The Capital of Culture 2025 event plan
JANUARY
01.01 – 28.02 Fenno-Ugria Institution’s traveling exhibition “Waterfowl People” at Narva Estonian Gymnasium. The exhibition will be opened on February 10 at 11:25 by linguist and professor emeritus of the University of Tartu, Tõnu Seilenthal.
Contact: Margit Joonas, +372 56 28 54 27, margit.joonas@nerg.ee
18.01 Cultural Day at Ingeri House. Learning about the Votic and Izhorian folk holiday “Veerisse” and performing the ritual of expelling the spirit of frost
FEBRUARY
01.02 – 31.03 Fenno-Ugria Institution’s traveling exhibition “A Hundred Years of Ingrian Finns” at Narva Central Library. The exhibition will be opened on February 17 at 16:00 by Ingrian Finn researcher, chairman of the Estonian Academic Ingrian Society Taisto-Kalevi Raudalainen, and Narva resident Madis Tuuder, who has participated in many Finno-Ugric expeditions. Musical interludes will be performed by Ekaterina Kuznetsova, head of Narva Ingeri House.
Contact: Maritsa Ort, +372 53333552, maritsa.ort@narvalib.ee
08.02 at 12:00 Lecture “Secrets of Finno-Ugric Myths” at Narva Central Library. The creative meeting will be conducted by Ekaterina Kuznetsova, head of Narva Ingeri House.
Info: nkr@narvalib.ee
13.02 from 11:00 to 19:00 Popular science seminar “Narva – The Capital of Ingria” at the University of Tartu Narva College. Organized by the Estonian Literary Museum
22.02 Ingrian and Finno-Ugric Handicraft Event Day at Narva Ingeri House. Cultural evening at Ingeri House: Narva – Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture 2025 event program and project history
MARCH
01.03 Opening event of the Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture 2025 in Narva
01.03 Exhibition “The Holy Scriptures in Finno-Ugric Languages” at Narva Central Library.
The exhibition will be officially opened on March 3 at 12:00
02.03 at 11:00 Festive concert and religious service in Finno-Ugric languages at Narva Alexander Church
02.03 from 14:00 to 15:00 Celebration of the Votic folk holiday “Cihlagoo” and Izhorian “Liugupäevä” at Ingeri House
10.03 – 30.04 Exhibition “Written Epics of Finno-Ugric Peoples” at Kohtla-Järve School.
The exhibition will be opened on March 11 from 11:35 to 12:20 by folklorist and associate professor of Estonian and comparative folklore at the University of Tartu, Madis Arukask
15.03 Votic Cultural Day at Ingeri House
19.03 at 17:00 Fenno-Ugria Tribal Club at Narva Town Hall. Lecture on Vadja people in Ida-Virumaa by historian Vallo Reimaa
22.03 Etnofuturism Festival “Linnutee” at Narva Youth Center. Masterclasses and lectures
27.03 - 28.03 Etnofuturism Festival “Linnutee” at Narva Youth Center
29.03 Izhorian Cultural Day at Ingeri House
APRIL
05.04 Art exhibition as part of the Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture Year and the Etnofuturism Festival “Linnutee” at Jõhvi Concert Hall
11.04 – 12.04 Mikael Agricola and Finnish Language Day Conference at the University of Tartu Narva College
19.04 Ingrian and Finno-Ugric Handicraft Day at Narva and Cultural evening at Ingeri House
26.04 Sports Day in honor of Mari Sangari Day in Narva
MAY
09.05 Finno-Ugric Language Cafe Day at Europe Day in Narva College.
10.05 Culture Day at the Narva House of Ingria. We will make a Votian-Ingrian-Estonian-Russian short phrasebook and learn the basic phrases.
17.05 Museum Night at the Narva-Jõesuu Museum of Local History. An exhibition of Finno-Ugric books from the library of the Narva House of Ingria dedicated to the Year of the Book in Estonia and reading a fairy tale in the Votian language.
