Behind the Jukola restaurant and VIP tents there is an orange fence. Behind the fence, there is the white house of Eila Hartikainen. Rytökylä has been her home for the past 65 years. Five years ago, when offered the chance of spending the Jukola weekend elsewhere, she refused. Never before has there been so much happening on the fields around her house.

– They’ve been working there for about a month, putting up electricity poles, says Hartikainen.

Jukola hasn’t caused Hartikainen any problems. Instead, she has found the building projects interesting.

– The work has stopped in the evenings and by ten o’clock all has been quiet.

Hartikainen has a grandstand view of the competition as she can see the large video screen from her garden terrace. She plans to watch the night competition for as long as she can.

–  My son told me to use ear plugs so that I could take a nap.

–  I would be able to see the competitors even better if those tents weren’t over there, comments Hartikainen with a twinkle in her eye.

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