1 October – International Music Day. Local government day. Birth anniversaries: writer Herman Sergo 110, poetess Debora Vaarandi 105, linguist Els Oksaar 95, choreographer Mait Agu 70.
4 October – World Animal Day
5 October – World Teachers’ Day
6 October – birth anniversary: writer and director Uno Leies 90
7 October – birth anniversary: poet and publicist Manivald Kesamaa 100
8 October – Estonian Association of Architects was founded 100 ago. Birth anniversary: poet and publicist Helmut Tarand 110
10 October – World Mental health Day. Birth anniversary: painter Alfred Kongo 115
14 October – ‘Yellowing Day’. There is not much to say about ‘Yellowing Day’. What folklore mainly states about it is that tree leaves would have turned yellow by then.
16 October – Tribal Day or The Day of Finno-Ugric Peoples. Jubilee: playwright Urmas Lennuk 50
17 October – jubilee: writer and literary scholar Rein Veidemann 75
24 October – jubilee: artist Jüri Arrak 85
25 October – jubilee: actress Epp Eespäev 60
26 October – Saint Demetrius’ Day. Saint Demetrius Day, the day for honouring the memory of ancestors, has been mainly celebrated in the east of Estonia. It is known that the best food was cooked and the table was laid to welcome the souls returning home. Another tradition involved going to the cemetery to have a meal there. First people would wait quietly and let the dead eat and then start eating themselves.
28 October – Saint Simon the Apostle’s Day. It is best described by the old saying “Simon builds bridges over marshes”. It was believed that when ice bridges had been made, Saint Martin would use them to come.
29 October – Saint Anastasia’s Day. The holiday is widely honoured in Seto region with the tradition of asking relatives to come over. The celebration would often last for three days. There is no information about any food specific for the feast, but vodka, which would help the songs that guests would sing to thank the host flow freely, certainly had to be on the table.
Folk calendar via Estonian Open Air Museum
Whole month
Estonians proudly go picking mushrooms and visit sacred groves, sacrificial stones and holy springs. How, then, is it possible that we are at the same time steadily destroying our beautiful nature for economic gain? As Aet Annist announced at a demonstration to protect forests in Hirvepark: “We currently act like invaders in our own country (…). We translate habitats into cubic metres, let the trees fall, one after another, and roll their trunks to sawmills and pellet factories.”
Where: Tallinn City Gallery, Harju 13
When: October 1st – November 28th
Tickets: Free admission
September 29th – October 3rd
The international festival and music industry conference Tallinn Music Week attracts an enthusiastic audience of music lovers from Estonia and neighbouring countries.
The line-up presents industry players and Estonian and international acts from diverse musical genres from pop to jazz and hard rock to electronic music.
The TMW City Stage programme offers daily free pop-up concerts in unexpected and exciting places across Tallinn.
Where: different venues
When: September 29th – October 3rd
Programme and more information
October 2nd
Zak Tell: “What’s up Clawheads, it’s not easy being a ”rockstar” these days, it’s not easy being a clawhead either. Unfortunately all our planned gigs have to be rescheduled due to the current situation. There’s no business, it’s show business but hang in there because the Clawfinger show ain’t over yet!”
Swedish Norwegian metal rap band Clawfinger gives an exclusive concert in Estonia.
Where: Club Rock Cafe, Keevise 6
When: October 2nd, 7 p.m.
Tickets: 35-39 €
October 3rd
Insomnium and Finntroll will come to Tallinn as part of their autumn tour.
The internationally known melodic death metal giant Insomnium will tour Finland in September-October. The tour stops in Helsinki, Turku, Seinäjoki, Oulu, Jyväskylä, Tampere and finally across the bay in Tallinn. The Finnish folk metal band Finntroll will warm up Insomnium at a concert on October 3 at the club Helitehas.
Insomnium, a Finnish band that broke into the international metal scene with their uncompromising attitude and hard work, released their latest single “The Reticent” on May 21st. The band’s latest album, “Heart Like a Grave”, released in October 2019, conquered the top of the Finnish album chart and also reached the Top 10 in Germany.
Where: Helitehas, Madara 22A
When: October 3rd, 7 p.m.
Tickets: 35-39 €
October 6th and 7th
Comedy Estonia & MZA present: Daniel Sloss: “HUBRIS”
The all-new, 11th solo show by Scotland’s international comedy superstar, hot on the heels of his ground-breaking, global smash-hit ‘Daniel Sloss: X’, comes to Vene Kultuurikeskus in Tallinn.
