The Estonian Traditional Music Center is an independent, open and innovative non-profit association that strives to promote, support and develop traditional music through educational programs and live concerts held throughout the country. The Center organizes a series of concerts and other performances, workshops, seminars and other events and activities throughout the year, but the Viljandi Folk Music Festival is undoubtedly its most famous and successful project. Due to its popularity, Viljandi has been nicknamed the Estonian Capital of Folk Music.
The inaugural Viljandi Folk Music Festival was held on May 15, 1993. It was a one-day event that coincided with the official founding of the Young Musicians’ Society. The next year, the festival expanded to three days and welcomed both Estonian artists and international performers. Today’s festival lasts for four days and features musicians from different countries, including Estonia, Sweden, Belgium, Ireland, Scotland, Finland, Lithuania, Romania, Ukraine, Hungary, Cuba, Macedonia, the United States, Israel, Denmark, Canada, Belarus, and others.
Although Viljandi is the seventh largest city in Estonia, it’s still a relatively small town with a population of less than 18,000. However, every July the otherwise quiet city is completely transformed as the downtown area is suddenly flooded with folk music enthusiasts from all over the country and abroad. The Viljandi Folk Music Festival has an attendance of over 25,000, which is more than the entire population of Viljandi. It is the largest annual music festival in Estonia and one of the largest folk music festivals in Europe.
Each edition of the Viljandi Folk Music Festival has a theme. For example, in 2017 the festival celebrated its 25th anniversary, so the organizers had decided to focus on the theme “New and Old”.
Photo: estonianworld.com
