Avakontsert / XXVIII laulupidu ''Iseoma'' / XXVIII Song Celebrations opening concert

The song festival consists of two different concerts. The opening concert, following the ceremonial lighting of the song festival flame and featuring a selection of choirs, takes place on Saturday, July 5th.

The opening concert of the Song and Dance Celebration will begin on Saturday, July 5th at 19:30 with a ceremonial lighting of the flame. On stage will be a combined choir, performing beloved traditional works such as Mihkel Lüdig’s Koit and the Estonian national anthem.

Following the opening, there will be a concert of selected choirs, largely consisting of works in dialects from the classic repertoire of Estonian choral music. Eduard Tubin, Mart Saar, Miina Härma, Ester Mägi, Peeter Süda, Veljo Tormis, Cyrillus Kreek, and Arvo Pärt are just a few of the composers whose works we will hear during the opening concert.

You can find the song festival program here: (https://2025.laulupidu.ee/laulupidu/laulupeo-repertuaar/)

On July 5th, the Song Festival Grounds will open to the public starting at 13:00 through the Mäe and Oru gates. The Sea Gate will open to the audience at 19:30.

In order to make our Song and Dance Celebration as environmentally sustainable as possible, we would appreciate it if you could follow our environmental guidelines and recommendations as you approach the event. Big changes start with small actions.

And one more thing: the concert at the Song and Dance Celebration is primarily a concert. It has been said that at the moment when the performance on stage captivates the audience, the boundary disappears, and performers and spectators become one. In order to preserve such moments, we kindly ask you to avoid moving around in the audience area during the performance. This can disturb other listeners.

The Song and Dance Celebration traditionally takes place at the Song Festival Grounds in Tallinn (https://www.lauluvaljak.ee/en). Please plan ahead and allow extra time to get there – traffic will be disrupted, and there will be many participants. If possible, come by bicycle or public transport. Parking spaces near the venue are extremely limited.

We recommend checking the organizers' announcements and guidelines for event participants on the website laulupidu.ee.

The event will be filmed, photographed, recorded, and streamed live.