Kuressaare’s 10th Street Festival
Text Timo Raussi Photos Visit Estonia / event organiser
Now being held for the tenth time in Saaremaa, the Kuressaare Street Festival brings music, craft and design vendors, street food, restaurant offers, and family-friendly programming to the city centre on 30–31 May. Organised largely by volunteers, the festival and the garage sale day that follows have grown over the years into one of the island’s best-known spring events, attracting visitors from mainland Estonia and beyond.
On Saturday morning, Kuressaare’s central square and the adjoining Lossi and Kauba Streets are transformed into pedestrian areas filled with stalls, cafés, and stages. Visitors can enjoy live music, dance performances, workshops, children’s programmes, and products from local entrepreneurs and artisans. The restaurant area on Lossi Street offers both Saaremaa flavours and international street food.
Nearby yards and parks are turned into themed wellbeing and activity areas. Visitors can take part in yoga and dance classes as well as free exercise sessions.
One of Saturday’s highlights at 12:00 in front of the Ferrum shopping centre is a match show, featuring “Kuressaare’s most beautiful dog” and a “child and dog” competition. The hobby horse show jumping competition held near the central square playground, open to all ages, also offers entertaining viewing. It is fair to say that hobby horsing has firmly established itself in Estonia, even though most equipment and supplies still come almost entirely via Finland.
Many programme segments of the festival day end around 16:00, but events continue on the main square and music plays well into the evening. On the main stage, the well-known folk group Kukerpillid performs at 18:00, followed by the Saaremaa-based party band RPB (Risto Paiste Bänd) at 21:30.
On Sunday, the early summer city atmosphere continues at a more relaxed pace. The day is dedicated to Kuressaare residents, who open their yards, garages, and storage spaces for a community garage sale. The yard sale day offers visitors the chance to find everything from children’s clothing and toys to vintage items, books, furniture, and even antiques at locations marked on the map. The aim of the day is to promote recycling and strengthen community ties.
In previous years, the Kuressaare Street Festival has attracted a large number of visitors from further afield, and the same is expected this year. As a result, accommodation demand in the city may be higher than usual during the event weekend.
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