‘Daniel Sloss: HUBRIS’ is Daniel’s fantastic new show. He performed it in New York and LA just before the world shut down and was the first stand-up to tour again during Covid-19 – first with drive-in shows in July and from September, selling out government approve socially distanced/Covid-secure theatres, comedy clubs and music venues all across the UK – even including two shows at the London Palladium! Now as we can look forward to the “new normal”, we’re super excited to present the show for you!
BOOK EARLY!
Where: Vene Kultuurikeskus, Põhja pst 5
When: October 6th and 7th at 8 p.m.
Tickets: 33.40 €
From October 8th
The series of a dozen paintings focuses on abstractly generalised forms seen from close proximity: rocks that are considered static from the perspective of a human life, and the timeless phenomena of darkness and light that do not allow themselves to be captured as mere visible images. They can be captured only when they become intracognitive.
Where: Tallinn Art Hall, Vabaduse väljak 8
When: October 8th – November 28th
Ticket: 4-8 €
October 12th
The Magical Music of Harry Potter
Harry Potter film music will be performed by a symphony orchestra at Alexela Concert Hall.
In the evening of 12 October, the Alexela Concert Hall will transform into the magnificent world of Harry Potter where the wizards will be the London Philharmonic and Symphonic Film Orchestra and a choir and well-known soloists and the Weasley family actors. The most popular soundtracks of the Harry Potter film music allow you to experience the adventures of the Hogwarts School student and his friends, and the battle of Harry against his implacable enemy, the dark wizard Lord Voldemort.
Where: Alexela Concert Hall, Estonia pst 8
When: October 12th, 7 p.m.
Tickets: 39.90 – 69.90 €
October 13th
American Idol winners are coming to Tallinn!
David Cook and Kris Allen, are both winners of the American Idol competition and now they are coming to Tallinn along their European tour. David Cook won the 7th American Idol title while Kris Allen was the 8th season winner.
Kris Allen is an American singer and songwriter from the state of Arkansas. Kris, who dropped out of college, wanted to become a professional musician, having daily jobs as a sports shoe retailer and evenings performing in Little Rock and Fayetteville.
Born in the state of Texas, David Cook has been singing and performing since the school’s second grade. David completed his schooling at the University of Central Missouri where he graduated from the graphic design department.
In Estonia, David & Kris will perform acoustically at Von Krahl on 13th of October 2021. You can also buy meet & greet tickets in advance.
Where: Von Krahl bar, Rataskaevu 10
When: October 13th, 7 p.m.
Tickets: 27.90-113.70 €
October 15th, 16th, 22nd, 23rd, 29th, 30th
Cabaret evening Créme de la Créme
Cabaret evening Créme de la Créme or the best bits of Starlight Cabaret of last 10 years is a look back at the success of the last ten years. It is a colourful selection of revue acts that have won the hearts of the audiences and shaped the face of our revue theatre.
In the first part we will pay a tribute to the classics of the cabaret stages – the famous Willkommen from the movie Cabaret, the timeless New York, New York, and of course everyone’s favourite the Can-Can!
In the second half, we will go all retro on the wave of the best examples of the Soviet Estrada. You will hear hits like Hoogsas rütmis, Olimpiada, Kruzhatsa diski, Oi aegu ammuseid, and Aeg ei peatu.
Where: Restaurant Merineitsi, Original Sokos Hotel Viru, Viru väljak 4
When: October 15h, 16th, 22nd, 23rd 29th, 30th at 7 p.m.
Tickets: 79.90 €
From October 22nd
Exhibition “Universe of the Farm Yard: Creators from Southern Estonia”
South Estonia has been the birthplace and creative nucleus of various artists, including Karl Pärsimägi, who was born on the Sika farm. South Estonia is the place where radical phenomena of Estonian art emerged at the beginning of the 20th century, and where artists have escaped to in search of an immediate experience of nature and spiritual transcendence. This exhibition marks the first time that south Estonia has been approached as a unique and rich cultural phenomenon in art.
Where: Kumu Art Museum, Weizenbergi 34/Valge 1
When: October 22nd 2021 – March 10th 2022
Tickets: 7-10 €
The calendar has been created with support from Tallinn city and Kodurahu program
