Construction of the public ice rink began Monday, marking the start of preparations for Tartu Christmas City 2026. As in previous years, festivities will officially kick off on the first Sunday of Advent.

This year, the city's official Christmas tree will arrive from the Peipsiääre Municipality village of Välgi on November 17.

Its owners, Roman Gelokhov and his family, decided to donate the nearly 15-meter-tall spruce after growing concerned that frequent strong winds in the area made its proximity to their house dangerous.

"We were worried that the tree could eventually fall on the house one day," Gelokhov said. "When the opportunity came up to give our spruce a new life as Tartu's Christmas tree, we thought it was a wonderful solution."

The family regularly spends time at Town Hall Square during the holiday season, but this year's festivities will now be especially meaningful.

"It'll be something special to see a tree that was once part of our home now decorate Tartu and bring holiday cheer to thousands of people," Gelokhov added.

More info to come

Meanwhile, work on the Christmas village pavilions and other infrastructure is scheduled to begin November 23, with cafes and skating equipment arriving afterward.

The public ice rink, built around Tartu's iconic Kissing Students statue and fountain, will be among the main attractions.

During construction, visitors are asked to take care when crossing the square, as the ice rink site is fenced off and construction equipment moves around the area.

More details and event info for the Christmas village will be published online in the coming weeks.

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