Culture.ee’s weekly recommendations: 6–12 August, 2018

The festival area includes street artists and the quiz is held. The Maritime stage hosts a colourful concert programme and the Beach stage has free concerts. In addition to the three-day musical programme, the festival area offers the fair, folk programme, children’s area and games, a chamber of ideas, performances on the folk square and street artists. Every day of the festival is filled with exciting activities for people of all ages!

The genius loci of Pirita Abbey and a programme combining music and performing arts blend into a complete whole. There is no other festival like this on the shores of the Baltic Sea. Over 8,000 people gather every year at this ancient bend in the river. They dive into a magical world of sounds for a few days. The audience of a thousand faces at the Birgitta Festival is a phenomenon in its own right. It’s the atmosphere in particular that brings them here with its festiveness, its countless joyous encounters and its unique lighting designs. This year’s programme includes Puccini’s Boheme, youth production Musical Cool, modern ballet Black and White, an evening of short ballets and an opera gala.

Right here in Estonia, in the far-away city of Narva, you will find Joala Street, where the Kreenholm Manufacturing Company used to operate. Kreenholm Manufacturing Company is the best place to tell the story of the thunderous music industry of the USSR and the controversial fate of its most brilliant star – Jaak Joala. It is the best place to hear the immortal songs by Joala and admire the rhythms of the band Radar. However, this story is not simply about Joala. It is a generalization of a whole pleiad of Estonian musicians – the so-called nightingales of Kreml – who made sure that the entertainment industry survived in the Soviet Union and enjoyed their fame.

This year’s Opinion Festival will treat participants to 12 English-language discussions, ranging from topics such as national security to information warfare to the transition away from cowboy capitalism. Special attention will be paid to the nature of democracy and the future of the three Baltic countries who are all celebrating their centenaries in 2018. Beyond the discussion areas, other English-language events are dotted around the festivals. There will be a human library, organized by the Estonian Refugee Council, where participants can hear and engage with the stories of refugees and immigrants.

The 11th Nordic music festival “Viru Folk” is dedicated to Estonia and the performers are Estonian this time, with a few exceptions from our neighboring countries. The programme includes Metsatöll, Naised Köögis, Marko Matvere & VLÜ, Tom Valsberg & Väelaulud, Svjata Vatra, Puuluup, Estonian Voices, Kiriko, Mandotrio, Trio Romansid, Sibul & Tuksam, Lauri Saatpalu, Andres Roots, etc. In addition to good Estonian music, the visitor also founds a wide selection of Estonian handicraft, films, and more in Käsmu.

Somnium – dream; fantasy, vision, daydream, illusion; sleep
A new production of the Tallinn Dance Theatre for the original music of Argo Vals deals with hitting a moment when the eyes are not yet fully closed, you are no longer here, but not yet there.
Author, director: Heili Lindepuu
On the stage: Jaanus Tepomees, Aivar Kallaste

A seven-hour blues concert under Kurepalu pines. Performers include Lavrix Blues Band (Latvia), B.B.Max (Latvia), Crosswood, Karmo Toome and Band, Hideaway and Aut Of Office.

The aim of the festival is to map the Estonian audiovisual landscape (film, video art, documentary anthropology, and virtual media) and offer insights into what happens elsewhere in the world on the non-commercial experimental level. In 2018, the short film programme of Fideofest is compiled by the international short film festival “Ciudad de Soria”. All films are with English subtitles.

In nine years, Augustiunetus (August Insomnia) has become the second largest and one of the most popular festivals in Pärnu. For one night and one night only, the streets of the old town become alive and are fulfilled with never before seen art, music and dance created on the spot. In order to experience this special something, you need to be here yourself. The programme consists of different timely performances, workshops and lectures, but something will definitely happen spontaneously, whether you like it or not, right here and right now. So be ready to just walk into something you did not expect. In addition to this, there will be cafés and art and craft salesmen all around the festival to treat your needs and lust for spending.

Pop-up Café Day takes place once a year in August, about one week after the Seto Kingdom Day festival. The cafes can be found in the most widespread places. Kostipäiv attracts with local delicacies which taste like a miracle because the fresh components are local. You can buy along delicacies from every café. There will also be an exciting culture programme and activities for children.