Station Narva 2025 Draws Record-Breaking Attendance

The 8th edition of the music and city festival Station Narva, held in Narva from 4th-7th September last week, filled Estonia's easternmost city with music, art, community gatherings and visions of the future. Over four days, the festival achieved a record 5,314 visits.

The next Station Narva will take place from 3rd-6th September 2026 at Narva Museum and across the city. A limited number of passes for the upcoming event  are on sale at the discounted price of €39 until 15th September via shop.tmw.ee.

The festival's music programme took place on 5th and 6th September at Narva Museum in the historic Hermann Castle and Art Club Ro-Ro. Performers included beloved Estonian stars Tommy Cash, nublu and Duo Ruut, as well as British electronic music trailblazers The Orb and Tim Reaper, Danish indie pop band Efterklang and Finland's rising pop sensation OLGA. Regional talent was represented by modern metal band Pale Alison and DJ crew purpur from Narva, and alternative rock and hip-hop producer BEID from Sillamäe. The festival opened at Rugodiv Cultural Centre with a concert by vocal ensemble Estonian Voices and young singers of Rugodiv’s vocal studio Magic Land, followed by the public debate "Candidates Will Be Counted in Autumn" hosted by local initiative BAZAR.

OLGA (Foto: Egor Andreev (ig: @whitean_photo))

Efterklang & Tandemkoor (Foto: Anna Markova)

Daytime city stage performers included Efterklang with Narva Estonian House tandem choir in Narva Castle’s Western Courtyard, and Ukrainian musician Maryana Klochko at Stockholm Square, where her fellow countryman sculptor Ihor Tkatšivskõi's metal leaf work 'The Joy of Being Human' was also unveiled.

"The Station Narva Future Day discussions at the University of Tartu Narva College focused on the creative sector and celebrated the 10th anniversary of both Narva Art Residency (NART) and the British Council's 'People to People' programme in Estonia. NART, also celebrating its 10th anniversary, offered house and exhibition tours, a community party in the Kreenholm Quarter, as well as sunset tours and the season-end party for summer project 'Narva Venice Annuale' in Narva 'Venice'.

Participants in the Station Narva Youth Lab launched with support from the Just Transition Fund, actively contributed to the festival's preparation and programme, implementing their own creative initiatives from the 'Diivan' media project to creating a limited Station Narva-coloured jewellery collection and TikTok channel, as well as to the creation of Station Narva's new homepage.

The festival also featured the opening of Ida-Viru artists Eduard Zentsik and Vladimir Kopylov's exhibition 'TOTAL BLACK', a 'Like a Local' discovery trip with Narva-born superstar ALIKA, a tour discovering Narva's hidden photogenic corners with the author of Instagram account boringnarva, and Narva Museum guided excursions in Narva and Narva-Jõesuu. Narva's current status as Finno-Ugric cultural capital was celebrated with lunches of traditional Karelian, Izhorian, Votic, Livonian and Ingrian dishes at Narva House of Ingria, and a traditional Narva-style breakfast took place at non-formal education centre VitaTiim.

Foto: Maxim Yuryshev

Comments from festival partners and performers

Singer of the Danish band Efterklang Casper Clausen:
“Thank you for bringing us to Narva! What a beautiful experience it was, so strong and poetic. The flow of the river, fishermen on both sides fishing for the same fish, like a mirror image, yet in two separated worlds. This feeling will stay with me a long time… I felt that some of our songs and the messages found their home here, somehow clicking with this place in a way I have never experienced before”!

Ukrainian musician Maryana Klochko:
"Perhaps one of the most enjoyable moments at the festival was discovering music that was new to me yet so well-known and loved in Estonia. I attended other artists' concerts with eager curiosity, and hearing Efterklang live was a dream come true as I've been a huge fan since my teenage years. I was also deeply impressed by the warmth and professionalism of the festival team—everything was so carefully organised, you are truly wonderful! I won't hide that, as a Ukrainian, it was emotionally difficult to be so close to the Russian border—I wished there were an ocean between us—but the kindness and support I felt at Station Narva made me feel safe."

Singer of local band Pale Alison Evelina Koop:
"For us as artists, clarity around performances are particularly valuable, and Station Narva's organisation was one of the best we've experienced. It was very pleasant to feel attention and care in every detail. We sensed the team's incredible unity, and the whole festival felt like one big family. We're also very pleased with our performance and the warm reception by the audience. Such festivals can inspire young people, bring them together, help them find like-minded individuals, discover something completely new and certainly learn to know themselves better."

Director of Narva Museum Maria Smorževskihh-Smirnova:
"Station Narva always broadens horizons. Not only with musicians and musical experiences, but also with other meaningful cultural programmes and activities happening in various parts of the city, which introduce Narva from a completely new perspective beyond conventional frameworks. Narva enchants, captivates and makes you fall in love—some once again, others for the very first time. A special place in the festival's heart is Narva Castle, Station Narva's main stage. Only during Station Narva do visitors have the unique opportunity to wander the museum exhibitions and our premises until midnight, losing track of time. One thing is certain: Station Narva is now an inseparable part of Narva's city brand."

Director of Rugodiv Cultural Centre Sofja Homjakova:
"Rugodiv was one of Station Narva’s venues this year, hosting the festival press conference, youth lab event and opening concert with wonderful Estonian Voices and our youth collective Magic Land, for whom this was an invaluable and inspiring experience. The Rugodiv family heartily thanks Station Narva leader Helen Sildna and the entire festival team for their trust. Thanks to their work, Narva's name resonates across Estonia and beyond. For us, this wasn't simply another event in the calendar, but a clear signal to the entire city and country that we are open to new ideas, collaborations and bold formats. Together with the Station Narva team, Narva’s youth, artists and partners, we're making our city brighter, smarter and friendlier."

