“Kissing Tartu”
Mass kissing and ESC songs in the cultural capital
The Austrian ESC star Conchita Wurst performs at a “Kissing Tartu” concert. photo
© Alexander Welscher/dpa
In Estonia, Tartu is also called the “city of first love”. But there was rarely so much kissing at once in Europe’s Capital of Culture 2024. At “Kissing Tartu” thousands of people smooch to Eurovision songs.
Musically accompanied by live performances of Eurovision Song Contest songs have taken place in the European Capital of Culture Tartu on Saturday evening kissed thousands of people. At the mass kissing event “Kissing Tartu”, countless people wanting to kiss pressed their lips together, hugged each other or kissed others on the cheeks at an open-air concert on the town hall square of Estonia’s second largest city. This was intended to set an example for openness, humanity and respect.
The highlight was a shared kiss to the sounds of the Estonian ESC winning song “Everybody” by Tanel Padar & Dave Benton, with which the duo won the competition in 2001 – Estonia’s first and only victory to date. The mass kissing song was sung by former Estonian Eurovision participants and the Austrian ESC star Conchita Wurst. “Thank you for allowing me to be part of Kissing Tartu,” said the drag artist, who also sang her hit “Rise Like a Phoenix” – the 2014 ESC winning song.
In addition to Wurst, 19 other performers who once represented Estonia at the European singing competition performed in Tartu. They sang their own songs and some of other artists’ songs – including “A Bit of Peace” by Nicole, with which the singer won for Germany in 1982.
“This year we are celebrating 20 years of Estonia in the EU and also that we have been taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest for 30 years,” said Mayor Urmas Klaas to the German press agency dpa in Tartu. “I still remember the first performances very well and how important it was for us back then. That was a kind of identification for Estonia – we were once again allowed to stand on the free stage of Europe as a free state with our musicians.”
The stage in Tartu was set up in front of the historic town hall around the fountain with the bronze figures of two students warmly hugging and kissing under an umbrella. The sculpture with the name “Kissing Students” is considered a landmark of the university town, which has a population of almost 100,000 – and should be an invitation to imitate. In Estonia, Tartu is also called the “city of first love”.
“Kissing Tartu” was considered one of the highlights of the European Capital of Culture year in Tartu, which has the motto “Arts of survival”. In addition to the Estonian city, the Salzkammergut and Bodø in Norway will also hold the title of European Capital of Culture in 2024.