23.05, 16:00–19:00 Ingrian Culture Evening at Narva Ingria House. On World Treasure Hunt Day, we’ll talk about the Votic hoard found in Kingisepp. You can try traditional Vepsian, Votic and Ingrian-Finnish food and drinks.
30.05 Cultural Evening at Ingeri House. Learning about the Votic and Izhorian folk holiday “Birth of the Earth”
30.05 "Gymnast Girls" - Finnish Teatteri Takomo and Finnish Institute, Narva Cultural Centre Rugodiv. Performances at 13:00 and 19:00.
31.05 Finno-Ugric communal prayer dedicated to the Votic holiday “Birth of the Earth” in Laagna Forest.
Cultural festival “Birth of the Earth” and Udmurt gathering “Kuarsur” in Narva.
Finno-Ugric cuisine and music
JUNE
03.06 17:00 The opening of the exhibition "Anchors of Memories. Everyday Treasures of Ingria" in the Narva Central Library.
21.06 Ingrian Midsummer (Juhannus) and Ingrian Handicraft Event Day: craft workshops and cultural evening at Ingeri House.
23.06 Midsummer's Day in Ida-Viru County - Narva (sports and recreation area Äkkeküla). Midsummer’s Eve celebration at Sillamäe Cultural Center. Midsummer’s Night in Narva-Jõesuu. Midsummer Bonfire at Jõhvi City Park.
24.06 Ingrian and finno-ugric Handicraft Event Day: craft workshops and cultural evening at Ingeri House
28.06 Narva City Days, Viru-Ingrian Song Festival in Narva-Jõesuu
28.06 – 30.06 ESTO 2025 in Narva
28.06 – 29.06 Artists' Day in Narva
JULY
06.07 – 11.07 Herb Week. Masterclasses on collecting medicinal plants and preparing traditional Votic fireweed tea “Irvieinä”
12.07 Traditional Votic holiday “Pädra” at Iisaku Parish Museum.
Finno-Ugric cuisine and music
13.07 – Votic folk festival “Pädra päev” at the Ingeri House in Narva. Finno-Ugric food, music and workshops
19.07 – Narva River Day(s) at Narva Harbour. The programme includes workshops hosted by the Ingeri House
AUGUST
03.08 Votic and Komi Culture Day at the Narva House of Ingriya. Traditional Votic and Izhorian celebration "Iiliä Päivä" (Elijah’s Day), as well as Komi holidays "Muru Vahetuse Päev" (Day of Changing Grass) and "Hirvepäev" (Reindeer Day).
16.08 at 14:00 Concert by the folk ensemble “Suprjadki” and Votic folk culture keeper Jekaterina Kuznetsova at the Vendace Day celebration. Kolkja, Suur tee 25.
21.08 at 18.30 - 22.00 Presentation of the Votic Cultural Society and the program "Narva - Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture 2025" from the Narva House of Ingria at the reception held within the framework of the Congressus XIV Internationalis Fenno-Ugristarum — (CIFU XIV). Venue - Estonian National Museum, Tartu.
23.-24.08, 12.00-16.00 — Youth creative camp “The Road of Lighthouses” on the territory of Narva-Jõesuu lighthouse. Workshops from the Narva House of Ingria on printing Estonian lighthouse images and maritime/Finno-Ugric patterns on textiles and postcards.
28.08 International forum “Finno-Ugric Open Forum: A look to the future” in Narva
SEPTEMBER
01.09 – 31.10 Traveling exhibition “Sacred Natural Sites of Uralic Peoples” at Jõhvi Central Library.
The exhibition will be opened on September 4 at 17:30 by researcher of sacred sites and board member of the Hiite Maja Foundation, Ahto Kaasik
06.09 end 07.09 - 14.00 Station Narva 2025: Traditional Finno-Ugric lunch
Tickets: https://shop.tmw.ee/product/station-narva-2025-traditsiooniline-soome-ugri-louna
20.09 – 21.09 Ethnic Fair in Tallinn
27.09, 17:00 Exhibition “Narva – Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture 2025” at Stockholm Square in Narva.
