Tallinn Festivals and Events
Tallinn Festivals and Events
Tallinn’s calendar splits cleanly into a long, bright open-air season and a short, dark, atmospheric winter, and the events follow that rhythm. Here is what is worth planning a trip around, and one date worth planning around avoiding. Always check exact dates before you book, since they shift year to year.
The Christmas market
The obvious winter draw. The market on Raekoja plats runs roughly late November to early January, wrapped around a tree tradition the city dates to 1441, a claim Riga disputes just as loudly. Mulled wine, handicraft stalls and the floodlit square make it one of the reasons winter is worth the cold and the short days.
Old Town Days
Early summer brings Old Town Days, a few days of medieval-themed performances, concerts and craft markets through the Lower Town’s streets. It leans into the same history the walls and towers tell, and it is free to wander into.
The Song and Dance Festival
The heavyweight of the Estonian calendar, though not an annual one: the Song and Dance Festival gathers thousands of choral singers and dancers roughly every five years, a genuine pillar of national identity rather than a tourist show. If your visit lands on a festival year, build the trip around it; otherwise you will catch its smaller relatives through the summer.
Summer on the water
Tallinn is a maritime city and the summer events show it. In 2026, the Tall Ships Races are due to sail in around July 11 to 14, and Ironman Tallinn is scheduled for roughly August 7 to 8, with its finish based at the Noblessner waterfront. Both draw crowds and tighten hotel availability, so check the dates against your plans early.
Black Nights Film Festival
Come November, the Black Nights Film Festival (POFF) takes over cinemas across the city with international and Estonian premieres, one of the region’s biggest film events and a good reason to visit in the dark months.
The date to avoid
Around June 23 to 24, Jaanipaev, the midsummer holiday, empties Tallinn as Estonians head to the countryside. Expect a quieter city and some closures, so plan any must-do sights for either side of it.
Read more: the Tallinn travel guide covers the seasons and what else to do while you are here.