On August 20, the Integration Foundation will host a Kogukonnapiknik (Community Picnic) in Narva to celebrate Estonia’s Restoration of Independence Day. The event will culminate in a grand joint sing-along at Joaorg. Guests at the Song Picnic will get to hear beloved songs from Ida-Virumaa's choirs and soloists, before Anne Veski takes the stage to close the evening.
The Song Picnic will begin at Joaorg at 17:00, taking the audience on a musical journey through Ida-Virumaa. Starting from Narva, the journey will move through songs and visuals to Narva-Jõesuu, Toila, Sillamäe, Jõhvi, Kohtla-Järve, and Kiviõli, before finally returning to Narva. The repertoire reflects the diverse places, generations, languages, and cultures of Ida-Virumaa.
“The idea behind the Song Picnic is to come together to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the restoration of Estonia’s independence and to remind us that our strength lies in a sense of belonging. At the same time, we want to highlight the diversity of Ida-Virumaa - introducing the people living here, local choirs, various cultures and traditions, and demonstrating how they enrich the Estonia we all share,” said Anna Farafonova, Head of the Estonian Language House at the Integration Foundation.
The Song Picnic will feature performances by the Tandem Choir of the Narva Cultural Centre Rugodiv, the Narva Music School youth mixed choir “Vaimustus”, the Narva Boys' Choir, the Narva House of Nationalities Choir, the Narva folklore ensemble “Suprjadki”, the men's choir “Kaevur”, the Lüganuse Mixed Choir, the Kirderanniku Choir, the Iisaku Mixed Choir, and the Jõhvi State High School Youth Choir. The Tallinn mixed choir “Sakala” will participate as a guest choir. Various soloists and a live band will also join the choirs. The lyrics for all songs will be displayed on a large screen, allowing the audience to sing along. The evening will conclude with a performance by Anne Veski and her band, with Anne Veski and the joint choir performing the song “Eilne päev” together.
The Song Picnic will be preceded by a discussion program titled Kogukonnahääl (Community Voice), starting at 12:00 in Rugodiv Park, which includes various discussions and workshops.
The Community Picnic is free of charge for everyone. The organizers invite people to attend with family, friends, neighbours, or colleagues. For the evening program, it is recommended to bring a picnic blanket and basket, and to dress according to the weather.
More information: https://integratsioon.ee/en/kogukonnapiknik
The event is organized by the Narva Estonian Language House of the Integration Foundation in cooperation with local communities and partners. The event is held as part of the European Social Fund project “Supporting Community Activities Promoting Integration” (Project No. 2021–2027.4.07.24-0017).
Foto: Anastassia Volkova