Events | Tangomarkkinat tries to attract young visitors with free admission – Is the event in trouble?

Seinäjoki Tangomarkkinat is trying to attract more young visitors this year.

The event has decided to give everyone between the ages of 18 and 24 free entry to Tangokatu next Thursday. That’s when Vesterinen and their band perform on the Tangokatu stage, Irina, Exciting, Laura Voutilainen and Komiat iskelmä band.

Tango market has suffered from a loss of visitors in recent years.

The event, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, had its most successful year in terms of visitor numbers in the summer of 1999. At that time, a total of 130,600 visitors visited the Tango market.

In the 2000s and 2010s, the number of visitors has reached around 100,000 visitors. After the corona in 2022, it happened big crash: Only 40,000 participants visited the Tango market. Last year there were visitors slightly more45,000.

HS asked the CEO of Tangomarkkinat oy Passed from Ojalahow significant a problem the decrease in visitors is.

This summer, people aged 18–24 can enter Tangokatu for free on Thursday, July 11. Why was the abduction done?

“In the province, people over the age of 70 got in for free this year, and other festers have done this as well. The tango market has a reputation as an event for older people. We’re not trying to be a youth event now or in the future, but this is where the idea came from. If we survive for the next 40 years, then a person who is 22 years old now can be our customer in 20 years. We want to ask young adults to visit and get to know the area.”

What is the age structure of the Tango market today?

“After Corona, we have talked about rejuvenating the event. The Suomi-iskelmä hype was at its peak in the 1990s and the event lived a golden age. At that time, a 40-year-old middle-aged man of my age visited the Tango market. Today he is 74 years old. We cannot organize an event only for older people, because generations have different tastes in music. If my mother likes to listen Reijo Taipalettathat doesn’t mean I’m listening to it as a senior citizen.

We are looking for new visitors to the event between the ages of 30 and 50. After Corona, the visitors have been older, but last year we got new customers. Change will not happen in a year or two.”

On Thursday, Vesterinen Yhtyeinene, Irina and Laura Voutilainen will perform on Tangokatu. Do you think these performers will appeal to a young audience?

“I think that maybe Vesterinen Yhtyeinene is not the favorite music of people under the age of 25. You could say that the one appearing on Friday Kake Randelin would be more to young people’s minds through Tiktok and Portion Boys. But on Thursday there are tough Finnish names. I didn’t think of it as having a performer who would draw a crowd. I hope that young adults will smell the vibe, even if they don’t know the band’s band.”

In 2022, the event was renewed by introducing more and more Ikelma and other light music in addition to tango. What do you think the future of the Tango market looks like?

“There is a very good and confident feeling about next week’s event. But event business is one of the most brutal forms of business. If it rains for three days next week, it will be a financial disaster. We are all in the same boat in the event industry. You have to remember that. I have tried to emphasize this to our owners.

Is Tangomarkkinat in danger if there are no young visitors?

“Behind Seinäjoki’s Tango market, there is a limited company that is owned by certain entities. The goal of the limited company is to do business and positive business. If we organize an event with big money, but we don’t have enough people, we make a loss. Every business is then at risk – or likely to end. At the moment, I feel confident about how we are developing and renewing the event.”

Are you worried about the future of the Tango market?

“We go one year at a time. We also make long-term plans. I have a permanent job, but it feels like a year. There are always risks, but if we’re trying to develop and renew the event, we have to believe that we have a great brand. We are trying to build an event that will interest people in the future as well.”