Tallinn 2023: Ultimate Guide to the City’s Biggest Events

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

Let’s explore some events that will take place in Tallinn in 2023 are set to be some of the most exciting and diverse cultural celebrations in Estonia’s history. From music festivals to sporting events, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. Get ready to immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of Tallinn and experience unforgettable moments that will last a lifetime.

Jazz Festival Tallinn

Location: Telliskivi Creative City
Date: 23.04.2023 – 30.04.2023
Link: Esileht – Festival Jazzkaar
Jazzkaar, the premier jazz festival in the Baltic region, transforms Tallinn’s music venues into vibrant stages featuring top-notch performers and thrilling jazz music from around the world.

This renowned festival has been bestowed with the prestigious EFFE quality label, signifying its selection among the top festivals in Europe for delivering outstanding artistic performances and experiences to its audiences.

Estonian Music Days

Location: Tallinn and Tartu
Date: 26.04.2023 – 07.05.2023
Link: Estonian Music Days (eestimuusikapaevad.ee)
For four decades, the Estonian Music Days Festival has been a key event dedicated to showcasing the works of Estonian composers. Since its inception in 1979, this festival has continued to be an essential platform for contemporary Estonian music.

At the festival, attendees can experience the latest musical creations from Estonian composers. The diverse program features performances by musicians of various genres, and also combines different art forms to create a unique and immersive experience.

The festival strikes a perfect balance between domestic and international talent, offering a wide range of musical styles and genres. Concerts are held at the Arvo Pärt Centre in Laulasmaa, as well as various venues in Tallinn and Tartu.

Tallinn Coffee Festival

Location: Tallinn Creative Hub near Linnahall
Date: 28.04.2023 – 29.04.2023
Link: Tallinn Coffee Festival | 28.-29.04.2023 | Kultuurikatel
Starting the events with summer 2023 in Tallinn with some coffee. Coffee lovers can discover a vast array of unique and distinct coffee blends, brewing techniques, and equipment. The festival provides visitors with the opportunity to indulge in good music, a thrilling entertainment program, and enticing aromas. Alongside coffee, the event also features warm beverages such as tea and hot cocoa, and showcases street food vendors and cafés. Over fifty companies are participating in the festival, representing professionals, coffee enthusiasts, local roasters, cafés, importers, and coffee lovers alike.

Tallinn Craft Beer Weekend

Location: Tallinn Creative Hub near Linnahall
Date: 05.05.2023 – 06.05.2023
Link: Tallinn Craft Beer Weekend 2023 (tcbw.ee)
The Beer Festival is an event for beer enthusiasts, who are constantly seeking new and interesting beer flavours and aromas. Each brewery presents several high-quality beers, giving guests the opportunity to sample more than 400 different beers over the course of the two-day festival. The festival ticket grants access to tasting all of them.

Tallinn Music Week (TMW)

Location: Telliskivi Creative City
Date: 10.05.2023 – 14.05.2023
Link: Festival for Tomorrow’s Music, Arts and Ideas — TMW
The Tallinn Music Week is an international festival and music industry conference that draws music enthusiasts from Estonia and neighbouring countries. The festival features a diverse line-up of industry players and musical acts spanning various genres including pop, jazz, hard rock, and electronic music. In addition to the main programme, the TMW City Stage offers daily pop-up concerts in unexpected and exciting locations throughout Tallinn.

Måneskin’s Concert in Tallinn

Location: Unibet Arena
Date: 19.05.2023
Link: Måneskin – Loud Kids Tour Gets Louder 22-23 – 19.05.2023 – Unibet Arena – Piletilevi.ee

Tallinn Old Town Days

Location: Tallinn Old Town, Vanallinn
Date: 02.06.2023 – 04.06.2023
Link: Tallinna Vanalinna Päevad 2023 | (vanalinnapaevad.ee)
Tallinn Old Town Days is also the largest festival in Old Town that celebrates the local cultural heritage and community. The festival spans several days and features a variety of music, theatre, art, and sports events that are open to both locals and visitors. Guests of all ages can explore the courtyards of the Old Town, learn about Tallinn’s long and impressive history, and participate in a range of activities.

XIII Youth Song and Dance Celebration

Location: Tallinn Song Festival Grounds Narva mnt 95, Tallinn
Date: 30.06.2023 – 01.07.2023
Link: Home – Laulupidu 2023
The tradition of the song and dance festival has been recognized by UNESCO and included in its intangible cultural heritage list. This festival, which takes place four times in ten years in Tallinn, is more than just a summer event; it’s a way of life for Estonians, helping them better understand their culture and values. The festival embodies love for the country, language, culture, and customs, and is attended by almost 10,000 dancers and 30,000 singers, making it a grand celebration of Estonian identity and heritage. It is by far the most popular event in Tallinn in 2023 for Estonians.

Medieval Days in Tallinn Old Town

Location: Tallinn Old Town, Vanalinn
Date: 06.07.2023 – 09.07.2023
Link: folkart.ee
Each year during the first full week of July, the Tallinn Town Hall Square and the surrounding area near St. Nicholas Church transform into a lively Hanseatic town. Visitors can experience a medieval village on St. Nicholas Hill, complete with workshops led by skilled craftsmen, competitions to test strength and skill, a knight school for children, and sword fighting lessons. Archery enthusiasts can test their accuracy, while others can watch blacksmiths, carpenters, master builders, and other fascinating demonstrations of traditional crafts.

Tallinn Maritime Days

Ironman Tallinn

Location: Tallinn Bay
Date: 14.07.2023 – 16.07.2023
Link: N/A tallinnlv.ee
Tallinn Maritime Days is an exciting summer festival that has been celebrated in Tallinn for several years. The festival brings together over two hundred artists from Estonia and around the world. All ports offer various activities for children and open trading streets, fish markets, and design markets. Visitor ships arrive at the capital of Estonia, providing opportunities for exploration and sailing trips in Tallinn Bay. Sea taxis also sail between the ports. Tallinn Maritime Days is the largest family-friendly maritime festival in Estonia.

