Finland's largest Christian pop-rock music festival, Glow Festival, wrapped up its third edition at Tampere's Nokia Arena with a gospel concert that drew on the musical heritage of New York City. The evening was led by Jukka “Juke” Palonen, who has directed music at Times Square Church in New York for 15 years, and featured Jerard Woods, one of the most prominent gospel musicians in the United States. Organisers said the audience reception was warm and that the festival generated the energy they had hoped for: strong concerts, moving moments and many people gathered around music.
Glow Festival has quickly established itself as a significant gathering point in Finnish Christian culture, bringing international gospel artists together with domestic soloists and ensembles. The event is covered by Suomen Viikkolehti, the weekly newspaper of the Free Church of Finland (Suomen Vapaakirkko), a community for which gospel music and youth outreach have long been central threads of church life. Alongside the concerts, the festival honours the people behind Finnish Christian music with a series of annual awards.
At this year's event, the Young Songwriter award went to the duo Anneli and Alma, the Music Maker award to lyricist and songwriter Jari Kekäle, and the Song of the Year prize to Pro Fide for “Mitään niin suurta ei oo.” Radio Dei founder Kirsi Rostamo received the year's Gospel recognition, while lyricist and author Anna-Mari Kaskinen was given a lifetime achievement award. The festival's organiser, Ohjelmatoimisto Kristalli, marked its 20th anniversary by announcing it will now operate as “Glow Live” and develop Glow into a year-round programme of events, concerts and content. The next Glow Festival is scheduled for 28 August 2027, again at the Nokia Arena in Tampere.
(Originally published in Finnish. Summary translated by CC / Connexion.)
Source: Suomen Vapaakirkko / Suomen Viikkolehti — svl.fi/glow-festivalissa-aitoa-new-yorkia-ja-kotimaisia-artisteja-festivaaliorganisaation-nimi-muuttuu
