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This spring, Rattafest will travel through the rolling hills of Setomaa, where around every bend you can see a small lake or a picturesque village, where you can learn to dance Seto dances, listen to the captivating melodies of a leelo choir or a listen to karmoška.
15.05
21.30 Treski main stage
15.05 night concert
23.00 Treski's barn
16.05
21.30 Treski main stage
16.05 night concert
23.00 Treski's barn
17.05
14.00 Värska song stage
On the trail, we will pass through exciting discovery stops, where there will be on-site talks about the history of the stop, and in some places it is also possible to browse souvenirs and visit a café.
See who is wearing Seto tradition on the track:
Setomaa guide and tour operator, Rattafest 2026 course master
Helen is a Setomaa guide and tour operator who researches and explores Seto culture on a daily basis as part of her various jobs. Setomaa and its cultural calendar define and influence Helen's entire life. Introducing Setomaa and the Setos to the world is her job, hobby and passion. She is extremely happy and grateful that life has brought her to such an exciting place and left her there.
Helen can be heard and seen speaking on Sunday, at the Värska Holy Spring.
Historian
Küllo Arjakas works as the director of the Tallinn City Archives. His main research areas have been the political history of Estonia in the 20th century, the history of the Estonian flag and anthem, and several government agencies.
CEO of the Setomaa Union
Margus Timmo is a long-time entrepreneur with roots in Setomaa. One of the biggest challenges for him and the Setomaa Association is increasing the region's self-sufficiency and ensuring sustainability. He is also the leader of organic production and handling in Võru County.
In 2020, a goodwill agreement was signed in Võru County, the aim of which was to switch the catering of all educational institutions to at least 20% organic ingredients - this goal has been successfully achieved to date.
In addition, Margus Timmo is involved in agriculture, growing organic blackcurrants on 9 hectares, from which he mainly produces juice.
During the bike tours, he introduces participants to organic farming in Setomaa, talking about what has already been done and future plans. Among other things, he highlights that Setomaa is the Estonian municipality with the relatively largest proportion of organic farmland.
CEO of the Seto Institute, two-time Setomaa Sootska, entrepreneur
Ahto has prepared various information stands about Setomaa and the Northern Camp. He has also researched the history of the Southern and Northern Camps from various sources – local memories, historical archives. In addition, Ahto collects wonderful photographs and probably has one of the most complete in Estonia about the entire region.
Member of the Nedsaja village community and former village elder
Meel Valk works as a cooperation manager and project manager at the Võrumaa Development Centre. She leads an Estonian-Latvian cooperation project, which aims to bring the local language and culture to more educational institutions.
Ta on nelja lapse ema ning on südamega panustanud Setomaa hariduse edendamisse, et luua lastele parim võimalik õpikeskkond ja siduda nad tihedalt kohaliku kogukonna rikkustega. Kuus aastat tagasi aitas ta käivitada setokeelse õuesõppe lasteaiarühma ning kaks aastat tagasi Obinitsa kogukonnaklassi.
In addition, Meel Valk is an active bearer of Seto culture – he has been chosen as the best orator, best songwriter, best baker and best musician in the Seto Kingdom.
The Lummo Kati leelo choir is named after the famous Seto singer Lummo Kati, also known as Jekaterina Lummo, who lived in the village of Nedsäjä.
Koori liikmed tulevad kokku nii Setomaalt kui ka laiemalt Lõuna-Eestist. Neid ühendab sügav huvi seto vanema laulutraditsiooni vastu ning soov seda hoida ja edasi kanda.
The main activity of the Lummo Kati leelo choir is to study and preserve Seto leelo. To this end, they search for old recordings from the Estonian Folklore Archive of the Estonian Literary Museum and song lyrics from leelo anthologies. The choir members practice creating their own words, old tunes, and polyphony.
In collaboration with researchers from the Estonian Folklore Archive, we will consciously learn to recognize and pass on the polyphony, unique sound style, and word-creation tradition inherent in Seto leelo.
They enjoy singing most at village fairs with other leelo choirs and older female singers, because that is where they can best get the true feel of leelo and experience the joy and excitement of singing together.
Talking about Seto leelo, introducing the songs, and above all, singing themselves is their great passion and hobby – they do it with dedication and can fill hours with their songs.
Writer and board member of Obinitsa Gallery NGO, editor of the newspaper Setomaa
Kauksi Ülle is engaged in delving into history to create new plays that speak to people today. She keeps an eye on and participates in the recognition of South Estonian languages as regional languages in Estonia.
Värska Sanatooriumi mudakokk
Ahti töötab Värska Sanatooriumis mudakokana – ta tunneb hästi ravimuda omadusi ja selle kasutusala. Tema räägib meile muda kaevandamisest järvest ning muda teekonnast vannidesse. Lisaks vahvatest seikadest muda kaevandamisel ja sealsetest toredatest leidudest.
At the campground, immerse yourself in our camp program, where you can expect educational presentations on environmental topics, listen to inspiring presentations and educational talks on mental health topics, and where a public recording of Night University will also take place.
Look who's sharing wisdom at the campsite:
A zoologist and semiotician, Aleksei tells stories about animals, writes books, and keeps an eye on the welfare of animals and birds.
Maret Kesküla is a psychologist-counselor and professional trainer who, in addition to organizing trainings and refreshment trips, shares inspiration from a slow lifestyle on the AEGA ON podcast. The focus of her work is on simplifying people's daily lives and restoring energy - Maret creates spaces and conversations, where you can calmly slow down, understand your habits and find solutions that suit your rhythm. She draws inspiration from both psychological knowledge, the philosophy of a slow lifestyle, and real-life stories, sharing it directly and inclusively, so that participants find the courage and clarity to move towards a lighter, more conscious life.
Killu is a passionately curious woman, a recovering hustler, and an enthusiast for a meaningful and conscious life. Professionally, she works as a trainer, event marketer, and entrepreneur on multiple fronts.
She recently articulated her main goal: to be fully present. In her conversations, she also encourages others to be in the moment, leaving feeling one step closer to themselves.
Sander Hüdsi is a certified nutritionist and personal trainer who has also completed Precision Nutrition's Sleep, Stress, and Recovery program. He chose his education through this recognized international training.
After living in Estonia, he moved to Australia at the age of 27, where he spent nearly five years traveling and developing himself. Healthy living, nutrition, and exercise have been his passion for over a decade, and today he shares her knowledge with others, focusing on lasting habits and a balanced, sustainable lifestyle.
Helen is a sauna woman living in Võru County, whose passion is her own home sauna – Ärni smoke sauna.
Eight years ago, she left behind her life in the center of Tallinn and moved to the wilds of Võru County. The filmmaker became a sauna woman almost overnight – a journey that began as if with a rebirth in a smoke sauna.
Since then, nature spirit courses, the wisdom of medicinal plants that he acquired under Metsamoori, and divination using the shaman drum have become an integral part of his life. All of this has become a natural part of everyday life in Võru County.
Today, Helen shares her knowledge with others – several sauna ladies have been trained under her supervision and her own sauna school has also been established.
