Raskasta Joulua 2026
Finland's largest and most epic Christmas tour, Raskasta Joulua ("Heavy Christmas"), returns this year more versatile than ever. A true national phenomenon, the tour is built on thrilling arrangements, soulful interpretations, and a spectacular stage show. For the 23rd year, lovers of Christmas music across Finland will experience a nationwide tour. Throughout November and December, Raskasta Joulua will resonate in churches, concert halls, and arenas alike. This year, the tour expands beyond Finnish borders with its first concert in Tallinn’s Alexela Concert Hall.
Tickets for the Raskasta Joulua tour go on sale Monday, May 4th at 9:00 AM (GMT+3).
Raskasta Joulua concerts are immersive experiences where iconic heavy music vocalists breathe unique life into the most beloved Christmas carols. The mission is to bring holiday cheer to an even wider audience and create new traditions for fans of heavier music.
The concerts feature Marko Hietala, JP Leppäluoto, Tony Kakko, Antti Railio, Timo Kotipelto, Elize Ryd, Tommy Karevik, Laura Ruusumaa, Antony Parviainen, Tuple Salmela, Pekka Heino, Ville Tuomi, and Ilja Jalkanen. The rock-solid band is led by the father of the Raskasta Joulua concept, guitarist Erkka Korhonen. The lineup also includes familiar faces from previous years: Tuomas Wäinölä (guitar), Erkki Silvennoinen (bass), Timo Pudas (keyboards), and Mirka Rantanen (drums). Additionally, one guest soloist will be announced later this spring.
— I wouldn’t have been involved for twenty years if the tour didn't have such great people and if I didn't love the arrangements. It’s been truly wonderful to watch this whole project grow from something small into massive. Every year, the tour serves as a reunion for all of us involved. Singing heavy rock is generally demanding for soloists, but when you aren't solely responsible for the whole show, the pressure is lower. We do this together, in a great spirit of community, comments Marko Hietala, who has been with the project since the beginning and will perform at every concert.
Soome suurim ja võimsaim jõulutuur Raskasta Joulua (“Rasked jõulud”) naaseb tänavu mitmekesisemana kui kunagi varem. Tegemist on tõelise rahvusliku fenomeniga, mille aluseks on haaravad arranžeeringud, hingestatud interpretatsioonid ja suurejooneline lavashow. Juba 23. korda saavad jõulumuusika armastajad üle kogu Soome nautida seda ülemaalist tuuri. Novembris ja detsembris kõlab Raskasta Joulua kirikutes, kontserdisaalides ja areenidel. Sel aastal laieneb tuur esmakordselt ka väljapoole Soomet, andes oma esimese kontserdi Tallinnas Alexela Kontserdimaja.
Raskasta Joulua kontserdid on elamuslikud sündmused, kus tuntud raskemuusika vokalistid annavad armastatuimatele jõululauludele ainulaadse uue hingamise. Eesmärk on tuua pühaderõõmu veelgi laiema publikuni ning luua uusi traditsioone raskema muusika austajatele.
Kontsertidel astuvad üles Marko Hietala, JP Leppäluoto, Tony Kakko, Antti Railio, Timo Kotipelto, Elize Ryd, Tommy Karevik, Laura Ruusumaa, Antony Parviainen, Tuple Salmela, Pekka Heino, Ville Tuomi ja Ilja Jalkanen. Võimsa saatebändi eesotsas on Raskasta Joulua idee autor, kitarrist Erkka Korhonen. Koosseisu kuuluvad ka varasematest aastatest tuttavad nimed: Tuomas Wäinölä (kitarr), Erkki Silvennoinen (bass), Timo Pudas (klahvpillid) ja Mirka Rantanen (trummid).
Marko Hietala (ex NIGHTWISH, TAROT)
Elize Ryd (AMARANTHE)
Tommy Karevik (AVANTASIA, KAMELOT)
Timo Kotipelto (STRATOVARIUS)
Ville Tuomi (KYYRIA, LC COWBOYS, SLEEPY SLEEPERS, SUBURBAN TRIBE)
+ SPECIAL GUEST
The Raskasta Joulua tour will arrive to the following locations in 2026:20.11. Rovaniemi, Lappi Areena
21.11. Kempele, Zemppi Areena
22.11. Seinäjoki, Lakeuden Risti
23.11. Uusikaupunki, New Church
24.11. Sastamala, Tyrvää Church
25.11. Lahti, Sibelius Hall
27.11. Kuopio, Kuopio-halli
28.11. Vaasa, Vaasan Sähkö Areena
29.11. Oulu, Cathedral (4:00 PM)
29.11. Oulu, Cathedral (7:00 PM)
1.12. Kuusamo, Holy Cross Church (5:00 PM)
1.12. Kuusamo, Holy Cross Church (7:30 PM)
2.12. Joensuu, Joensuu Church
3.12. Mikkeli, Pitäjänkirkko
4.12. Järvenpää, Aino Areena
5.12. Hämeenlinna, Loimua Areena
9.12. Kotka, Satama Areena
10.12. Pieksämäki, Veturitallit
11.12. Nivala, Championdoor Areena
12.12. Turku, Gatorade Center
16.12. Jyväskylä, Paviljonki
17.12. Tallinn, Alexela Concert Hall (EE)
18.12. Helsinki, Veikkaus Arena
19.12. Tampere, Nokia Arena
Specific soloist lineups for all concerts can be found at: warnermusiclive.fi/raskastajoulua
Important information
Ticket prices are listed together with service fees. Read more about possible service fees.
Sale begins 04.05 at 10:00
NB! An agency fee of 3.60 €–4.90 € will be added to standard ticket prices.
18:00 The doors to the Concert Hall and Cafés will be opened.
19:00 Start of the concert. Intermission 30 minutes.
Latecomers are not allowed to the hall! We apologize for the inconvenience!
20:30 The approximate end of the concert.
No age limit
All visitors need to have a valid ticket, incl. children
Latecomers are not allowed to the hall!
Photographing and recording with professional equipment is not allowed, mobile phones are allowed.
Ticket purchase request for people in wheelchair please contact: info@piletilevi.ee. Wheelchair accessibility: From the entrance on the Rävala pst. side of the Solaris Center and through the door next to the Artis elevator, or using the Alexela Concert Hall elevator from the Solaris Center parking lot. For information, call 6155113.
Concert Hall’s 1st and 2nd row of the first balcony and the 1st row of the second balcony are with limited visibility. The edges are equipped with guardrails
Pre-order the coffee table: https://kontserdimaja.ee/en/book-a-table/
By buying a ticket, I undertake to comply with the internal rules of the venue. Check them out here.
A service fee of 1,40 € per ticket is included to all events that are held in Alexela Concert Hall.
Fee is directed to the company’s environmentally sustainable development.
Event location
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