Melbourne’s Baltic Festival returns on Sunday, 18 October 2026, bringing music, dance and four communities together at the Latvian House in Elwood. This year, we’re heading into the forest!
Last year’s festival at Melbourne Estonian House was a full-house affair, with singing, dancing, laughter and possibly a few floorboards coming loose. After several quieter years of predominantly choir performances and speeches, the return of folk dancing certainly shook things up. This year, our Latvian friends are hosting, and judging by what we’ve heard, nobody is planning to sit quietly in a corner.
Into the forest we go
The theme for this year’s concert is “Into the Forest”, bringing together singers, musicians and folk dancers from the Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian and Finnish communities. It’s a wonderful tradition, with our communities taking turns hosting and sharing the stage, each bringing their own music, dances and occasional surprises. Latvian choirs Daina and Veseris and dance groups Piektais Ritenis and Ritenītis are among the performers, alongside groups representing the other communities. We don’t know everything they’ve planned, but some interesting rumours have reached our editorial desk.
For starters, reliable sources have whispered that Melbourne’s Estonian choir Kodu Kaja may be adding a few dance moves to their beautiful singing. A choir that sings and dances? We’re impressed, and perhaps just a little concerned about the competitive pressure this puts on the Estonian folk dance group Eiderattad.
We hear Eiderattad also have been busy learning new dances, including one inspired by something Estonians consider practically essential to civilisation. Here’s a riddle: what might you find beside a pond in the forest (sauna taga, tiigi ääres), involves considerable heat and makes an Estonian ridiculously happy? … Yes, a sauna! Apparently, we’re taking our sauna enthusiasm onto the dance floor this year. Don’t question it — just enjoy the dancing.
And there’s more. At some point during the performance, the Eiderattad men will be ditching the ladies altogether for a dance of their own. Whether the ladies are relieved or offended remains to be seen, but we suspect the men will put on a performance everyone will thoroughly enjoy.
Of course, we also look forward to hearing our Lithuanian friends, The Lost Clog, whose lively mix of traditional, modern and creatively reimagined folk songs is always a treat. They have a wonderful knack for making familiar tunes sound delightfully unexpected and fun. A Baltic Festival without a little musical mischief simply wouldn’t be the same.
A market, a concert and four communities
The festivities begin at 11.00 am with the Baltic Festival Market, where entry is free. The market is a lovely opportunity to browse the stalls, catch up with friends and enjoy the atmosphere before the concert begins. If last year’s gathering is anything to go by, allow plenty of time for conversations with people you haven’t seen in ages.
The “Into the Forest” Song & Dance Concert begins at 1.30 pm in the Large Hall, with tickets required for entry. Melbourne Latvian House, tucked away in the lovely suburb of Elwood, will be our meeting place this year. Market stall bookings are also open for anyone interested in joining the festivities as a vendor.
Last October, Melbourne Estonian House was bursting at the seams, with an audience that cheered, whistled and applauded as dancers from four communities took to the stage. The performances were so energetic that one anonymous Estonian dancer nearly lost her belt halfway through a dance. Apparently, safety pins are as essential to folk dancing as remembering the steps — something nobody had thought to tell me (sorry, her) beforehand. Fortunately, the belt stayed on, and we’re pleased to report that the skirt was never in danger (phew!).
We’re looking forward to seeing what our Latvian hosts and all the performers have dreamed up this time. Bring your friends, bring your family and good dancing shoes — even if you only intend to tap them from the audience. And if you hear a suspicious creaking sound during the concert, don’t worry. It’s probably just the floorboards remembering last year.
Event information
📅 Date: Sunday, 18 October 2026
📍 Location: Melbourne Latvian House, 3 Dickens Street, Elwood VIC 3184
Baltic Festival Market
Time: 11.00 am
Entry: Free
Market stall bookings: TryBooking
“Into the Forest” Song & Dance Concert
Time: 1.30 pm
Location: Large Hall
Entry: Ticket required
Tickets: Book via TryBooking
Read more
Melbourne Estonian Society — Facebook | Instagram
Melbourne Latvian House — Facebook | Baltic Festival information
Baltic Festival lifts hearts (and maybe a few floorboards) in Melbourne | HEIA
Baltic Festival Melbourne 2025: A Spring Fling to sing, dance and tell friends about | HEIA
