Dark River Festival 2023 Info:

Dark River Festival will take place on 10-12 August 2023 at the familiar venue of Honkala Ski Stadium, Kotka.

The Dark River Festival will take place on 19. times in a familiar setting at the Honkala ski stadium in Laajakoski, Kotka. The festival will feature 23 artists performing on two stages in the region. In addition, the festival offers its visitors a comprehensive food scene, a great selection of drinks and a wide range of ancillary services. In addition to all this, the festival is investing in experiential and customer experience, which will be particularly visible in the festival area.

FESTIVAL ETIQUETTE:

We want all Dark River Festival participants to have a comfortable and safe festival experience and a positive festival atmosphere. Celebrate the festival by taking care of yourself, your friends and the festival environment. No racism, discrimination or harassment of any kind will be accepted at Dark River Festival. If you find that activities during the festival, please contact the festival staff.

AGE LIMIT:

Dark River Festival is a K-18 event, be prepared to prove your age at the gate if necessary.

SECURITY CHECK

At the gate, security checks are carried out by law enforcement officers for those entering the building.

CLOAK ROOM:

Backpacks and other larger items are recommended to be left on the sling. The price is 3€ / day.

FORBIDDEN THINGS:

Festival attire is encouraged, but please consider other festival-goers when dressing, as sharp rivets can cause damage when rushing to the front of the line. The stewards have the right, at their discretion, to remove decorations they consider dangerous. You’re using traditional common sense here.

Glove bottles over 70ml, bicycles, scooters, camping chairs, glass bottles, alcohol products, drugs, firearms and blades, multi-tools, explosives, fireworks, flares, lasers, percussion weapons, animals, banners and all objects classified as dangerous.
The stewards have the right to use their own discretion and prohibit the introduction of non-standard drinks bottles/containers into the area.

Pets are not allowed in the festival area or camping.

It is forbidden to make open fires in the area, which means that it is forbidden to bring disposable barbecues into the area.

WRISTBAND REPLACEMENT:

Tickets are exchanged for wristbands at the gate. The wristband allows you to leave and return freely during the festival.

Physical and/or visual activity:

An escort (1 person) is admitted free of charge with a wheelchair user or visually impaired ticket holder. Please note that there is no wheelchair ramp in the area.

PAYMENT OPTIONS:

All forms of card and cash payment are generally accepted in the area.

CIRCULATION:

There will be a bottle collection in the area after the festival. The area collects biowaste and mixed waste. Plates and cutlery are biodegradable.

LOCATION:

The festival area is located in the middle of natural peace in Laajakoski, Kotka. The centre of Karhula is about 5 km away.

CAMERAS, PHOTOGRAPHY, PRESS, MEDIA:

Dark River Festival is committed to respecting artists’ copyrights, so the use of professional system cameras, video cameras and other recording devices is prohibited.

Media accreditation is done through a separate call for applications. The application form can be found here.

The press pass will be notified to the applicant in person, together with instructions and additional information. Filming without a press pass and proper authorisation, as well as failure to follow the instructions given, may in the worst case lead to expulsion from the festival area.

PARKING:

There is a paid parking area next to the festival area, the parking area is for day visitors and is open from 11:00-01:00 on both days of the event. The parking fee is 6€/visit, the parking fee allows you to park your car during the above mentioned period. If you leave the car park during the day and return, you must pay the parking fee again if there is space available in the car park. Parking cannot be reserved up front, space is limited.
Sleeping in the car park is prohibited for safety reasons! We recommend using the festival bus.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT:

You can easily get to Kotka by public transport. There are no public transport services to the festival area itself.

The festival will arrange transport from Kotka and Karhula bus stations. Timetables can be found below. The price of the trip will be confirmed in summer 2023. OB. Unfortunately, buses are not accessible.

ACCOMMODATION:

You can find accommodation in the region at Visit Kotka-Hamina – accommodation

We recommend the following partner hotels for our festival guests: