Instructions for a Smooth Conference
Each speaker has twenty minutes for their presentation, followed by ten minutes for discussion. Due to the tight schedule, it is very important to stay within the allotted time.
To allow the slides to be tested in advance, please upload them to Liilia by the evening before your presentation at the latest.
Alternatively, slides can be shown from Google Drive (not to any other platform). In this case, please send the link to the conference email efa.conference@folklore.ee by the evening before your presentation and ensure the file is publicly accessible.
If needed, slides can also be copied from a USB flash drive no later than the morning of the presentation
Please note that presenters will not be able to use their own laptops.
Link to the KfV jubilee session in MS Teams, Meeting ID: 320 217 045 998 484; Passcode: fZ9cz6kS
Organisational
The conference main venue is in the ELM – Estonian Literary Museum (Vanemuise 42). The plenary lecture, the KfV anniversary session, and some sessions will be held in the Main Hall of the ELM, as well as the KfV Board Meeting. Parallel sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday will be held in the Archival Library Hall (same building). Follow the yellow signs!
Registration for the conference starts on Monday, August 24, at 10:00, at the conference information desk in the Hall of the ELM. You can also pay the participation fee there, both card and cash payments are accepted.
The conference fee includes coffee breaks, conference lunches (Monday–Thursday), the mayor’s reception on Monday, a barge trip on Tuesday, and the closing banquet on Thursday; visits to the Literary Museum, the Estonian National Museum, and city tours; as well as conference materials. The Friday (28.08) excursion requires separate registration and an additional fee.
Registered conference participants will be served lunch at Restaurant Aparaat (Kastani Str. 42), about an eight-minute walk from ELM. A standard meal and a vegan option are available, according to registration details. After lunch coffee will be served at the conference venue.
See the map of conference venues!
Transport
During the conference (August 24–28), public transport in Tartu is free with your conference badge. See city bus routes and schedules.
The cheapest taxi is Bolt, prices depend on rush hours.
In Tartu, you can rent Bolt electric scooters and bikes; there is also a city electric bike-share system Tartu Smart Bike.
For walking enthusiasts: a member of the organizing team will accompany participants on walks to the conference venues.
Guided tours and events
On Monday, 24.8, the tour at the ELM (for the first group) lasts about 45 minutes. Conference participants can choose between Monday or Tuesday to join the tour. Also, please feel free to express your wishes regarding the content of the tour. Tour participants will be guided to the Mayor’s reception.
The Tartu Mayor’s reception will take place at the Town Hall (Town Hall Square 4/ Raekoja plats 4). We will depart together from the ELM at 18:15. Those arriving separately can meet us at 18:25 at the fountain in Town Hall Square.
On Tuesday, 25.8, the tour at the ELM (for the second group) lasts about 45 minutes. Tour participants will be guided from the museum to the Barge Harbour.
Lodjakoda (Barge Harbour, Ujula Str. 98) is 2.5 km from the ELM. The longer (guided) walking route through Supilinn, Tartu's historic Supilinn "Soup Town" district, starts from the Literary Museum at 18:15 and takes 45 mins. Those who prefer a shorter walk can meet at 18:30 at the fountain in Town Hall Square. A Bolt taxi ride to Lodjakoda begins at 6 euros (more during rush hours). The barge trip on Emajõgi lasts from 19:00 to 22:00. Snacks will be provided, and a bar will be open. Please note that nights in August can be chilly.
On Wednesday, 26.8, the city tour starts at 17:00 in front of the ELM. It lasts about 90 minutes and ends at the Town Hall Square.
After the tour, you can choose from a variety of restaurants in Tartu city centre for dinner (see Visit Tartu). One option is Restaurant Vilde & Vine (Vallikraavi 4), where the Gallery Hall has been reserved for conference participants wishing to have dinner (at their own expense). At 19:00, the leelo choir Kullakõsõ and other traditional singers from Tartu will join us there.
On Thursday, 27.8, the excursion begins at the Estonian National Museum at 17:30. We will start from the fountain at Town Hall Square at 16:30 (a 40-minute uphill walk). You can also take the bus with the conference organizers: bus no. 7 departs from the Raeplatsi bus stop (nearby Town Hall Square, on the riverside see the map) at 17:01, and you should get off at the ERM stop. (See the bus time-tables) Bus travel is free with a conference badge. A Bolt taxi ride to the Estonian National Museum begins at 6 euros (more during rush hours).
The closing event starts at 19:00 at the same venue.The banquet ends around 22:00.
On Friday, 28.8, the Setomaa excursion (pre-registration required) bus departs at 9:00 from the ELM. We kindly ask you to arrive 10 mins earlier. Return to Tartu is around 18:30. Coffee and a warm lunch will be provided during the excursion.