Location: Tallinn
Date: 05.08.2023
Link: IRONMAN Tallinn – Anything is Possible
The IRONMAN competition is a major highlight of Tallinn’s summer triathlon festival. The event spans over two days and attracts close to a thousand athletes from all corners of the globe to compete in Estonia. The IRONMAN race route takes participants through Tallinn’s picturesque Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the stunning Harju County. Alongside the IRONMAN competition, the triathlon festival features an IRONKIDS race and a series of charity events.

Tallinn Fringe Festival

Location: Tallinn, Different locations
Date: 18.08.2023 – 18.09.2023
Link: Tallinn Fringe Festival
The Tallinn Fringe Festival is a yearly event that showcases a variety of international and local artists in different venues across Tallinn. The festival is committed to promoting open access to performers from all backgrounds and experiences, creating a space for non-mainstream arts and performances to find their audience, and expanding the audience’s exposure to diverse cultures in Estonia and beyond. The festival encourages audiences to step out of their comfort zones and appreciate the wide range of performances available.

Simple Session

Location: Põhjala tehas, Marati tn 5, Tallinn
Date: 19.08.2023 – 20.08.2023
Link: simple.session.ee
Simple Session is the most popular skateboarding and BMX competition of the year, and it has become one of Estonia’s most important events. This extreme sports competition attracts an increasing number of foreign visitors and renowned athletes each year, and millions of viewers follow it through various media channels.

The thrilling weekend is filled with unprecedented spectacles, as several hundred BMX riders and skateboarders from around the world compete in the massive competition area. The atmosphere is exciting and enjoyable, and in the evenings, it transforms into a wild party program that keeps the energy levels high.

Tallinn Marathon

Location: Tallinn
Date: 08.09.2023 – 10.09.2023
Link: jooks.ee
The Tallinn Marathon is a premier international running event held annually in Estonia. It attracts thousands of runners and sports enthusiasts from all over the world, making it the largest event of its kind in the country.

The marathon includes a variety of exciting programs for participants, such as the RIMI 10K, half-marathon (21.1 km), and classic marathon (42.2 km). Registration and pricing details for participants can be found on the event’s official website. For spectators, the event is completely free of charge.

In addition to the main event, the Tallinn Marathon also hosts a virtual race that takes place from September 1st to September 30th. The virtual race allows participants from all over the world to run their desired distance, breaking down geographical borders and bringing the thrill of the marathon to runners everywhere.

Tallinn Design Festival

Location: Baltic Manufactory, Manufaktuuri tn 5, Tallinn
Date: 18.09.2023 – 24.09.2023
Link: disainioo.ee
Tallinn Design Festival is a highly anticipated event that celebrates the creative achievements of designers from Estonia and beyond. With a diverse range of exhibitions, fashion shows, educational seminars, lectures, children’s programs, and workshops, the festival encourages discussions about the role of design in modern society.

At Tallinn Design Festival, visitors have the opportunity to explore how creativity and design can be utilized to create better physical and social living environments. Each year, the festival focuses on a different theme, sparking new conversations and ideas around the topic.

Vegan Fair

Location: Port Noblessneri
Date: 07.10.2023 – 08.10.2023
Link: N/A taimetoidumess.ee
The biggest vegan event of the year, as the twelfth annual Tallinn Vegan Fair also returns to the Noblessner Foundry! This event is also the oldest vegan lifestyle fair in the Baltics and has been created to promote plant-based food and veganism.

At the event, visitors also will have the opportunity to explore and purchase a wide range of vegan foods and other products, all of which have been created without the use of animal products. In addition to the shopping experience, there will be various lectures and discussions focused on veganism and plant-based living.

Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF)

Location: Tallinn, Different Cinemas
Date: 03.11.2023 – 19.11.2023
Link: PÖFF : BNFF (poff.ee)
PÖFF, also known as the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, is one of the most significant film festivals in Northern Europe and the events takes place in Tallinn. Each year in November, the festival brings together the latest and most captivating works from around the world, offering local viewers an unforgettable cinematic experience.

While there are approximately 4,000 film festivals held globally each year, only 15 have been awarded A-category certification by the International Federation of Film Producers’ Associations. PÖFF is among this exclusive group of elite festivals, which includes such prestigious events as Cannes, Berlin, and Venice, among others.

With its coveted A-category status, PÖFF has established itself as a leading destination for filmmakers and cinema lovers from around the world. Its commitment to showcasing the best in international cinema has earned it a reputation as a must-attend event for anyone passionate about the art of film.

Tallinn Christmas Market

Location: Raekoja Plats in Vanalinn
Date: 01.12.2023 – 07.01.2024
Link: Tallinn Christmas Market
Get ready to be transported to a magical wonderland as the Tallinn Christmas Market returns to the Town Hall Square! This enchanting market has previously been voted the best Christmas market in Europe, and it promises to be an unforgettable experience for visitors of all ages.

At the heart of the market, you’ll find the city’s most beautiful Christmas tree, radiating a warm and welcoming glow. This cherished tradition dates to more than 500 years! The surrounding market stalls will offer a wide range of goods and festive foods, providing a perfect opportunity to indulge in the holiday spirit and find unique gifts for loved ones.

As you stroll through the market, the festive atmosphere is sure to delight you. The air will be filled with the fragrant scents of mulled wine, gingerbread, and other delicious treats. Whether you’re looking for a special souvenir or simply want to soak up the holiday atmosphere, the Tallinn Christmas Market is not to be missed!