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Since 1983, Old Town Days have been using a beige-dark brown logo designed by VEEV (Tallinn Old Town Housing Exploitation Government) artist Pille Karemaa. The spiral-filled central shape of the emblem is based on a Renaissance wall anchor, the likes of which are still preserved in some of Tallinn’s architectural monuments. The wall anchor is a symbol of durability.
On July 16, 1982, the 10th anniversary of the formation of the Tallinn Old Town Housing Exploitation Government was celebrated. A concert and a parade of riding horses were organized in the Town Hall square, and a performance of the trial of Johann von Üxküll, who executed his former peasant, was held in the Town Hall in 1535. An exhibition of photographs and children’s drawings was held in the Kuldjala tower. On the same day, a conference was held in Kinomaja for officials involved in the restoration. The tradition of the Old Town Days began.
the atmosphere of the years has been treated as stagnation. Until the last third of the decade, everything happening in social life remained under the supervision of the Communist Party and state repressive bodies. In order to organize the events, countless coordinations had to be completed, and the opposition of the party nomenclature had to be overcome. Yet the organizers of the Old Town Days were able to start an event that grew in popularity year after year, with a national trend that grew in 1988 to highlight the patriotic songs of night singing parties. Old Town Days became a window through which many young and active people found an opportunity for self-expression. And although numerous soldiers of the occupation army walked the streets even during the days of the old town, the celebrants only felt a greatness comparable to jubilee song parties.
The duration of the Old Town Days and the number of events increased. Already in 1983, the celebrations lasted a whole week. More and more new venues are being used. The wall anchor finds its place on the official logo of the Old Town Days.
On July 16, 1982, the 10th anniversary of the formation of the Tallinn Old Town Housing Exploitation Government was celebrated. A concert and a parade of riding horses were organized in the Town Hall square, and a performance of the trial of Johann von Üxküll, who executed his former peasant, was held in the Town Hall in 1535. An exhibition of photographs and children’s drawings was held in the Kuldjala tower. On the same day, a conference was held in Kinomaja for officials involved in the restoration. The tradition of the Old Town Days began.
the atmosphere of the years has been treated as stagnation. Until the last third of the decade, everything happening in social life remained under the supervision of the Communist Party and state repressive bodies. In order to organize the events, countless coordinations had to be completed, and the opposition of the party nomenclature had to be overcome. Yet the organizers of the Old Town Days were able to start an event that grew in popularity year after year, with a national trend that grew in 1988 to highlight the patriotic songs of night singing parties. Old Town Days became a window through which many young and active people found an opportunity for self-expression. And although numerous soldiers of the occupation army walked the streets even during the days of the old town, the celebrants only felt a greatness comparable to jubilee song parties.
The duration of the Old Town Days and the number of events increased. Already in 1983, the celebrations lasted a whole week. More and more new venues are being used. The wall anchor finds its place on the official logo of the Old Town Days.
In 1985, an international colloquium “Problems of Protection and Modern Use of Architectural Monuments” was held as part of the Old Town Days, where Michel Parent, President of the Council for the Protection of UNESCO Monuments, and Andras Roman, a member of the Executive Committee, participated among 25 delegates from foreign countries. Old Town Days acquired an international dimension. The Niguliste church-concert hall, which received a spire, was used as a concert venue for the first time in 1984.
“Kodulinna” house and Music House were opened in Uuel street.
guest speakers from Finland, Poland, GDR, Latvia, Lithuania, Armenia and Azerbaijan took part in the days of the old town. As a sign of the increasingly critical era, a court of appeals was held on the Town Hall square, and socially critical songs were heard at the “Laulurinde” concerts on Harjumäe. In the “Aara” humor yard, jokes and jokes were told, for which a few years earlier you could have been imprisoned.
After the organization of the sixth Old Town Days, people began to talk about the need for higher quality entertainment that harmonizes with the historical background. For the first time, the press also talked about reviving the practice of electing the Maikrahv and the suitability of knight tournaments to the schedule of the Old Town Days.
By 1990, on the eve of liberation from the occupation, the days of the old town had lost their national impulse in the opinion of some commentators. Yet even the harshest critics felt that the nation deserved its own celebration.
