Today marks the start of Laulupidu in Tallinn — and what a moment it is! It’s your chance to cheer on the incredible Australian Estonian choirs (Kooskõlas and Kodu Kaja) and give a heartfelt thank you (and a fond farewell) to our talented folk dancers (Virmalised and Folkroos), who wrapped up their stellar performances yesterday.
At 1pm, the streets of Tallinn will come alive with a grand parade featuring both singers and dancers — a beautiful celebration of tradition, talent and togetherness.
But why wait? Here’s a little preview of the magic to come: photos of the Melbourne Estonian choir “Kodu Kaja” in rehearsal, captured right here in Tallinn, and a recording of the hauntingly beautiful “Oh oleks minu olemine” — one of the songs they’ll perform at Laulupidu today.
Selfies at Laulupidu 2025 rehearsals, from the private collection of Hilja Toom.
The video linked below was filmed on 18 May 2025 by Anthony Noack, with filming support from Tom Conyers. Together, they run a video production company and have generously captured this special moment for all of us to enjoy.
Laulupidu 2025 by the numbers
This year’s XXVIII Song and XXI Dance Celebration, titled “Iseoma”, is one of the biggest cultural gatherings in Estonian history — and it’s only just begun.
The ceremonial flame, lit at sunrise at the Estonian National Museum in Tartu, has travelled for 18 days across all 15 counties of Estonia in a symbolic journey known as Tuletulemine. Now, over 41,000 performers have gathered in Tallinn to bring the celebration to life.
Among them are:
- 32,000 singers, including 1,500 performers from 45 international choirs
- A record-breaking 10,938 dancers, and over 500 dancers from Estonian communities abroad
- 765 folk musicians, including 88 ensembles and 65 solo players
This year also marks a historic first: all three artistic leads — for song, dance, and folk music — are women.
The numbers behind the scenes are just as staggering. Volunteers and support crews are serving up 178,000 portions of soup and slicing 205,000 pieces of bread.
And the audience? The opening concert is expected to draw around 48,000 ticketed spectators, while the final concert could welcome up to 58,000.
In total, 990 choirs and orchestras, made up of more than 31,000 singers and musicians, will take part.
The overall budget for this massive national celebration? Estimated at around six million euros, with about a third funded through ticket sales.
From 6-year-old dancers to a 93-year-old singer, Laulupidu is a living, breathing tapestry of Estonia — past, present, and future.
Read more
Interested in learning more about Laulupidu? Read about the history of Laulupidu here.
Read more about the program and everything else that will be happening at Laulupidu here.
