12.7.2026 | Culture

Late Summer and Autumn Events

Text Timo Raussi 
Photos Visit Estonia: Harri Sundell, Elise Saarna, Evelin Lumi, Erli Tammet

The Hauka Fair also features circus-style entertainment, including banger racing at the Antsla Song Festival Grounds on 8 August 2026.

We already introduced the summer and early autumn music highlights in our May issue, so this time we focus on food festivals, markets, community celebrations and a little sports, all without forgetting a few autumn musical highlights.

For Food Lovers

30 July–1 August: Hiiumaa

The Home Café Days have grown considerably since they were first launched in 2007. This year, Thursday’s cafés will be found on Kassari Island, while on the remaining days visitors can enjoy home cafés throughout Hiiumaa.

At the Tartu Food and Wine Festival, some of the pop-up restaurants offer refined fine dining experiences.

7–8 August: Tartu

The Tartu Food and Wine Festival fills Küüni pedestrian street and the city centre with pop-up restaurants, live music, and wine tastings hosted by importers. On Sunday, 9 August, the Tammelinn district hosts its annual Home Café Day.

15–16 August: Peipsimaa

The 175-kilometre Peipsi Food Street once again brings dozens of community-run and home restaurants to life around the shores of Lake Peipus. Don’t forget to stock up on the region’s famous onions, cucumbers, and smoked fish.

29 August: Narva

At the Flavours of Narva Food Festival, local restaurants and cafés present and sell their specialities in Joaorg Park beside Hermann Castle. Visitors can also vote for their favourite dishes.

4–13 September: Saaremaa

The Saaremaa Food Festival features special lunch and dinner menus at restaurants, autumn markets, a street picnic in Kuressaare, an Apple Home Café Day and various side events on Muhu Island.

26 September: Narva-Jõesuu

The Lamprey Festival celebrates one of the region’s traditional delicacies, with local fishermen and pop-up restaurants serving lamprey prepared, preserved and presented in almost every imaginable way.

7–18 October: Tallinn

During Food Lover Restaurant Week, nearly 70 restaurants in Tallinn and elsewhere in Estonia offer special fixed-price menus. The competing Tallinn Restaurant Week follows from 1–7 November.

Street Food Festivals:

24–25 July: Haapsalu

31 July–1 August: Pärnu

1 August: Viljandi

8–9 August: Tallinn

21–22 August: Võru

6 September: Tallinn

Sporting Highlights

16–19 July: Southern Estonia

WRC Rally Estonia brings the world’s best gravel rally drivers to Tartu, with the service park based at the Estonian National Museum (ERM). Estonia’s own rally stars return to compete in the Saaremaa Rally on 9–10 October, an event first held in 1974.

20–23 August: Tallinn

IRONMAN Tallinn competition week crowns the toughest triathletes over full and half-Ironman distances. Children’s and youth running events take place on 20 August near the Rocca al Mare Centre.

In Pärnu, the Two Bridges Run on 6 September follows scenic riverside routes. The 10 km course can be completed either by running or walking.

11–13 September: Tallinn

Thousands of runners, including many from Finland, take part each year in the Tallinn Marathon, Half Marathon, 10 km race and walk, as well as youth and children’s races.

As a warm-up, foreign languages can increasingly be heard along the routes of the Two Bridges Run in Pärnu on 6 September and the Tartu City Marathon on 3 October, which includes 42 km, 21 km and 10 km events.

Market Buzz

Estonia’s largest autumn market takes place on 8–9 August in Võrumaa, where the Hauka Fair transforms the small town of Antsla with hundreds of traders, entertainment, and visitors.

Another spectacular event is the Paunvere Grand Fair near Jõgeva on 19 September, attracting more than a thousand vendors selling handicrafts, food, household goods and antiques.

By comparison, the Estonian Open Air Museum Autumn Fair in Tallinn on 20 September, held on Bread Day, is much smaller but offers a particularly charming atmosphere.

Village and City Life

25–26 July: Across Estonia

Open Farm Days invite visitors to explore more than 300 farms specialising in agriculture, livestock and rural tourism. Each farm offers its own programme of educational activities and entertainment for the whole family.

During Seto Kingdom Day, the region’s finest craftspeople are honoured in a wide range of competition categories.

1 August: Mikitamäe, Võrumaa

Seto Kingdom Day celebrates the traditions, culture and community of the Seto people in southeastern Estonia, while welcoming visitors to experience their music, language, cuisine and customs.

1–16 August: Tartu

The Tartu Buzz festival fills the Old Town with performances, exhibitions, flea markets, concerts, workshops and many other events. At the same time, Town Hall Square hosts the free Tartuff Love Film Festival from 8–15 August, featuring 14 open-air film screenings.

3–6 September: Narva

Station Narva combines music with urban culture, offering art-themed guided tours of Narva Venice and the historic Kreenholm textile factory, as well as a community picnic breakfast where locals share stories about their city.

Horsepower

Fans of polished classic vehicles and motorcycle culture can enjoy the Bike Fest in Narva on 18 July, the Jõgevatreff motorcycle gathering from 23–26 July, and the Valge Daami Bike Show for custom motorcycles in Haapsalu on 15 August.

Those who prefer horsepower of the four-legged variety can head to the Tallinn International Horse Show on 24 October, featuring international show jumping and dressage competitions.