1 September – Knowledge Day
3 September – birth anniversary: children’s writer Jaan Rannap 90. Jubilee: architecture historian Mart Kalm 60
4 September – jubilee: singer, actress Anne Maasik 70
5 September – Saint Zechariah’s Day. Saint Zechariah’s Day is one of major fair days in Räpina and Seto regions. This is all the information we have about it nowadays.
7 September – birth anniversary ceramicist, art historian Helene Kuma 100
8 September – Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This day, called ‘Snake Mary’s Day’ in Estonian, was when snakes supposed to find places for winter sleep, which marks the autumn decline of the nature. In some places going to the forest on this day was forbidden because the nature needed rest.
9 September – jubilee: writer and journalist Vladislav Koržets 70
10 September – 100 years since the first exhibition of Estonian Art Museum in Kadrioru Palace.
11 September – jubilees: artist Urmas Viik 60, conductor Mihkel Kütson 50.
12 September – Grandparents’ Day
13 September – jubilees: film director Rein Maran 90, actress Liina Orlova 80
14 September – ‘Vissenja’ (Seto language). This is yet one more of the many Seto holidays. Similarly to ‘Snake Mary’s Day’ it is supposed to mark the beginning of snakes’ winter dormancy. Bringing brushwood home from the woods was strictly forbidden because it could result in waking up snakes and attracting them to your yard. Instead of work people used to go to church and celebrate.
15 September – International Day of Democracy
16 September – artist Loit Jõekalda 70, writer Kerttu Rakke 50
19 September – birth anniversary: musician Igor Maasik 60
21 September – Saint Matthias’ Day. Opposed to the one in February, the autumn Saint Matthias’ Day is relatively little known. As many other September holidays, it marks wild animals’ preparation for winter sleep: flies, mosquitos and snakes disappear.
Resistance Fighting Day. 100 days since Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were accepted to League of Nations
23 September – autumn equinox. People observed the nature very carefully on autumn equinox. This could help one guess what the weather would be. Wind direction was the most important: if it blew from the north, the autumn would be cold. Western wind promised a long and warm autumn. Wind direction was also believed to predict the spring draught of fish. Birth anniversary: composer and linguist Karl August Hermann 170
24 September – National Minorities’ Day
26 September – European Day of Languages. Jubilees: actor Väino Laes 70, journalist Marianne Mikko 60.
29 September – Michaelmas. Michaelmas was one of the major milestones of the year for Estonians in times past. It concluded the harvesting season. While farmhands came to farms on Saint George’s Day, their labour contracts ended on Michaelmas. To celebrate the day, lavish tables were laid, which absolutely had to include autumn produce, lamb dishes and beer. The largest fair of the year used to be held at Michaelmas too. Starting from this day, nobody slept in lofts and storehouses: everyone moved back to the dwelling.
Folk calendar via Estonian Open Air Museum
Whole month
Exhibition “Kimono. The Essence of Japanese Beauty”
The exhibition introduces one of the most recognisable and beautiful symbols of Japan: the kimono. Traditional kimonos, accessories and photos offer intriguing insight into Japanese culture through everyday life, the change of seasons and festive events. The exhibition includes kimonos designed by Tokitomo Hisako, an artist who has researched the history of kimonos and traditional textile technologies.
When: June 11th – November 21st
Where: Adamson-Eric Museum, Lühike jalg 3
Tickets: 5-7 €
Whole month
Exhibition “What Makes Another World Possible?”
The exhibition serves as a companion to the book Making Another World Possible : 10 Creative Time Summits, 10 Global Issues, 100 Art Projects (Routledge, 2019) co-edited by Corina L. Apostol, a landmark publication that takes stock of socially engaged cultural practices dealing with the urgency of contemporary social movements.
Complete with a selected timeline of socially engaged art by the collective Chto Delat?, the exhibition offers a review of the current state of the field, diving into ten overlapping global issues. Topics addressed including surveillance, inequalities, social unrest, migration, environmental crises, racism, education, queerness, and new technologies. The exhibition showcases a critical range of inspiring artistic projects directly engaged with these issues from the regional context and internationally.
Where: Tallinn Art Hall, Vabaduse väljak 8
When: September 18th – December 5th
Tickets: 4-8 €
Whole month
Exhibition “Wearing A Hundred Shirts”
Affordable, hygienic and convenient. Everyone wears T-shirts regardless of their cultural background, gender, ethnicity and income. Unisex T-shirts are often considered one of the most utilitarian pieces of clothing because they are very ambivalent compared to other everyday cultural objects – ordinary yet prominent, cheap yet costly, boring yet interesting, democratic yet dominant, sustainable yet destructive. This exhibition deals with the multifaceted set of problems in modern society manifested in this simple everyday garment.’