The year 1991 brought Estonia liberation from half a century of occupation. A tricolor was hoisted on the long Hermann Tower instead of a red flag. Although the occupying forces finally left Estonia only in 1994, rapid changes took place in both the economy and the beliefs of society. Along with the development of society, the emphases and goals of the days of the old town changed, but thanks to the rules of the game established by the historical urban space, they still maintained continuity and connection with previous public celebrations.
In March 1993, the Tallinn City Council decided to divide the city into eight districts. The Old Town became part of the administration of the Central Town Government, and with that came the obligation to organize the Old Town Days.
With the fall of the Iron Curtain, the world had become more spacious, and the desire to once again declare itself a part of the European cultural space was reflected in what happened in the days of the Old Town. 1.-5. until June 1991, the Old Town Days were held under the motto “Tallinn – Nordic city”. Guests from seven foreign countries participated in the days. Urban design was dominated by runic letters and Nordic patterns. The international scientific conference “The World Perception of the Nordic Peoples” was held.
In 1993, the parrot shooting competitions were held for the first time and Maikrahv was chosen.
In the Brotherhood of Blackheads, it was customary to organize long-range hunting competitions called parrot shooting, or bird shooting. A colorful painted or silvered parrot figurine was ordered from a wood carver as a signboard. The parrot was set up in the “Papagoiaia”, where people used to shoot birds on spring Sundays from Easter to summer holidays. Mindi in a festive procession of city musicians. Steel crossbows were used for shooting. The one who knocked the bird off the base with a long shot was declared the king of archers. The competition was followed by a feast in the Pika Street guild house or the Mustpeade fraternity building.
The motto of the 2018 Old Town Days “Tallinn at the Crossroads of Europe” divided the events into Danish, German, Swedish, Slavic and Estonian days. The topics of the days were in the same chronological order as the dominant participation of the mentioned peoples in the political history of Tallinn.
During the old town days of 2018, a whole day was dedicated to the twin city of Kotka, from where a representative delegation led by the mayor Hannu Tapiola arrived for the celebrations. The ERSO concert on the Town Hall square was the unforgettable final note of the days. The topic of the scientific conference held in the town hall was “Openness or closure of cultural heritage?”.
year brought the breakthrough of various markets to the old town days. The public celebrations, which began on June 6, encompassed 19 markets selling handicrafts and art. The authors of the idea saw in them the enlivening of the gray cityscape, the critics saw the dominance of the business spirit over culture.
The main attraction of the Old Town Days in 1999 was the Eesti Kontsert tent on Vabaduse Square, where the 60th anniversary of maestro Eri Klas was celebrated with a grand opera gala. Yet the whole event showed signs of fatigue. One of the reasons was definitely the noise ban imposed at the request of the heritage conservationists and the residents of the old town, which did not allow the organization of more lively events and concerts. Old Town Days faced a serious choice. “Aut vincendum, aut moriendum – to win or to die?” asked Jüri Kuuskemaa, an art historian dressed as a medieval herald, introducing the historical town festival.
By the time of the 2000th national festival, the strange noise ban was forgotten and new sporting attractions were found. The biggest audience magnet was the mountain bike rally on the cobblestones of the old town and on the slope of Toompea, where the best riders from all over Estonia took the measure of each other. The children were thrilled by the opportunity to play football with Mart Poom, the beach volleyball courts in front of Toompea Castle offered a new experience. It seemed that the Old Town Days would overcome the crisis, because despite the windy weather, there were enough participants and visitors to all the party locations.
The increase in the pace of life, the revaluation of previous values, the new opportunities and threats that independence brought with it, were also reflected in what happened in the days of the old town. However, the attractive idea of combining tradition and modernity was preserved for the people, making the streets, courtyards and buildings of the old town come alive.
In the anxious anticipation of the approaching turn of the millennium, the days of the old town were important carriers of traditions and instillers of confidence.
The main attraction of the Old Town Days in 1999 was the Eesti Kontsert tent on Vabaduse Square, where the 60th anniversary of maestro Eri Klas was celebrated with a grand opera gala. Yet the whole event showed signs of fatigue. One of the reasons was definitely the noise ban imposed at the request of the heritage conservationists and the residents of the old town, which did not allow the organization of more lively events and concerts. Old Town Days faced a serious choice. “Aut vincendum, aut moriendum – to win or to die?” asked Jüri Kuuskemaa, an art historian dressed as a medieval herald, introducing the historical town festival.
