Gallery: Despite rain, 800 musicians perform at Folk Music Festival

Part of the program of the more widely known Song and Dance Festival is the Folk Music Festival, which this year brought together 800 musicians to perform for audiences at Tallinn's Freedom Square. The Song Festival flame likewise arrived at Freedom Square for the occasion, heralded by the bells of St. John's Church.
Despite the erratic weather conditions, which during the afternoon have seen periods of sun interspersed with downpours, a sizable crowd turned out to hear the musicians play.
Among the audience were many foreigners as well, including those who traveled to see the Song and Dance Festival as well as passersby.
One man from India, who had attended a performance of the Dance Festival, commented that he had never seen anything like it before, and that he was very moved by the powerful event. He will not be making it to the Song Festival, however, as his flight leaves on Saturday.
Some 800 musicians in 74 collectives and ensembles performed at the Folk Music Festival, playing 33 songs on a total of seven different types of instruments.
Estonia celebrating double jubilee
The XXVII Song and XX Dance Festival "My Fatherland is My Love" ("Minu Arm" in Estonian) began on Thursday, July 4 and will run through Sunday, July 7.
Click here for information regarding the schedule, tickets and more.
Don't have tickets or can't make it to Tallinn, or even Estonia? Click here for more information regarding ERR broadcasts of several performances of the Song and Dance Festival.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla