On Monday, 18 July, preparations for the Tartu Old Town festival Tartu buzz began in Tartu. A festival area is being constructed on the section of Rüütli Street between Munga and Laia Streets, which will liven up this previously quieter part of the Old Town. The festival itself will cover the whole of the Old Town and will start with an Open Old Town Day on Saturday, 26 July.
The heart of the festival is being designed around the concept of a diverse urban space. There will be awnings and seating areas familiar to visitors to Tartu’s Christmas Town and Car-Free Avenue. The area will feature a sandbox, merry-go-rounds, a swing and a slide.
Depending on the weather, cooling will be provided by a water tap and a misting cube. Greenery will be provided by plants from the University of Tartu Botanical Garden and planting boxes filled with edible plants and pollinators planted by kindergarten children who have participated in the Green School programme. There will also be a toilet for people with reduced mobility.
A stage pavilion will be set up in the green area of St John’s Church, where discussions and concerts will take place throughout the festival. Depending on the weather, the Tartu Youth Work Centre’s workshops will take place outdoors or in the pavilion. The stage pavilion will be furnished by the Tartu City Library’s outdoor library, where summer reading will be available for everyone.
Tartu buzz will bring life to a previously quieter section of Rüütli Street, offering opportunities to explore, enjoy, and experience cultural events in the Old Town. The heart of the festival will be beating at the end of Rüütli Street, but the varied programme of events, created in partnership with local cultural institutions and businesses, will also take you to exciting side streets. The programme in the heart of the festival will end each day at 22:00, at the latest, after which a number of Old Town venues will remain open to visitors.
The festival will open on 26 July, with the Open Old Town Day. There will be a lively flea market taking place in the courtyards and streets, with a concert by Daniel Levi to end the day.
The festival runs until 10 August. Find out more about the festival area and programme.
For more information, contact Maarja Liba, Director of the Tartu Events Centre, +372 5792 1174, tartukorraldab@tartu.ee.