28.09, 12:00–18:00 Minority Cultures Festival Creative Cauldron at Jõhvi Concert Hall
OCTOBER
05.10 Ingrian Day at the Narva House of Peoples and the House of Ingria
16.10, 2:00–6:00 PM – Fenno-Ugria Conference "Ingria – Land, People, and Culture" on the traces of Ingrian and Finnish culture in Narva and Ida-Viru County, held at Narva Town Hall. The opening will feature performances by the Narva Society of Ingrian Finns choir "Iloiset Ystävät" and the dance ensemble "Metsäkukat" of the Ida-Viru Society of Ingrian Finns. [FULL PROGRAM]
16.10.25–11.01.26 The exhibition ´Threads of Kinship´ is dedicated to fashion inspired by Finno-Ugric heritage. Narva Art Residency, Joala 18. The opening of HÕIMULÕIM exhibition held at the NART on October 16 at 17.30. Please confirm your participation by October 14 by emailing mood@artun.ee. [INFO]
16.10, 7:00 PM – Georg Buljo Duo (Norway, Sami) concert in the foyer of Narva College University of Tartu.
17.10, 12:00–16:30 Kindred Peoples’ Days literary conference “The Concept of Freedom in East-European Literatures” at UT Narva College (Raekoja plats 2). Organizer: Szilárd Tibor Tóth. Free entry. CONFERENCE
17.10, 17:00 Opening of the exhibition by linguist Tõnu Seilenthal “Mune veelinnu pesast” at Rugodiv Cultural Centre (A. Puškini 8), with the author; songs and dances by Anna Makeev and members of the Tallinn and Tartu Mari societies. Free entry. EXHIBITION
17.10, 18:00 Screening of the film “Veelinnurahvas” at Rugodiv small hall (A. Puškini 8). Free entry.
18.10, 16:00–18:30 Grand folk music concert at Rugodiv Cultural Centre (A. Puškini 8). Performers: Ošmes, Suprjadki, Dänkki Briha, Ar God, Lolav!, Anna Makeev & Co, Pántlika, Natalia Abrosimova. Free entry. CONCERT
18.10, 20:00 Finno-Ugric Beats at Ro:Ro club. Dänkki Briha (FI), Pántlika (HU, with Liszt Institute). DJs: Daysleeper, Kaspar Jassa, Janno Zõbin. Ticket €10 at the door. BEATS
19.10 Day of Prayer for Kindred Peoples. The Finno-Ugric Ecumenical Day of Prayer for Kindred Peoples will be held in Narva at 10:00 AM at the Alexander Church (Kiriku st.9).
19.10, 12.00-15.00 Day of Ingrian and Finno-Ugric cuisine and music at the Narva House of Ingria.
NOVEMBER
02.11, 13:00–17:00 Open Day of Cultural Societies 2025 at the Narva House of Ingria! [INFO]
7.11, 17:00-19:00 Introduction to the Karelian language at the House of Ingria [INFO]
8.11, 11:00-14.00, 15:00-17:00 Introduction to the Karelian language at the House of Ingria [INFO]
15.11 12:00-17:00 INTRODUCTION TO THE IZHORIAN LANGUAGE at the House of Ingria [INFO]
29.11 13.00-17.00 Introduction to the Ingrian language at the House of Ingria [INFO]
DECEMBER
06.12 15.30-19.00 “Nigulapäev” (St. Nicholas' Day). Official closing ceremony of the Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture. Celebration of the 108th anniversary of the Republic of Finland. Address: Joala tn 18, Narva Art Residency (NART) [INFO]
MORE INFO
Ekaterina Kuznetsova
Narva Ingeri House
ingerimaja@gmail.com