Posted by Garrott Kuzzy, Lumi Experiences on Jul 3rd 2025
Voices of Freedom: Estonia’s Song Festival and Reflections on Independence
As many Americans celebrate Independence Day with fireworks, parades and barbecues, another celebration of freedom is about to take place—one rooted in song, community, and national pride. This weekend, Estonia hosts its legendary Song Festival, an important cultural gathering that only occurs once every five years.
While July 4th marks the birth of the United States through revolution, Estonia’s story of independence took a different path. Many Estonians alive today vividly remember peacefully regaining their independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The Singing Revolution, as it came to be known, saw hundreds of thousands of Estonians gathering in public spaces—often at the Song Festival Grounds in Tallinn—to sing traditional songs that had long been banned under Soviet rule. For Estonia, freedom was found not through force, but through harmony.
That spirit lives on in this weekend’s Song Festival, a monumental event that brings together 30,000 singers and 12,000 dancers from across the country. Participants spend months rehearsing with local singing and folk dance clubs. Much like the Olympic Games, singing groups then perform at regional qualification events each March to earn their place on the national stage. The Estonian Song Festival is a rare and deeply meaningful event that unites a nation around shared values, heritage, and pride.
The festivities begin this Saturday with a joyful and symbolic march from the heart of Tallinn to the Song Festival Grounds, where performers, dressed in regional folk costumes, walk together in an Opening Ceremony of sorts, to the site that holds such powerful historical significance. The main event takes place this Sunday, when tens of thousands of voices blend into a chorus that fills the open-air amphitheater with songs of hope, resilience and freedom.
Many Lumi guests got to experience this sacred space during their visit to Tallinn last February, stopping by the Song Festival Grounds as part of Lumi’s Finland & Estonia trip. And just a month later, the very same grounds hosted the FIS Cross Country Ski World Cup, where Lumi-sponsored athlete Julia Kern claimed a spot on the podium in the Skate Sprint—congrats, Julia!
Whether you're inspired by the harmonies of Estonian choirs or the feats of Olympic athletes, Lumi has adventures designed for you. There are still a few spots left on Lumi’s 2026 Finland & Estonia trip, where you'll have the chance to explore Tallinn and visit the iconic festival grounds in person. Prefer the thrill of the Olympic Games? Join us this February for Lumi’s Opening or Closing Week Olympic Games Trips in Italy (the middle week trip is already SOLD OUT) and cheer on your favorite U.S. athletes as they chase gold.
Wherever you find yourself this weekend—whether waving a flag or singing a song (or both!)—we hope you’ll take a moment to celebrate the power of freedom, community and the traditions that bring us together.
See you on the trail,
Garrott Kuzzy
Founder, Lumi Experiences
