Paunvere Autumn Grand Fair
Text Timo Raussi Photos Visit Estonia / Palamuse Municipality
The Paunvere Grand Fair, or Suur Paunvere väljanäitus ja laat, will be held for the 27th time on Saturday, 19 September, in Palamuse, Jõgeva County. The gates are open from 10:00 to 18:00, and admission costs five euros.
The Grand Fair lives up to its name. More than 1000 stalls offer local or at least Estonian food products, organic produce, seedlings and houseplants, handicrafts, household goods and clothing. The event also features an animal exhibition, a lottery, an exhibition of retro-era agricultural machinery and plenty of activities for children.
One of the day’s attractions is the so-called Nunnunäyttely. It awards prizes to cute and original root vegetables and other vegetables that have grown into artistic shapes that do not comply with EU directives. The same exhibition tent also showcases the art of decorative fruit and vegetable carving.
The cultural programme is held at several performance venues around the fair. The main stage will feature bands including Zetod, Onud and Kaunimate Aastate Vennaskond, as well as various folk culture groups. At 14:00, violinist Tõnu Raadik and accordionist Allan Jakob will perform at Palamuse Church.
The history of the event is linked to Palamuse’s school community. Originally, the fair day was organised in the grounds of the local parish school at the initiative of its headmaster. He wanted to teach children the skills of trading and promote a sense of community in the village. The fair’s autumn timing was then, and remains today, linked to the period following the harvest season.
The fair day is also an excellent opportunity to explore Palamuse and the attractions of the surrounding Jõgeva County. The aforementioned parish school and its museum were created in the spirit of the Estonian film classic “Kevade”. Nearby, in the village of Kääpa, the Kalevipoeg Museum, dedicated to the hero of Estonia’s national epic, offers numerous activities. At the Avinurme Wood Barn, visitors can explore Estonian woodworking traditions and products. The surroundings of Põltsamaa Castle on the western edge of Jõgeva County tell the story of the region’s long history.
Palamuse is located 17 kilometres from the city of Jõgeva and 40 kilometres from Tartu. The fair takes over practically the entire town centre. Visitors can arrive by car, by a special bus service running from Jõgeva during the fair, or theoretically by train, as the nearest railway stop is at Kaarepere, 4.5 kilometres away. More information about the event is available on the fair’s English-language information page and Facebook page.
To learn more about this and similar topicsevents Fair Family Event Jõgeva Jõgeva County Kalevipoeg Museum Nunnunäyttely Paunvere Fair
