Estonia Events and Festivals
January
 Parnu Contemporary Music Days
This is a three-week long festival which offers lectures, workshops and exhibitions alongside concert performances.
February
Independence Day
Independence Day is celebrated on February 24th every year, with a public holiday and some official events.
 Tallinn Baroque Music Festival
The festival first took place in 1989, and now has a firm place on the music calendar, with around 20 concerts in Tallinn and Tartu.
March
 Estonian Music Days
This annual event is organised by the Estonian Composers Union, with a strong focusing on new Estonian composers, but also not forgetting some of the classic works of the past.
April
 Jazzkaar
This festival sees two weeks of Jazz concerts held all across Estonia. Visitors will find excellent concerts taking place, from mainstream Jazz to Rap Jazz. This festival attracts some world-class performers.
Harpsichord Days
Harpsichord Days is a week long festival which is dedicated purely to the harpsichord, including performances, exhibitions and lectures.
May
 Evgeny Mravinsky Festival
This festival was established in 1995 in honour of Evgeny Mravinsky, the famous conductor. The festival takes place in Narva where Mravinsky used to visit on holidays.
June
 Beach Party Festival
Taking place in Otepää, the Beach Party Festival is a music festival which often sees well-known international acts. There is a main stage and a number of smaller ones, such as the dance tent.
Midsummer (St John's Day)
This festival traditionally marks the end of agricultural work in the spring and includes various folk dancing and cultural celebrations, such as leaping over bonfires.
 Old Town Days
Old Town Days includes a variety of events with folk music, traditional dancing and street markets as Tallinn celebrates its medieval heritage.
July
 Õllesummer Festival
Õllesummer is a five-day musical festival taking place at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds. The programme showcases the best in Estonian music with rock, jazz and reggae played alongside traditional Estonian music.
Pärnu Jazz Festival
Various jazz performances take place in the town of Pärnu.
August
 TARTuFF - Tartu Film Festival
This week long festival is a relatively new event in the Estonian calendar. The first festival screened 40 films in an outdoor setting, all of which had a strong European flavour.
 Street Theatre Festival
This is one of Estonia’s most interesting festivals, with amateur theatre groups from Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Germany and Russia staging performances on the streets and in the parks and squares of Tallinn.
Re-Independence Day
The people of Estonia celebrate the restoration of independence in 1991 with a day of celebration and reflection.
September
Trialogos
This cultural festival focuses on music, but includes various other lectures and events.
October
 Tartu Early Music Festival
This week long festival in Tartu focuses on medieval European music, but also has some events with Oriental and Arabic influences.
November
 Black Nights Film Festival
The Baltic’s biggest film festival usually begins in November and runs for about three weeks. There is always a good mixture of Estonian films, International films, animation and films for children.
Ariel Festival of Jewish Culture
This short festival began in 2004 and offers a range of concerts, lectures and films, looking into various aspects of Jewish culture.
December
 Christmas Market
There is a great atmosphere in Tallinn over the festive period and in the Tallinn Town Square there is a great market, with seasonal music playing.
National public holidays
New Year's Day: 1 January
Independence Day: 24 February
Good Friday: March/April
May Day: 1 May
Whitsun: May/June
Victory Day: 23 June
Midsummer's Day: 24 June
Re-Independence Day: 20 August
Christmas Day: 25 December
Boxing Day: 26 December
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