Tartu Rockfest Promises a Great Party

Text Stewart Johnson

Photo EU2017EE Estonian Presidency, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

As summer finally starts to arrive in Estonia, why not enjoy it the way locals do: outside in the warm rain, and happy? Tartu Rockfest 2025 offers a full, two-day programme of Estonia’s top rock bands. And if you missed the Song and Dance Celebration, fear not! This festival takes place at the original venue for Estonia’s legendary event, Tartu’s Laululava, or Song Festival Grounds.

The six featured bands have extensive fanbases in Estonia, and lots of history. The first day will see Vaiko Eplik ja Eliit on the stage. Previous incarnations of this top Estonian act have been called Claire’s Birthday, and Ruffus. The latter represented Estonia in Eurovision 2003. Vaiko Eplik is possibly the most prolific songwriter in the country.

Lexsoul Dancemachine is the most successful funk and dance band in Estonia, and their name is not just a witty portmanteau. You’ll want to dance when they start playing. Other bands are Miljardid, who have been likened to Depeche Mode but with a much more modern style; Sõpruse Puiestee, who have headlined events around the country for a quarter of a century; Kosmikud, who represent the “sound of Estonia” from the early 2000s; and Vennaskond, whose punk music shaped the mood of the drive for re-independence in the 1980s.

Tickets for Tartu Rockfest 2025 are available here. If you’ve never been to Tartu, this is the perfect reason to visit Estonia’s university town, and the birthplace of Estonian culture.

To learn more about this and similar topics
Concert Events In Tartu Kosmikud Lexsoul Dancemachine Rockfest Sõpruse Puiestee Vaiko Eplik Vennaskond