Blockfest

{{Short description|Music festival in Finland}}

{{infobox music festival |

| music_festival_name = Blockfest

| image = Blockfest 2017.jpg

| caption = View of the 2017 Blockfest in Tampere

| location = Tampere, Finland

| founders =

| years_active = 2007–present

| dates =

| genre = Hip hop

| website = {{URL|https://www.blockfest.fi/en/}}

}}

Blockfest is an annual hip-hop festival held in Tampere, Finland. Normally held in August, the concert features hip-hop and R&B acts. In recent years,{{When|date=December 2023}} the event has been organized in the city center of Tampere, near Ratina Stadium, right next to Laukontori square and the Koskikeskus shopping center.{{cite web|url=https://www.blockfest.fi/en/info/festivaalialue/|title=Festival area|website=Blockfest|access-date=August 20, 2022}} Blockfest is one of the biggest hip-hop festivals in the Nordic countries and is sold out every year in advance.{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10858876|title=Hiphop-festivaali Blockfest myytiin loppuun ennätysajassa|work=Yle|date=2 July 2019 |access-date=August 20, 2022|language=fi}}{{cite web|url=https://kohokohdat.fi/tampere/blockfest-festivaali/|title=Blockfest 2022|website=Kohokohdat.fi|date=15 March 2022 |access-date=August 20, 2022|language=fi}}

Blockfest has been featured in JVG, Fintelligens, Cheek, Asa, Lord Est and Redrama. In addition, the festival has previously featured Wu-Tang Clan, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Nas, ASAP Rocky, Wiz Khalifa, Post Malone, G-Eazy and 50 Cent.{{cite web |url=https://www.blockfest.fi/info-suomeksi/ |title=Info – Blockfest |website=Blockfest |access-date=August 20, 2022 |language=fi |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200512022137/https://www.blockfest.fi/info-suomeksi/ |archive-date=12 May 2020 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-12585959|title=50 Cent, Jack Harlow, Etta... Blockfest järjestettiin kahden vuoden tauon jälkeen, katso railakkaat kuvat|work=Yle|date=20 August 2022 |access-date=August 21, 2022|language=fi}}

Since celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2017,{{cite web|url=https://www.stara.fi/2017/05/12/blockfest-10-vuotta-vuosi-2011-kurkistus-kohuvuoden-kulisseihin/|title=Blockfest 10 vuotta – vuosi 2011: Kurkistus kohuvuoden kulisseihin|work=Stara|date=May 12, 2017|access-date=August 20, 2022|language=fi}} Blockfest payments are made with a payment wristband, which also serves as an entry wristband.{{cite web|url=https://www.blockfest.fi/en/info/cashless/|title=Cashless|website=Blockfest|access-date=August 20, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.iltalehti.fi/viihdeuutiset/a/201707172200269331|title=Suomalaisfestari Blockfestin erikoinen tempaus: käteisellä ei voi maksaa ollenkaan|work=Iltalehti|access-date=August 20, 2022|language=fi}}

Blockfest announced in December 2019 an 18-year age limit for the 2020 Blockfest, which is still in place.{{Cite web |title=Terms & conditions |url=https://www.blockfest.fi/en/info/terms-conditions/ |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=Blockfest |language=en-US}} The change to an age-restricted event caused outrage among young people.{{cite web|url=https://www.aamulehti.fi/a/224e32ea-2797-489d-8f8a-434f43c391a0|title=Alaikäiset jäävät ensi vuonna Blockfest-porttien ulkopuolelle – "En oikein jaksa olla kenenkään vanhempi, me olemme musiikkifestivaali"|work=Aamulehti|date=9 December 2019 |access-date=August 20, 2022|language=fi}}

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was not organized in 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.aamulehti.fi/musiikki/art-2000007403759.html|title=Blockfestia ei järjestetä tänä vuonna – Suurin yksittäinen syy ovat anniskelualueen rajoitukset: "Haikeita fiiliksiä"|work=Aamulehti|date=15 July 2020 |access-date=August 20, 2022|language=fi}} The 2021 event was also cancelled for the same reason.{{cite web|url=https://www.aamulehti.fi/koronavirus/art-2000008174149.html|title=Päätös on tehty, Blockfest perutaan – Toimitusjohtaja Kalle Kallonen: "Toivottavasti hallituksella oli mukavat kesälomat"|work=Aamulehti|date=6 August 2021 |access-date=August 20, 2022|language=fi}}