Tartu City Day offers Tartu residents a diverse cultural programme
Tartu City Government Press Release
/ This year, Tartu City Day will be celebrated on Sunday, 29 June with Creative Street, concerts, thank-you events, and many other activities. The day will culminate with the Kirjanduslinna kõla gala concert on Town Hall Square.
Tartu City Day begins at 9.00 with the arrival of the City Piano at the Tartu Open Market. It will then be available to play at various locations throughout the day, including on the extension of Raatuse Street near the Kaarsild Bridge from 11.00–12.30, in Pirogov Park from 13.00–14.30, and on Rüütli Street from 15.00–19.00.
At 10.00, Mayor Urmas Klaas will serve Tartu residents coffee and cake on the terrace of the Aplaus 1870 theatre café (formerly Shakespeare). The morning chat will end with a concert by Jaan Pehk.
At 11.00, Estonia’s most exciting pig, Limpa, will welcome all children to Küüni Street for a big children’s party, which is being held there for the second year in a row. Alongside Limpa, Vana Raamatukoi will celebrate the Year of the Estonian Book, and children’s author Juhani Püttsepp will tell stories about the Emajõgi River.
Tartu’s Creative Street, located on Küüni Street, will open at 12.00 and remain open until 18.00. Throughout the day, special creative and literary events will be held on the street. Guests will include the musical director of the gala concert, Mihhail Gerts, as well as Jarek Kasar, City Writer of Tartu Tõnis Vilu, and many others. The Tartu Youth Work Centre will hold creative writing and craft workshops on Creative Street, and the paper and printing arts centre TYPA will offer visitors the chance to try their hand at Suminagashi, or paper marbling. The Biit Me record store will select the music, and writer Lauri Räpp will host the day.
At 14.00, the University of Tartu Museum invites you to a guided tour led by writer Juhan Voolaid, which will introduce the medieval Tartu city wall and the book "Hockey Player at the Tartu City Wall".
At 15.30, musician and poet EiK will arrive on Creative Street, where you will have the opportunity to chat with him and take pictures for half an hour. From 17.00–17.40, he will give a concert with Maris Pihlap at the same location.
To celebrate City Day, Tartu Rattaliiklejate Selts will lead a group bike ride through Tartu. Starting at 16.00 at the Tartu window on Town Hall Square, the ride will last just over an hour.
The day will end with the Kirjanduslinna kõla gala concert, which will begin at 19.00 on Town Hall Square. It will take you on a musical journey through literary events connected with Tartu. Taking the stage will be musician, singer and composer Jarek Kasar; soprano Maria Listra; singer and composer Mari Kalkun; Säde Vatalin (Laulustuudio Tähe Viis); Loviise Mäesalu (Tartu Karlova School); the vocal chamber ensemble Vox pUNT; and conductor Mihhail Gerts with the Pärnu City Orchestra. Following the concert, Maris Pihlap will spin records in the DJ booth.
Admission to the gala concert and Tartu City Day’s main events is free.
Various traditional award ceremonies will also be held in Tartu on Tartu City Day. At 17.00 on 27 June, Mayor Urmas Klaas will congratulate Tartu’s golden wedding anniversary couples at the Estonian National Museum. At 9.30 on 29 June, the mayor will place a bouquet of flowers at the monument to former Tartu mayor Karl Luik. This year’s medals will be awarded in the Town Hall at 12.00, and the winners of the “Best Building of the Year 2024” and “Tartu Beautiful Home 2025” awards will be honoured in the Roosimaja Auditorium at the University of Tartu Botanical Garden at 15.00.
The Tartu City Museum, Tartu Observatory, Tartu Toy Museum, Tartu Art Museum, Tartu Market, and the riverboat Pegasus, along with many others, will also be offering side programmes throughout the day.
Last changed 19.06.2025