By the time of the 2000 national festival, the strange noise ban was forgotten and new sporting attractions were found. The biggest audience magnet was the mountain bike rally on the cobblestones of the old town and on the slope of Toompea, where the best riders from all over Estonia took the measure of each other. The children were thrilled by the opportunity to play football with Mart Poom, the beach volleyball courts in front of Toompea Castle offered a new experience. It seemed that the Old Town Days would overcome the crisis, because despite the windy weather, there were enough participants and visitors to all the party locations.
The increase in the pace of life, the revaluation of previous values, the new opportunities and threats that independence brought with it, were also reflected in what happened in the days of the old town. However, the attractive idea of combining tradition and modernity was preserved for the people, making the streets, courtyards and buildings of the old town come alive.
In the anxious anticipation of the approaching turn of the millennium, the days of the old town were important carriers of traditions and instillers of confidence.
The maturation and stabilisation of society has also left its mark on the days of the old town. The preparation of the program is based on the knowledge that it is difficult to surprise Estonians with anything. Rather, the organizers of the folk festival in the old town are based on the desire to give people the opportunity to relax in the middle of summer in the city and discover new historical corners. Despite the increase in the number of entertainment events, the days of the old town, the historic parrot shooting and the selection of Maikrahvi as an annual highlight are expected.
XX old town days brought medieval carnival culture to the heart of the city. The business conference "The City in Motion" aimed at foreign investors was held. A series of big concerts took place on the town hall square.
The "Rat race", held since 2002, finds many supporters and cheerleaders with its fun organisation and humor.
In the run-up to the XXII Old Town Days, a frequently repeated question was asked again: what to do next? There are opinions in the press that the days of the old town are tired, excessively commercialised and have lost their identity. The organizers promise to add high culture events and return to the lights, but the townspeople enjoy meaningful summer days in the old town and enjoy life and the sun.
In 2004, the organizers wanted to introduce the townspeople and guests to the courtyards of the old town and the hitherto little-known sopes. Thus, there were fewer large concerts on the Town Hall square, but chamber performances and workshops and workshops were added. The attraction was the Ancient Courtyard in the Rüütli Street Archaeological Center, where you could watch a real Viking duel. In Hirvepark, an Open Space Council was organized in the high-rise buildings, where lectures were held on Eastern culture and the role of parks in urban space. The conference “Spirit and spirits in the old town” of the Restoration School of the Academy of Arts and the “Who owns the old town?” conference and forum focusing on the cooperation between the medieval Tallinn Dominican monastery of the Mauritius Institute and the University of Cologne and Paris were also held.
In 2005, the axis of the days became the night of churches and the day of museums with their concerts. Of course, there was also the traditional parrot shooting, the election of the May Countess and the office rat race. The motto “Every second is a creation” led to the choice of a higher quality concert program and a more diverse program of events. For the first time, the plan was based on the proposals received for the project competition.
At the end of the XXIV Old Town Days, preparations for the Jubilee Days began. 2.-4. in June 2006, Tallinn already woke up for the XXV Old Town Days. The tradition lives on.
The guiding principle of 2007 “Worthy citizens, worthy masters” valued people who throughout history helped to carry the cultural heritage and made the city a unique living environment. This was an important argument for awarding Tallinn the status of European Capital of Culture for 2011. This title placed a great responsibility to behave with dignity to its history and traditions. The days of the Old Town throughout the ages have carried just such values.
The XXVII Old Town Days 2.-8.06.2008 were based on the idea of crossing cultures. The geopolitical position of Tallinn has given the city a powerful historical added value of being a meeting point of different cultures. Therefore, it was called to evaluate how different people, nations and their customs make city life work.
The Green City celebration in 2009 focused on the search for harmony of body and mind in the context of urban space and tried to find an answer to the question of how to combine spiritual wealth and physical activity. The focus was on the old town surrounded by green areas, which provides a good opportunity for a refreshing vacation and active pastime.
