The Tallinn Fringe Festival is a large celebration of the arts every August and September in Tallinn, Estonia. The festival comprises a variety of theatre, burlesque, comedy, and music performances from both local and international artists.
A fringe festival supports emerging and established artists as the curation process is between the venue and the performer. The festival itself does not choose who features in the programme. The shows are diverse regarding the type of art they showcase, from theatre, dance, music, circus, spoken word, visual art, comedy and multi-genre mixes.
This eclectic event showcases some of the most cutting-edge and innovative performances around. A fringe festival is an experience far outside the mainstream.
Australian Samora Squid – a world-class sword-swallower – performs at this year's festival in Tallinn.
Photo by: Anton Serdjukov
Seven reasons why you should attend Tallinn Fringe Festival:
1. Unique festive atmosphere
Summer in Estonia is already a lively time to visit Tallinn, and Fringe adds to the fun. Fringe fills multiple venues throughout the city with more than 40 artists who will create a unique, playful, and festive atmosphere in the city. Plus, street performers will fill the Fringe Street programme at the Town Hall Square on August 18-20.
2. World-class performers worldwide
The Fringe programme has more than 200 shows from 20 countries and counting – Australian sword-swallowing side-show freak Samora Squid; fire rope skipping, jazz hula hooper Marianne Vaalimaa from Finland; Gaulier-trained clown Oli Weatherly from the UK, and many more. Some of the best performers in the world are coming to show off their skills in Estonia!
3. A chance to discover Tallinn
Several venues are hosting Tallinn Fringe Festival shows around the city, allowing you to explore the hidden, coolest cultural hotspots in Estonia's capital city. Street performances will take place in Tallinn's Town Hall Square, smack dab in the middle of the city's marvelous medieval Old Town. Then check out the city's hippest neighborhoods — Kalamaja is where you'll find Heldeke! and Uus Laine, Telliskivi hosts Möku and follow the tramline up Kopli to Põhjala Tehas, Tallinn's newest artsy area.
4. One of the most diverse programmes in Tallinn
Tallinn Fringe Festival will have something for everyone. With more than 200 shows in the programme, you can choose between theatre, burlesque, comedy, music performances, feminist stand-up, magic, poetry, dance and much more! It's one of Estonia's largest festivals.
Cultural bar Heldeke will host many artists, including burlesque, comedy, sword swallowing and much more...
Photo by: Tallinn Fringe Festival
5. Affordable ticket prices
Performers showcase their shows in different stages of their careers, and many shows are "Pay What You Want," meaning there is no pre-sale ticket. You can turn up, watch the show, and then pay what you want at the end, which makes shows accessible for all budgets and demographics. To get the best deals for ticketed performances, buy your tickets early, as there are usually early-bird discount rates for shows, too.
6. Meet new people
The Tallinn Fringe Festival is an excellent opportunity to meet new people from all over the world. Take advantage of the social opportunities at the festival, as visitors from Sweden, Finland, and the Baltics are going to Tallinn to see the shows.
7. It's fun!
Experience various shows and activities, enjoy yourself, and have a great time!
A tip from the organizers
Be sure to know what shows are happening and when. Most shows are top-rated and tend to sell out quickly. So, booking tickets in advance is best if you have your heart set on seeing a particular show. You can usually buy tickets at the website or by visiting the venue.
The Tallinn Fringe website has an up-to-date list of all the shows during the festival.