Where: Art Hall Gallery, Vabaduse väljak 6
When: August 6th until October 10th
Tickets: 4-12 €
September 3rd and 4th
Tallinn Coffee Festival is an event where both professionals and enthusiasts – local roasters, cafes, distributors and coffee lovers – can get together. Guests can explore many different types of coffee specialties, preparation methods and equipment. Good music, entertaining program, engaging competitions and a wonderful aroma wait for all the guests of the festival. In addition to coffee, the festival also features other hot drinks like tea and hot chocolate, street food places and cafes. More than 50 companies will take part of the festival.
The organizers and participants of TLNCF aim to develop the cafe culture in Estonia. Contributing to informed consumption, bringing consumer interest, surprising coffee lovers with new products – this is the mission of the coffee festival.
Where: Kultuurikatel, Põhja pst 27A
When: September 3rd 11 a.m. to September 4th 6 p.m.
Ticket: 5 €
September 10th – 12th
Tallinn Marathon is the biggest international running event it Estonia.
The Tallinn Marathon programmes involving thousands of runners and sports enthusiasts will include kids’ races, 5K, RIMI 10K, half-marathon (21.1 km) and classic marathon (42.2 km). Join Tallinn Marathon and run along one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe, the UNESCO declared Old Town of Tallinn. A runner friendly weather with 14-17C in September and our fast-flat track are important aspects why international runners join the Tallinn Marathon.
In our effort to adjust with the changing world, we will also continue with the virtual races.
September 11th
For one day, almost all Estonian literary organisations gather on the idyllic Lydia Koidula street, named after a beloved Estonian poet. In addition to a rich cultural programme involving discussions, guided walks, concerts, and theatre performances, you can visit pop-up cafés, try street food, and enjoy the unique bohemian vibe of Kadriorg.
Where: L. Koidula street, Kadriorg
When: September 11th
September 18th 2020 until February 1st 2021
Exhibition “Young Jüri Arrak. Storms and Forms”
The early works of Jüri Arrak are some of the most diverse pearls of the collections of Kalle Laasberg, Andres Eilart, Margus Punab, Sven Pertens and Reigo Kuivjõgi. The works from the 1960s and 1970s have been exhibited infrequently or not at all and are witnesses to the development of the artist’s style.
Curators: Tõnis Tatar, Aleksander Metsamärt.
Where: Mikkel Museum, Weizenbergi 28
When: September 18th 2020 until February 1st 2021
Tickets: 4-6 €
Richard Marx “A Solo Acoustic Evening”
American superstar Richard Marx will perform in Estonia for the first time, giving on 26.09.2021 an acoustic solo concert at the Alexela Concert Hall. The concert will feature all of his hits, including ‘Right Here Waiting’, ‘Endless Summer Nights’, ‘Hazard’, ‘Don’t Mean Nothing’, ‘Angelia’, ‘Now and Forever’, and many more. During his career of more than thirty years, Richard Marx has had countless achievements as an artist, songwriter, and producer. The Chicago-based singer has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide so far. He has won numerous Grammys, his albums Repeat Offender (1989), Rush Street (1991), and Paid Vacation (1994) achieved platinum status, and to date, he is the only male artist in history to have his first seven singles make the TOP5 on the Billboard charts. As a producer and songwriter, he has also worked with artists such as Josh Groban, NSYNC, Luther Vandross, and Keith Urban.
Where: Alexela Concert Hall, Estonia pst 8
When: September 26th 7 p.m.
Tickets: 60 – 90 €
September 29th – October 1st
TFF is the No 1 food, retail and HoReCa industry event for food professionals in Estonia. Where new and traditional products and services are presented. You can meet producers, importers and suppliers that will meet your needs. Over 6 000 trade visitors are expected including hundreds from neighbouring countries. The aisles are filled with the “who’s who” of the industry. The food trade fair has 150 exhibitors.
Where: Tallinn Fair Centre, Pirita tee 28
When: September 29th – October 1st, 10 a.m. till 5 p.m.
Tickets: 9-18 €
September 30th
Ludovico Einaudi’s concert “Seven Days Walking Tour”
If one man embodies the kaleidoscopic new musical world of the ‘user-generated’ age it is Ludovico Einaudi. Topping audience polls from the classical to the avant-garde, Einaudi has not only become one of Europe’s most popular composers, but has rendered traditional ideas of musical genre and audience divide obsolete.
Where: Alexela Concert Hall, Estonia pst 8
When: September 30th, 7 p.m.
Tickets: 60-230 €
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
The calendar was created with the support of Tallinn city and Kodurahu program.
