Summer Cultural Events in Tallinn

Seaside Events

Tallinn has always been a sea city, which makes it appropriate that several of our most important cultural events take place on the seaside and are connected to the sea.

The Tall Ships Races is a spectacular maritime celebration taking place from July 11-14. Over 60 majestic sailing ships will dock at Tallinn's harbors, transforming the city into a vibrant festival ground. Visitors can explore the ships, enjoy performances by Estonia's finest artists, and engage in a plethora of land and sea activities. 

Everyone who wants to experience a genuine Estonian Midsummer's Eve party should participate in the Estonian Open Air Museum's midsummer celebration. At the event, you can enjoy the tunes of Estonian folk musicians, eat delicious Midsummer party food and take part in traditional folk games.

The acclaimed international musical theatre event Birgitta Festival is held every August in the ruins of the Pirita Convent. Its seaside location and historical atmosphere add a special magic to the high-quality performances of the festival.

On the magical Night of Ancient Lights, thousands gather along Estonia's coastlines to light bonfires, keeping alive the tradistion of historical seaside beacons that guided sailors home. Numerous coastal attractions and museums celebrate the evening with special events, often enriched with concert programs. Traditional participants include the Seaplane Harbour, the Estonian Open Air Museum, and the Viimsi Open Air Museum.

Old Town Summer Festivals

Every summer, Tallinn's medieval Old Town hosts many events and there are two beloved festivals that always bring joy to locals and visitors alike.
At the beginning of summer, from 7-9 June, Tallinn Old Town Days take place. The summer event, which has been organised for more than 20 years, fills the streets, courtyards and green areas of the old town with a varied and engaging programme. This year's guiding principle of the festival "Fresh View" focuses on community culture and the Old Town as a sustainable urban space.

A month later, from 5-7 July, Medieval Days will take over the old town and the heart of Tallinn will once again become a flourishing Hanseatic city. During the four days, you can participate in fun workshops teaching medieval skills, try your hand at sword fighting and other games of skill and strength, cheer at a medieval procession and many great shows and concerts.

From 18 August to 18 September, the annual Tallinn Fringe Festival will take place in several locations around the city, which will bring together many domestic and international artists. The goal of the open-access festival, which is now in its seventh year, is to bring different types of non-mainstream arts to the public.

The summer is full of events!

There is a lot going on in Tallinn in the summer! It is probably hard to find a day when there isn't a concert or festival taking place in the city. You can find a list of events in Tallinn in our events calendar, where you can filter events by date and topic.