Tartu to switch on Christmas lights with visual concert
Tartu City Government
30 November / The Christmas season will begin in Tartu with a visual concert on Town Hall Square – the first Advent candle being lit at 17:00 on 3 December.
During the ceremony, Christmas lights will be switched on in the heart of the city.
By the time the first Advent candle is lit, Town Hall Square will have transformed into the Village of Light, which consists of seven glass pavilions: a meeting place that will provide entertainment throughout the festive season, no matter what the weather, until 7 January.
At 17:00 on Sunday 3 December, mayor Urmas Klaas and Tartu County provost and St Peter’s congregation priest Ants Tooming will light the first Advent candle and switch on the Christmas lights.
The ceremony of the first Advent will be directed by Peep Maasik, who is studying to be a director at Viljandi Culture Academy of the University of Tartu. Maasik wants to bring light, warmth and love into the start of the season for the people of Tartu.
Performing on stage will be the ensemble Kelly’s Puzzle and solo drummer Martin Aulis. The video director of the concert is Carmen Seljamaa, while the lighting director of the ceremony is Andres Sarv.
In addition to its glass pavilions, the Village of Light in the heart of the city will have two wooden merry-go-rounds, seating, Santa’s Tartu mailbox and a cauldron of fire. In the glass pavilions and the outdoor area between them gingerbreads will be sold and children can enjoy listening to fairy tales. In the different pavilions you can visit part of the University of Tartu Botanical Gardens, a café and workshops organised by the young scientists and inventors from the University of Tartu Museum, the AHHAA Science Centre and the SPARK Makerlab. In one glass house children will be able to lie down on the hay and dream of becoming an inventor. On Town Hall Square there will be two such houses, which will only have room for Tartu’s littlest residents and their friends. There will also be ponies and horses from the Laane stables giving people rides.
Advent candles will be lit on every Sunday in December. The second candle will be lit at 16:00 on 10 December. Prior to the lighting, the Santa Winter Games will be held on Town Hall Square.
The third candle will be lit at 16:00 on 17 December and the fourth candle – along with the Declaration of Christmas Peace – at 12:00 on 24 December.
In addition, there will be a traditional Christmas market in Tartu city centre on 9 December, and the Wintry Tartu Folk Dance Day 2017 will be held on 16 December.
For more on Tartu’s Christmas events see www.joululinntartu.ee
Christmas City Tartu 2017’s main sponsors are Glassolutions Baltiklaas and Palmako AS.
For further information please contact:
Maris Peebo
Tiigi Community Centre
[email protected]
+372 50 68 770
Katrin Vask
Tiigi Community Centre
[email protected]
+372 5348 2682
www.facebook.com/JoululinnTartu
www.instagram.com/joululinntartu
Last changed 30.11.2017
