Several more events were cancelled on Sunday as coronavirus infection rates begin to rise again after a summer lull.
Tampere-based events firm RH-Entertainment announced the cancellation of two festivals scheduled for next weekend, the Porvoo soi Finnish pop festival and Rock in the City, a hard rock event scheduled for Jyväskylä.
CEO Riki Huhtala said that Rock in the City was scrubbed as it would not be feasible to meet the safety demands placed on it by Central Finland authorities, based on statements by health officials. Sectioning off the festival area as required would have been too difficult, he said.
“With the Porvoo soi festival, there were no problems with the authorities. However we decided to cancel the event because there has been more of virus in the Uusimaa region. We also felt that we were starting to face pressure the customers,” Huhtala said.
The two-day Rock in The City event was to have starred Finnish heavy metal bands such as Battle Beast and Stamina, as well as former Hanoi Rocks members Michael Monroe and Andy McCoy.
Other Rock in The City festivals planned for Pori, Kuopio, Lappeenranta and Rauma this summer were cancelled earlier.
Saarikko: No new decisions on culture and events
Also cancelled on Sunday was the Crazy Drivers Stunt Show scheduled for next Saturday in the eastern city of Kajaani.
Minister of Science and Culture Annika Saarikko (Cen) told Yle on Sunday that the government has not made any new political decisions regarding the hard-hit cultural sector or other events.
Saarikko took office on Thursday after a year’s parental leave. She is one of several candidates challenging Katri Kulmuni for the Centre Party leadership in a vote to be held a month from now.