal Beach Party continues its restless ways in Qstock again this year, but this time it takes over the whole beach! Dance music with DJs, from rap to techno and reggae, not forgetting some high quality live artists, either.

5. Alcohol serving at Qstock

There are several serving areas (18 and older only) in the festival area this year. Our serving areas are located so that the visibility to the closest stage is as good as possible. Our serving areas also have their own return sites, where you can collect the return fee for your beverage upon returning the empty container. You can also bring the empty can with you to the counter when you purchase a new drink, and the return fee will be deducted from the price of the beverage. It is not allowed to bring your own alcoholic beverages or other intoxicating substances to the festival area. You can leave your own containers and belongings at the guarded safekeeping booth right next to the main gate.

6. Safekeeping booth

There is a guarded safekeeping booth right next to the main gate of Qstock 2009. You can leave your own alcohol containers and extra belongings at the booth for the duration of the festival. The cost of the service is 2€ upon entrance and 1€/each visit after that.

7. Information

Our Info location is your helping hand when faced with problems during the festival. The people at the Info booth are there to help you, so do not hesitate to contact them. Among others, the booth will provide you with information on the festival, show times, local transportation, etc. You can also ask for your lost/found items from the Info booth. Lost and found items will be stored in Kuusisaari for two days after the festival. Then they will be taken to the police station lost/found office.

8. Gates

The main gate opens at 2 PM on Friday and 11 AM on Saturday. There are several entryways at the main gate, and yet there may still be lines when you enter the area. Keep in mind that your own behavior may work to your advantage here and make the lines go smoother. Don’t forget to exchange your ticket for a wristband early on, and arrive well ahead of time. Follow the gate signs and even if you get stuck in a line for a while, keep your festival spirits high ; )

9. VIP and Artist Gate

The Artist Gate is reserved for all artists and their guests. The VIP gate (accreditation) is for all other guests and the members of the media. You will get your festival passes at the gate by showing a picture ID.

Gate operating hours:
Fri 24.7 2 PM – 11 PM
Sat 25.7 11 AM – 10 PM

10. Sales booths

You should not get caught off guard with hunger at Qstock 2009. There are numerous options for food at Qstock 2009, menus ranging from traditional grilled sausages to vegetarian dishes. The versatility of the food choices has been a particular point of focus for us this year. Besides satisfying your hunger, the festival area has lots of booths where you can buy band merchandise, jewelry, etc – almost anything you can think of for every home of a Qstock fan. You can even get a festival memory in the form of a piercing or a tattoo, but please keep in mind that a tattoo taken on the spur of the moment will stay with you a long while.

A number of different associations and organizations are represented at the festival this year, too. You can, for example, familiarize yourself with Oulun Eläinsuojeluyhdistyksen (Animal Rights of Oulu). Acuutti Apu Ry, is also there to mend your scratches and look after worn out festival guests.

11. Accommodation

12. Photography and recording

Recording any of the shows without permission is strictly prohibited (Finnish Copyright law § 2 and 45). Bringing photography equipment (system cameras, etc) video recorders and other recorders to the festival area is prohibited. If needed, our security staff has the right to remove the prohibited equipment from you. A common pocket camera, however, is allowed in the festival area so that you can take your festival memories with you.

13. Security

Bringing weapons, sharp objects and knives, explosives and other items used for violence to the festival area is strictly prohibited. Nor will you need any kinds of tools at Qstock 2009. Glass bottles, tin cans and sealable containers are also on the list of forbidden items.

All festival guests must show the contents of their bags at the entrance. Those who refuse to do so will be denied access to the festival. You may bring unopened plastic bottles of soft drinks to the festival area.

Remember to look after your belongings and especially your friends, including yourself. As at most leading European festivals, crowd-surfing is forbidden at Qstock as well. We probably don’t need to explain why.

European festivals, crowd-surfing is forbidden at Qstock as well. We probably don’t need to explain why.

As you well know, the front areas of stages are extremely crowded places, so if you feel anxiety in tight areas and among masses of people, or if you feel weak drunk, tired, thirsty or hungry, please enjoy your favorite band a bit further away. You will hear the music further back, too.

NB! Bringing umbrellas to the festival area is absolutely FORBIDDEN. A rain coat is much safer and gentler to your fellow fans, too. Disposable rain coats are sold in the area.

14. Pets

Pets are man’s best pals, and yet they still don’t enjoy rock festivals like we do. In other words, bringing pets to the festival area is prohibited.

15. The Disabled

If you are in a wheelchair and need an assistant to accompany you to the festival, your personal assistant will get free entry to the festival. The assistant must accompany the person being assisted when picking up the pass from the wristband location near the main gate. Only one assistant will get the wristband for free.