Finland’s Juhani Merimaa Honored For Lifetime Achievement At European Festival Awards 2024

Juhani Merimaa, credited as the man, who brought rock’n’roll to Finland, will receive the lifetime achievement award at the 14th edition of the European Festival Awards, set to take place on opening night of ESNS, Jan. 15, in Groningen, The Netherlands. Full EFA 2024 shortlist below.

According to the announcement from Yourope, organizers of the award ceremony, “Merimaa is one of the most respected and influential figures in the Finnish Music industry with a career that spans over five decades. He has been involved in running Finland’s most legendary music venue Tavastia Klubi since the 70’s up until year 2023 when he stepped down from the position of promoter and CEO.

“He has also had a central role in the Finnish festival scene. With three major festivals, he has been deeply involved with: Ankkarock, Ruisrock and Tuska. He is one of the founders of Ankkarock and he was promoter and CEO of Ruisrock for years, which was also one of the founding members of Yourope. The first edition of Tuska was held at Tavastia and was promoted by Juhani. Later, he was one of the partners and board members of the now Superstruct-managed Tuska Open Air.

“Juhani Merimaa has earned himself the title ‘Man who brought rock and roll to Finland’. Even now, when he is mostly retired from everyday business, he is very much active in the background as a mentor for many in the Finnish music industry.

“Furthermore, he is known from one of Finland’s most popular music TV shows “Tähdet tähdet” where he was the jury member for five seasons.”

13 more awards will be handed out the European Festival Awards 2024. Here’s the shortlist:

Best Major Festival
Colours Of Ostrava, CZ
Down The Rabbit Hole, NL
Electric Castle, RO
Lowlands, NL
Mad Cool Festival, ES
Open’er Festival, PL
Paléo Festival, CH
Pinkpop, NL
Primavera Sound, ES
Rock Werchter, BE

Best Medium-Sized Festival
Dauwpop, NL
Greenfield Festival, CH
Montreux Jazz Festival, CH
Mystic Festival, PL
OFF Festival, PL
Orange Warsaw Festival, PL
Pohoda Festival, SK
Rock for People, CZ
Sunny Hill Festival, XK
Vestrock, NL

Best Small Festival
Electric City, DE
Fortress Festival, UK
Gladiolen Festival, BE
Inside Seaside, PL
Jazz in the Park, RO
Sofia Live Festival, BG
Stars in Town, CH
Štěrkovna Open Music, CZ
Unique Moments, CH
Ypsigrock Festival, IT

The Green Operations Award
ESNS, NL
NorthSide, DK
OpenAir St.Gallen, CH
Øyafestivalen, NO
We Love Green, FR

The Event Safety Award
Dranouter, Tomorrowland, Extrema Outdoor, Pukkelpop, Graspop & Rock Werchter, BE
Habitat Festival, DE
Movendium, NL
Paléo Festival, CH
Rocco del Schlacko, DE
Timișoara – Capital of Culture, RO

The Brand Activation Award
Electric Castle & Promenada Nepi Rockcastle, RO
Lowlands & IKEA, NL
Pohoda Festival & Isadore + MTBIKER, SK
Rock for People & Komerční banka, CZ
Tinderbox & FindLife, DK

The Take a Stand Award
Dranouter, Tomorrowland, Extrema Outdoor, Pukkelpop, Graspop, Rock Werchter, BE
EXIT Festival, RS
Pohoda Festival, SK
Sonraíz, ES
Superbloom Festival, DE

New Kid on the Block 2024
Andrea Blahová, Pohoda Festival, SK
Annika Böck, Das Fest, DE
Filip Košťálek, Colours Of Ostrava, CZ
Isabel Roudsarabi, Höme, DE

Line-Up of the Year
Hellfest, FR
Mad Cool Festival, ES
Montreux Jazz Festival, CH
Nos Alive, PT
Open’er Festival, PL
Primavera Sound, ES
Pukkelpop, BE
Rock Werchter, BE
Roskilde Festival, DK
Sziget Festival, HU

Promoter of the Year
AEG Presents, UK
ARTmania Events, RO
Barracuda Austria, AT
Boom Festival, PT
FKP Scorpio, DE
Gadget Entertainment Group, CH
Mojo, NL
Montreux Jazz Festival, CH
Primavera Sound, ES
Rock In Rio, PT

Newcomer of the Year
Benson Boone, US
Chappel Roan, US
English Teacher, UK
Fat Dog, UK
Nemo, CH
Picture Parlour, UK
Teddy Swims, US
The Last Dinner Party, UK
Zaho De Sagazan, FR
Zimmer90, DE

Agent of the Year
Andy Nees, WME
Angus Baskerville, Pure Presents
Anna Bewers, Wasserman Music
Ian Huffam, X-Ray
James Whitting, Wassermann Music
Jon Ollier, One Fiinix
Jonny Greenfield, WME
Jules De Lattre, UTA
Matt Bates, Primary Talent
Rod MacSween, ITB

The Award for Excellence and Passion
Claes Olsen, NO
Claire O’Neill, UK
Emily Eavis, UK
Greg Parmley, UK
Ivan Milivojev, RS
Michal Thomes, CZ
Mika Christoffersen, DK
Niek Murray, NL
Stephan Thanscheidt, DE
Vlad Yaremchuk & Music Saves Ukraine, UA

Lifetime Achievement Award
Juhani Merimaa, FI

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