Editor-in-Chief of local youth magazine Narvamus Margarita Skripkina:
"Station Narva was Bomba Fantastic! It's always a joy when our region is noticed and even more joy, love and emotions are brought here. It seemed that this year it managed to engage even more diverse audiences from other corners of Estonia and abroad. The 'hidden' integration plan also worked very well. It seems that visitors saw Narva as it is for us: colourful, warm, sometimes cosy, sometimes underground. Everyone painted their own picture. As a Narva resident, I was particularly pleased to see how visitors discovered our city with great respect and genuine interest. For our Narvamus journalists the festival was an excellent opportunity to cover events, introduce artists to the audience and communicate with visitors. We also opened behind-the-scenes aspects and talked about what the real perspectives are in the creative field. I'm particularly delighted that our magazine is growing, gaining new contacts, being noticed and naturally also being read"

Director of Narva Art Residency Johanna Rannula:
"Station Narva brought summer back to the border city, and not just with fantastic weather. There was reason to celebrate and party, the mood was uplifting and activities lasted from early mornings to late nights. Narva was bigger than usual, visible further than normal! NART celebrated its 10th birthday at 'Station', which includes some of my favourite moments. We took visitors to 'Venice' and together with them gave NART's new boat, the 1967 'Kazanka', the name Vesikana (coot in English). This bird can often be encountered in Kulgu, now also as a metal vessel! Our art gallery’s Ukrainian guide ended up on our own sunset tour thanks to Refugee Assistance, which gave the opportunity for ten Ukrainian refugees to participate in the tour and thus practise their Estonian. There's probably no better way for language learning and integration than a 'Station' tour! The boringnarva city tour attracted not only visitors from elsewhere but also locals, all eager to discover their city together with an attentive photographer. It turned out they had heard of NART but had never made it there, so Maria, who led the boringnarva tour, guided another trip there. When 'Station' arrives in the city, it starts fizzing, and new connections form between locals and their own places too. This is great value!"

British Council Country Director in Estonia Ursula Roosmaa:
"I'm very pleased that the British Council has had an excellent opportunity to support the Station Narva festival for the eighth time. Station Narva has undoubtedly become the most impactful music and community festival in Ida-Viru County, being far more than simply a music event—it has become a major cultural event in Estonia's easternmost city. It's a meeting place for different cultures and languages and a platform that supports creativity and provides opportunities for the local community to participate and express themselves. The festival unites people across language and cultural boundaries, enables reflection on identity, offers self-realisation and belonging for both young and old. By supporting the festival, the British Council this year also celebrates the success of its long-term People to People engagement programme in Ida-Viru County and across Estonia."

Station Narva Youth Lab "Diivan" media project participant Mariel Mäe: "This year's Station Narva was very special for me because we carried out the 'Diivan' project as part of the Youth Lab, which turned out even cooler than I expected. Everyone wanted to take pictures on our sofa! It was great communicating with artists, festival visitors and team members and seeing their ideas come to life on our sofa too. Alongside the project, whilst also enjoying the festival, I discovered new mega good artists again (Efterklang!!!)." Anastasia Rozenfeld, co-creator of the "Diivan" project, adds: "Youth Lab is a great opportunity to try out your ideas, experiment and participate in the festival in a friendly and supportive collective. You also see how the Station Narva festival is born and feel that the project's success depends on what one contributes to it."

Leader of the Narva Estonian House Tandem Choir Pille Maffucci:
"Those songs we sang together with Efterklang crept somewhere deeper inside and are now ringing there. Such moments are unique and unforgettable. Thank you for this opportunity!"

Editor-in-Chief at regional daily Põhjarannik Erik Gamzejev:
"Station Narva festival is one of the reasons why it's interesting to live in Ida-Viru County. Station Narva is a strong magnet that also draws people from elsewhere in Estonia to Ida-Viru County and shows local life and people from a side that's impossible to perceive or feel from afar. Several artists you see and hear live for the first time at the festival take their place in your personal playlists. From this year's lineup, for example, Efterklang, Mikk Kaasik or The Orb."

Pale Alison (Foto: Juri Vsivtsev | @jvimgs)

The next Station Narva takes place from 3rd-6th September 2026. A limited number of festival passes at the discounted price of €39 (final price €69) are on sale until 15th September via shop.tmw.ee .

Station Narva 2025 festival achieved a record 5,314 visits over four days. The two-day music programme brought over 2,600 visits.

The festival was organised by MTÜ Muusikanädal and OÜ Shiftworks in cooperation with the Narva team and volunteer team. Young people from Ida-Viru, participants in the Station Narva Youth Lab, actively contributed to the event's preparation and programme.

Partners: Narva Museum, Art Club Ro-Ro, discussion day BAZAR, Narva Art Residency (NART), Piletilevi/PLG Group, Narva Hotel, Narva Estonian Gymnasium, Ida-Viru Enterprise Centre, kood/jõhvi, Ida-Viru Creative Cluster, VitaTiim, Narvamus, Virumaa Summer Sound, Trickster, Astri and Fama Centre, Narva Cultural Centre Rugodiv, Estonian Green Movement. Media partners: Põhjarannik/Severnoje Poberežje, Elu24, Bobe.me (LV).

The festival was supported by Narva City, Ministry of Culture, Integration Foundation, Republic of Estonia Government Office, Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture, Estonian Cultural Endowment, British Council and Fortaco Estonia. The Youth Lab project was co-financed by European Union structural funds from the Just Transition Fund.

Press Photos:
Best of Station Narva 2025 | All photo albums