{"id":152799,"date":"2025-11-14T01:33:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T23:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/balticguide.ee\/?p=152799"},"modified":"2025-11-09T14:42:50","modified_gmt":"2025-11-09T12:42:50","slug":"st-martins-fair-estophiles-and-festivals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/balticguide.ee\/en\/st-martins-fair-estophiles-and-festivals\/","title":{"rendered":"St Martin\u2019s Fair: Estophiles and Festivals"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

 <\/p>\n

The Tuglas Society\u2019s St Martin\u2019s Fair has grown from a small Estophile meeting in the 1980s into Finland\u2019s largest Estonia-themed cultural festival. The first market was held in 1983 on the premises of the Finnish Literature Society. There were a few sales tables and a caf\u00e9. Long-time event activist and non-fiction author Tapio M\u00e4kel\u00e4inen<\/b> recalls how the cultural event began to expand gradually. He has taken part in every St Martin’s Fair organised by the Tuglas Society.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the early years, visitors were mainly Finnish Estophiles and friends of Estonia. Performers included, for example, Lasse Liemola<\/b>, whose wife is from Setomaa, as well as M.A. Numminen<\/b> and Pedro Hietanen<\/b>. At that time, guests from Estonia could not yet be invited. Only towards the end of the 1980s did the situation begin to change,\u201d M\u00e4kel\u00e4inen recalls.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The children\u2019s choir of the Helsingi-Eesti Laulustuudio.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Discover handicraft treasures at the St Martin’s Fair stallholders\u2019 tables.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n

Although the event has become commercialised and now attracts more than ten thousand visitors, M\u00e4kel\u00e4inen believes it has succeeded in preserving something of its original spirit: \u201cPeople come to the St Martin’s Fair to enjoy themselves for several hours and to meet old acquaintances.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today, choirs and folk-dance groups from Finnish Estonian communities participate, joined by Estonian authors and cultural guests, artists, and Estonian entrepreneurs presenting their products and services.<\/p>\n

The Director of the Tuglas Society, Jaana Vasama<\/b>, describes the cultural festival\u2019s decades-long growth as so extensive that preparations begin in January. Its expansion has required a new approach to organisation. Sandwiches are no longer prepared for performers by volunteers, nor are guests hosted in private homes as before. However, the event still relies strongly on collaboration and collective effort.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Literature is strongly represented at the St Martin’s Fair.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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This year visitors can join in constructing a giant himmeli, to be donated to Kaapelitehdas as a Christmas decoration after the event.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately, resources have decreased significantly. Within two years, the Tuglas Society has faced cuts amounting to \u20ac115,000, and we have only three full-time employees. This year we are testing a voluntary entrance fee. If every visitor donated even one euro, the festival\u2019s future would look much brighter,\u201d Vasama says.<\/p>\n

In addition to cultural programming, food, handicrafts and travel tips, encounters are also central: \u201cFinns are genuinely interested in Estonian culture.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The programme includes folk-dance performances alongside cultural guests, music and market activities.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n

CULTURAL PROGRAMME OF THE<\/h2>\n

ST MARTIN\u2019S FAIR\u2014KOIDULA HALL<\/h2>\n

www.martinmarkkinat.fi<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

SATURDAY 15 NOVEMBER<\/strong><\/p>\n

10:15 Opening of the cultural festival. Jaana Vasama, Director of the Tuglas Society, and Urmas Veersalu (Eesti Rookoondis), creator of the world\u2019s largest crown himmeli<\/p>\n

10:30 Kantele player Eva V\u00e4ljaots<\/p>\n

11:00 Children\u2019s theatre R\u00f5\u00f5mulill. Estonian-language Martinmas play \u201cMart l\u00e4heb katri ja Kadri l\u00e4heb marti\u201d<\/p>\n

11:30 Estonian Ambassador Janne J\u00f5esaar-Ruusalu. Interviewed by Marjo N\u00e4kki<\/p>\n

12:00 Competitive dancers from Dance Sport Club Lumets<\/p>\n

12:30 Maimu Berg at 80. Short story collection \u201cStalin Tallinnassa\u201d (Finnish translation by Heidi Iivari). Interviewed by Sirpa K\u00e4hk\u00f6nen<\/p>\n

