Valka-Valga City Festival - Valka and Valga, June 10-14, 2026

Valka-Valga City Festival - Valka and Valga, June 10-14, 2026

The Valka-Valga City Festival in 2026 invites everyone to celebrate the friendship and shared identity of the twin towns from June 10 to 14. Festival events are spread across both sides of the border, making it possible to enjoy events in both Valka and Valga over one weekend. The program includes walks and exhibition openings, activities for children and families, a parade, a market, and evening parties. Wednesday begins with a walk in the footsteps of writers who lived in Valka, while Valga will host exhibition openings and a music school concert. The focus of Friday evening is the festive parade “Joy”, followed by a party with a DJ in the twin town center square. On the same evening in Valga, “Party Without Borders” takes place with Hunt, Nancy, and the band Smilers; admission is paid. On Saturday in Valka, visitors can spend the day at the museum, take part in workshops and motorcycle races, while in the evening the band Bruģis will perform in the twin town center, followed by a party with free admission. On Sunday, the festival concludes with sports activities and a concert by the Livonian Youth Orchestra at Valga St. John’s Church. This festival is a good reason to visit and combine culture, togetherness, and a true borderland festive atmosphere in one route.

Festival Program and Times

Wednesday, June 10

• 16:00 - Walk “In the Footsteps of Writers Who Lived in Valka”, gathering at Valka Municipality Central Library. Free admission.
• 14:00 - Opening of a solo exhibition by caricature artist Kristjan Lume, at Valga Central Library. Free admission.
• 18:00 - Opening of the city festival and artists’ works exhibition, at Valga Culture Centre.
• 19:00 - Concert by Valka and Valga music schools, at Valga Culture Centre.

Thursday, June 11

• 10:00 - Party for preschool children, at Valga Sports Hall.
• 11:00 - Creative activities for children aged 7-12, “Street Spelling”, at the Children’s Literature Department of Valka Library.
• 15:00 - Armored vehicle ride, at Valga Military Museum.
• 16:00 - Laying of flowers at the commemorative plaques of Stephen Báthory, in Valka and Valga.

Friday, June 12

• 11:00 - Creative activities for children aged 7-12, “Street Spelling”, at the Children’s Literature Department of Valka Library.
• 15:00 - SAMI Open Day, SAMI factory, Petseri 40.
• 16:00 - “A Rainbow in a Drop of Water”. Opening of an exhibition of watercolors by Latvian artists and donations by Jānis Strupulis, Honorary Citizen of Valka, at Valka Local History Museum.
• 16:00 - Mayors’ reception, Valga Culture Centre. Admission by invitation.
• 18:00 - Valka and Valga City Festival parade “Joy”, Valka and Valga. Free admission.
• 19:00 - Party with a DJ, at the Valga-Valka twin town center square. Free admission.
• 19:00 - Party Without Borders (Piirideta pidu 2026) with Hunt, Nancy, and the band Smilers, at Valga central square. Paid admission; tickets available in advance, including VIP tickets.

Saturday, June 13

• 10:00 - Visit to Valka Local History Museum, at Valka Local History Museum. Free admission.
• 11:00 - Silver Lucky Spoon celebration for children of Valka Municipality born in 2025, by Beverīnas Street 3. Free admission.
• 11:00 - Valga beach wrestling, by the Pedeli beach house. Free admission.
• 12:00 - Textile upcycling workshops for young people and adults, in the shelter at Lugaži Square. Free admission.
• 12:00 - “Golden Moped” motorcycle races, by the Valka underground bunkers. Free admission.
• 13:00 - Exhibition of old bicycles and motorcycles and bunker tour, at the Valka underground bunkers. Free admission.
• 17:00 - Livonian Fair, in Säde Park. Free admission.
• 20:00 - Neon rave, at R-12 Missile Base, Valga County. Paid admission.
• 20:00 - Festival party: concert and dance with the band Bruģis, at the Valga-Valka twin town center square. Free admission.

Sunday, June 14

• 11:00 - Valka beach volleyball tournament, at the volleyball court by VJĢ Gymnasium. Free admission.
• 11:00 - Stunt scooter competition “Valga Summer Jam 2026”, at Valga Skatepark. Free admission.
• 14:00 - Concert by the Livonian Youth Orchestra, at Valga St. John’s Church. Free admission.

Concerts and Artists

The festival’s concert atmosphere is shaped by both local cultural activities and evening parties with popular artists. On Friday, June 12, in Valga central square, “Party Without Borders” brings listeners together for a concert evening featuring Hunt, Nancy, and the band Smilers, with an additional DJ stage and children’s area planned. On Wednesday in Valga, the joint concert by Valka and Valga music schools will give the festival a heartfelt and community-minded opening sound. On Saturday evening, the twin town center square hosts a festival party with a concert and dance featuring the band Bruģis, with free admission. Sunday’s finale is marked by a special highlight: the Livonian Youth Orchestra concert at Valga St. John’s Church, offering a calmer and musically varied close to the festival.

Venues and Practical Information

Venues are located in both Valka and Valga, so it is best to plan movement between sites and choose the locations most convenient for you. In Valka, events take place by Valka Municipality Central Library, at the Children’s Literature Department of Valka Library, at Valka Local History Museum, by Beverīnas Street 3, in Lugaži Square, and by the Valka underground bunkers, while sports events are also planned by VJĢ Gymnasium. In Valga, festival events take place at Valga Central Library, Valga Culture Centre, Valga Sports Hall, Valga Military Museum, Valga Skatepark, Säde Park, and Valga St. John’s Church, while several evening events are concentrated in the Valga-Valka twin town center square and Valga central square. The parade “Joy” is scheduled for June 12 at 18:00 and takes place in both towns, so traffic and pedestrian flow in the festival center may be heavier. Many events in the program have free admission, while some evening events are paid, so if you choose paid events, it is recommended to plan ticket purchases in good time. Since the venues are in different locations, comfortable shoes will be useful, as well as extra time to move calmly between events.

Why It Is Worth Visiting

The Valka-Valga City Festival is a rare opportunity to experience the shared festive rhythm of border towns in two countries during one trip. The program combines family activities, cultural events, exhibition openings, and sports events in a balanced way, allowing everyone to find something suitable. The parade “Joy” gives the festival a sense of togetherness and creates a vivid highlight of the city celebration, while evening concerts and parties continue the festivities late into the night. The festival is also suitable for families, as the program includes a children’s party, creative activities, and competitions that can be attended free of charge. Saturday’s events offer both a traditional fair and technical and sports activities, giving the festival day an energetic character. The closing concert in the church and the beach volleyball tournament create a calmer mood for the festival finale. If you want to feel the true atmosphere of an early-summer borderland celebration, this is a suitable date to mark in your calendar and experience in person.