The Festival of Nature also comes to Tallinn, Võru, Räpina and Lake Võrtsjärv

The Nature Festival is a nationwide celebration of nature. In addition to Tartu, the events of the Nature Festival will also reach Tallinn, Võru, Räpina and Lake Võrtsjärv, as well as the nature observation marathon sites across Estonia. 

This year's festival will focus on both public and private gardens and the treasures they hold, especially natural biodiversity. The Nature Festival invites you to relax, enjoy the garden, and move and listen - the festival is dedicated to the 220th anniversary of the University of Tartu Botanical Garden, Estonia's oldest and most species-rich garden. 

Over 60 events are planned. In addition to the events in Tartu, the Nature Festival will also travel to other parts of Estonia - to Tallinn, Võru, Räpina and Lake Võrtsjärvi, and the nature marathon sites will be located in several places across Estonia - Pärnumaa, Läänemaa, Harjumaa, Lääne and Ida-Viru County, Jõgeva County, Valga and Võru County. 

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"The programme is very diverse, and there are events for everyone close to home. We've marked the locations of the festival events in the map application - the map is full of information and events, which shows that we cover the whole of Estonia with our festival," said Kaarin Hein, Project Manager of the Nature Festival. "The map can be found on the Nature Festival website," she added. "Also, if you have a permanent internet connection,  you can take part in the Zoom lecture by Riina Kaasik, lecturer at the Estonian University of Life Sciences, where Kaasik will introduce the insects that live in the garden." 

Nature Festival events in Tallinn are mainly held in the Botanical Gardens and the Zoo, and the Nature Marathon sites are in Kadriorg Park and Muuga. "Urmas Laansoo will introduce the biodiversity of the Tallinn Botanical Garden, and the festival's two biggest parties will be held at the Tallinn Zoo and the Aparaaditehas in Tartu, with activities for the whole family," Hein said. 

"Võru is a newcomer to the Loodusfestival programme - led by local people, Võru's local biodiversity will be introduced on an excursion led by Kadri Paulus, a geography teacher at the Kreutzwald School in Võru," Hein said. "The garden of the Räpina Horticultural School is also an exceptional venue for exciting events - it's worth taking part in the edible weeds workshop led by Toivo Niiberg or the floristics workshop led by Pille Petersen, a teacher at the horticultural school." 

The Nature Festival will also reach the village of Vehendi on the shores of Lake Võrtsjärv, where you can learn about Estonian fish at the Lake Museum. "It's a great opportunity to see up close the dozens of different species of Estonian fish," Hein said. "The workshop will discuss the lake as an ecosystem and the factors affecting its biodiversity." 

The festival's principal organiser is the University of Tartu Natural History Museum and Botanical Garden, and the events are organised by partners all over Estonia. The Nature Festival has been organised since 2015. Initially focused on Tartu, the programme have developed into a nationwide festival within a few years. The Nature Festival is part of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 programme. The Environmental Investment Centre and Tartu 2024 support it. 

The organiser may take pictures, videos and audio recordings of the event, share them with participants and public media, and use them to market similar events.