13:00 Mixed choir Siller of Finnish Estonians<\/p>\n

13:30 Current affairs from Estonia. Helsingin Sanomat<\/i> Finland\u2013Estonia correspondent Kaja Kunnas and journalist Marjo N\u00e4kki<\/p>\n

14:00 Tallinn Trumpet Ensemble<\/p>\n

14:30 Juhani Salokannel and Sirpa K\u00e4hk\u00f6nen discuss A.H. Tammsaare\u2019s works and the latest Finnish translation \u201cHornanper\u00e4n uusi paholainen\u201d<\/p>\n

15:00 Finnish\u2013Estonian dance group \u00dclelahedad<\/p>\n

15:30 40 years of the St Martin’s Fair. Reflections and future visions with Tapio M\u00e4kel\u00e4inen, Director Jaana Vasama, and Chair of the Tuglas Society Satu Gr\u00fcnthal<\/p>\n

16:00 Tallinn Trumpet Ensemble<\/p>\n

16:30 Carolina Pihelgas: Rajalinja (Finnish trans. Anniina Ljokkoi). Interviewed by Ella Kanninen<\/p>\n

17:00 That Band from Finland\u2014communal singing<\/p>\n

18:00 End of the first festival day<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

SUNDAY 16 NOVEMBER<\/strong><\/p>\n

10:15 Helsinki Estonian Music Studio<\/p>\n

11:00 Children\u2019s theatre R\u00f5\u00f5mulill. Estonian-language Martinmas play<\/p>\n

11:30 Authors K\u00e4tlin Vainola (Toivon puu, trans. Hannu Oittinen), Mika Ker\u00e4nen (Karmea koiravarkaus, trans. Kaisu Lahikainen) and translator Katariina Suurpalo discuss new Finnish translations of Estonian children\u2019s literature<\/p>\n

12:00 Allan and Lukas Vainola perform<\/p>\n

12:30 Challenges and opportunities in tourism on the Finnish\u2013Estonian eastern border. Discussion with Mikko Virta (Ida-Viru County), Mikko Kiirikki (Kotka\u2013Hamina) and Heikki Nenonen<\/p>\n

13:00 Helsinki Estonian Women\u2019s Choir<\/p>\n

13:30 Historians Helena Sepp and Heikki Rausmaa discuss Mart Laar\u2019s Mets\u00e4veljist\u00e4 (Finnish trans. Petteri Aarnos) and the Estonian Forest Brothers<\/p>\n

14:00 Heidi Iivari\u2019s bilingual poetry programme \u201cGreetings from Tartu!\u201d<\/p>\n

14:30 Estonian design discussed by Tero Leponiemi (LAB Institute of Design) and Ruth Melioranski (Estonian Academy of Arts)<\/p>\n

15:00 Allan and Lukas Vainola perform<\/p>\n

15:30 Joonas Sildre\u2019s graphic novel \u201cKahden s\u00e4velen v\u00e4liss\u00e4\u201d (Finnish trans. Kaisu Lahikainen) about Arvo P\u00e4rt. Interviewed by Risto Nordell<\/p>\n

16:00 Finnish\u2013Estonian dance groups Helsingi Helmed and Lahepere\u2014joint dancing<\/p>\n

16:30 Himmeli handover to Kaapelitehdas<\/p>\n

17:00 Festival closes<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Window Into Estonia for 40 Years!<\/b><\/h2>\n

Founded in 1982, the Tuglas Society is Finland\u2019s oldest and largest Estonia association. It has played a central role in promoting Estonian culture, language and society in Finland.<\/p>\n

The Society organises cultural events, exhibitions and trips, and publishes the cultural magazine Elo<\/i>. Elo<\/i> presents Finnish and Estonian people, phenomena, literature and art that enrich cultural exchange between the two countries.<\/p>\n

Although based in Helsinki, the Tuglas Society has members and events across Finland, currently numbering around 2800. For anyone interested in Estonia\u2014be it the language, arts or travel\u2014the Society is the ideal starting point.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor 40 years, the cornerstones of the Tuglas Society have been language courses, cultural trips and our quarterly magazine Elo<\/i>. The Society offers in-depth knowledge of Estonia and connections to all sectors of Estonian cultural life,\u201d says Director Jaana Vasama<\/b>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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