Those staying in Tartu will have the opportunity to visit Gallery Night at Aparaaditehas
For any questions, please feel free to approach the persons wearing the conference organizer badge. For urgent questions (not for WhatsApp)
Janika Oras, janika.oras@folklore.ee +372 5811 6793
Liina Saarlo, liina.saarlo@folklore.ee +372 5211 663
Mia Marta Ruus, mia.ruus@kirmus.ee +372 5303 1660
Olga Ivaškevitš (technical practicalities), olga.ivaskevits@kirmus.ee +372 5598 3381
Ideas for sightseeing, leisure, dining, and enjoyment: Visit Tartu
Map App of Tartu
The participation fee for the conference is 70€.
Reduced participation fee for undergraduates and participants without institutional or other travel funds is 50€.
We kindly ask you to select the fee applicable to your status and funds available.
The conference fee includes the conference abstract booklet, coffee breaks and lunches from Monday to Thursday, reception at Tartu Town Hall, and a barge trip on river Emajõgi with the historical barge Suur Sume, guided tours in Tartu and in the at the Estonian National Museum, and the Thursday closing banquet.
Excursion fee is 40€
Excursion to Southeast Estonia, Setomaa, local singing tradition listed in UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage, we visit heritage sites, meet traditional singers and performers, taste traditional food. Includes guided tours, coffee break and lunch.
As the end of summer is a popular time for international events here, we highly recommend that you book your transportation and accommodation as soon as possible. To help, here is a small list of options for both travel and living.
Getting to Tartu
Tartu is easily accessible by plane, train, and bus.
By Plane: There is an airport in Tartu with regular connections only to Helsinki by Finnair Finnair. The biggest nearby airports are Tallinn and Riga, with a wide range of international connections.
From Tartu Airport to the City: Tartu Airport is located only 10 kilometers from the city center. Convenient bus and taxi services are available, and there is a free parking lot at the airport. For more information, please visit the Tartu Airport website.
Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport is conveniently located near Tallinn's center, on the main route to Tartu. Some buses between Tallinn-Tartu also have a scheduled stop at the airport. However, not all buses have on-demand stops at the airport, meaning that you should make sure to choose the correct line. Information on bus lines and stops can be found HERE. The airport bus station has a self-service ticket dispenser where you can buy tickets for buses stopping at the airport on the way to Tartu. The machine accepts card payments.
You can travel from Riga to Tartu by bus (directly from the Riga International Airport or Riga coach station) or by train.
Ferry travel between Helsinki and Tallinn is also regular and easily accessible. The website https://laevapiletid.ee/ allows you to compare schedules and choose the ferry operator that best suits your timing and preferences.
By Train: Tartu is well-connected by daily trains from Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius. Service provided by Elron.
You can get to Tartu by bus from Tallinn, and via Tallinn from several European cities, see the timetables here.
Transport in TartuThe Conference venue is easily accessible by foot from the city centre, bus station, and train station. Public transport buses
Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 11, 12 go through the city centre and stop at bus stops
Riiamäe and
Pauluse, which are close to the venue. A ticket for one trip can be bought from the bus driver for 2 EUR.
You can also buy a QR ticket for the bus, which costs 1.5 EUR. The QR ticket is valid for 1 hour. Check the webpage
https://tartu.pilet.ee/buy for more details.
ACCOMMONDATION
Hotel Tartu https://www.tartuhotell.ee/en/welcome/ has offered participants of our conference friendly prices which are:
Standard Twin
One person 64,00 EUR per night
Two people 74,00 EUR per night
Superior Twin
One person 74,00 EUR per night
Two people 88,00 EUR per night
To book with the reduced prices, book on the hotel website, via email sales@tartuhotell.ee or phone +372 731 4300 using the code KfVConference2026. This code does not work when booking via third party websites like Booking.com or others.
Hotels Lydia https://lydia.ee/en/ and Dorpat https://dorpat.ee/en offer rooms at a 5% discounted rate during our conference period for participants.
To receive the discount, book directly through the hotel websites and use code KfVConference2026
[It turned out that the Dorpat hotel no longer has standard rooms available for the entire conference period. However, superior rooms are available.]
We recommend additional accommodation nearby the conference venue, where you can still check room availability:
Hektor Hostels - Hostel near Literary Museum, Riia 26
Tartu Downtown Hostel - Affordable accommodation in Tartu downtown
Looming Hostel - Eco-friendly hostel, near Literary Museum, Kastani 38
Villa Margaretha - a boutique hotel in the Art Nouveau style
There are also a number of hotels located away from the city center and the conference venue where rooms are currently available. Among them are some very affordable options. They are easily accessible by public transport.
Sophia
Tartu Vocational College hotel
Raadimõisa hotell
Additionally, there are plenty of private accommodation options in Tartu that are definitely worth checking via booking.com or Airbnb.