The theme of the XXIX Old Town Days “Theatrical Old Town” was a call to playfulness and creativity. Not only professional actors and musicians were brought to the fore, but also creative lovers. The theatricality of the Old Town manifests itself in the connections with history that we feel on a daily basis against the background of magnificent medieval decorations.
The motto of the jubilee days held in 2011, “A city with an open heart”, carries the message of the openness and hospitality of the ancient Hanseatic city, it’s receptivity to good initiatives and progressive thoughts. But it also contains the recognition that the peculiarities of nature and human creation have given the old town the shape of a heart – those who have managed to catch a bird’s eye view of the old town panorama could have noticed this. (Arne Maasik’s work exhibited at the photo exhibition of the previous days showed a heart-shaped old town, and that’s where the idea for the tagline and symbolism of XXX Old Town Days came from.) The title of European Capital of Culture adds an international dimension to the Old Town Days.
A new team (Anne Velt, Katrin Valkna, Vladimir Svet) started XXXI Old Town Days in 2012. It brings a new breath and bold ideas. With the catchphrase “The courtyard gate opens”, many privately owned courtyards of the old town, normally closed doors and windows, are opened. Never-before-seen tricks are performed: Saša Pepeljaev is invited to direct the opening performance for the first time, and he makes cyclists-aerobatics ride on a rope pulled from the tower of the huge Northern and Holy Spirit Church to the tower of the town hall. A segment of the show will also be on CNN news. In cooperation with the Old Town Society, more than half a hundred old town yards will be opened and filled with music and activities. The days will end with a traditional medieval knight tournament at the Skoone stadium.
In 2013, every tower has its own story – this was the guiding principle of the Old Town Days, carried by the towers of the Old Town, both defense, wall and church towers. Concerts, exhibitions and various activities involved almost all of Tallinn’s preserved defense and church towers. Some of them are privately owned or used by tenants. With good cooperation, they were also opened to visitors. The Bremen Tower, closed to the public for a long time, was opened as an exhibition prison tower. The opening performance, Carl Orff’s powerful opera “Carmina Burana”, was brought to the stage by Eri Klas with ERSO and soloists and Fine 5 dance theater.
The Old Town Days with the motto “Living Streets” (2014), “Masters through the Centuries” (2015) and “The Changing City” (2016) followed.
In 2017, the theme was “Young Old Town”, and the special attention of the days was children’s and youth culture. There were plenty of youth concerts, performances by young artists, a youth urban space project “Designing the old town for youth” took place, and a youth forum was open in Hopner Maja, which invited us to think about today’s old town and life here through the eyes of young people.
In 2018, we celebrated the anniversary of the Republic of Estonia with the theme “One hundred steps in a century. Estonia 100”. The program, divided into five days, consisted of a hundred significant steps or undertakings that characterize different eras from 1918 to 2018. Each day was dedicated to a different period in the history of Estonia in the last century and carried a corresponding message: May 30 “Jolly national” (years 1918-1938), May 31 “Under the black shadow” (1939-1955), June 1 “Life as in the film ” (1956-1980), on June 2nd “Let’s sing!” (1981-1991) and on June 3rd “Mutlik vryadas” (1992-2018).
The year 2019 went down in history as Tallinn’s jubilee year. To mark the first mention of the city in Henrik’s Chronicle of Livonia and the significant beginning of written urban culture, the Old Town Days were dedicated to the 800-year-old city with the motto “Birth of the City”.
In 1219, according to legend, the Battle of Lindanis took place, where local Estonians fought against the Danish conquerors who had come across the sea. The legend of the flag that fell from the sky, or the Danish national flag Dannebrog, is associated with this historical event. That is why the program was largely associated with Denmark, where several performers also arrived.
At the opening ceremony, a giant Danish flag fell from the “sky”. Places associated with the beginning of the city and the Danish era were marked in the Old Town. Historical tours and excursions were popular. The traditional theatrical Maikrahvi tournament and the Old Tallinn Cup sword fighting tournament took place. For the first time, the street art program took off. The folk culture area was furnished with the traditional party Baltica. Within four days, nearly 400 events took place, and the estimated number of visitors was over 50,000.
