We know Estonia
8.7.2025 | Culture

Tartu Rockfest Promises a Great Party

Text Stewart Johnson

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

Tartu Rockfest Promises a Great Party

 

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

25.3.2026 | Culture

The Cure to Perform in Tallinn’s Unibet Arena

The Cure to Perform in Tallinn’s Unibet Arena

One of the UK’s most legendary bands, The Cure, have announced an upcoming concert in Tallinn’s Unibet Arena on … Read more

24.3.2026 | Culture

Karaoke and Art in Tartu

Karaoke and Art in Tartu

Opened in early February in the former Tampere House premises in Tartu, the Ainola Centre—connecting Estonian and Finnish cultural … Read more

24.3.2026 | Culture

Easter Egg Hunt at Estonian Open Air Museum

Easter Egg Hunt at Estonian Open Air Museum

Whether you’re a churchgoing person or not, everyone enjoys a good, old-fashioned Easter egg hunt, and that’s exactly what … Read more

23.3.2026 | Culture

Exciting events in Estonia this week

Exciting events in Estonia this week

21 November 2025–28 March 2026 Dark Night of the Soul, Kuressaare The final week to see this exhibition in … Read more

22.3.2026 | Culture

Via Crucis in Musical Form

Via Crucis in Musical Form

Although Estonia is one of the least religious countries in the world—according to the 2021 census, 16.3% identified as … Read more

21.3.2026 | Culture

2026 Tallinn Open—Kristjan Palusalu Youth Wrestling Tournament

2026 Tallinn Open—Kristjan Palusalu Youth Wrestling Tournament

The 2026 Tallinn Open—Kristjan Palusalu Youth Wrestling Tournament is a large international wrestling event taking place in Tallinn from … Read more

20.3.2026 | Culture

The Many Tricks of Smugglers at the Police Museum

The Many Tricks of Smugglers at the Police Museum

It is often said that forbidden fruit is the sweetest. This saying holds true worldwide, and is especially familiar … Read more

19.3.2026 | Culture

Kumu Now Features Perhaps the Most Central 20th-Century Estonian Artist

Kumu Now Features Perhaps the Most Central 20th-Century Estonian Artist

The new exhibition at the Kumu Art Museum opens a window into the life of one of the most … Read more