TALLINN - This June, the tiny town of Haapsalu will be one of the most happening places in Estonia as it celebrates its 725th anniversary.
The celebrations will kick off on June 18 with a concert at the famous beach promenade hall at 7 p.m. The afterparty will take place at the Haapsalu railway station where Estonian rock bands will be serving up a voluble dose of free entertainment in this rather unlikely setting. Still, you can always jump on a train if you don't like it.
On June 19 be in the town center to catch the colorful costume march to Bishop's Castle. Two hours later an Estonian-Finnish symphony orchestra will be playing a selection of tunes there ranging from the Middle Ages to Soviet times.
Local bakers have also promised to have a 725-meter-long pie ready for the end of the festival on June 20. It will be interesting to see what they fill it with. A few pigs perhaps? Or something a little more special.
Apart from being a friendly and clean town with an interesting history and a popular spa center, Haapsalu usually hosts a number of summer festivals every year.
The most famous of these is the White Lady festival based on a legend that makes the town a major tourist draw for Estonians.
Legend says that the ghost of a young lady, who was buried alive inside a wall in the Middle Ages for having an affair with a priest, appears in the castle once a year on an August night.
Whether or not anyone has ever seen her remains to be told, but it's more than likely that a few inebriated tourists have suffered from some unexplained visions over the years. o
Haapsalu 725 festival
June 18 - June 20
A festival pass costs 25 euros (or 20 euros if you
buy it before June 15)
Discount tickets for students and pensioners:
10 euros to 12 euros.
Visit www.haapsalu.ee
for more info
