Last Saturday, March 19, the Tartu Youth Party, organized for the first time by the Tartu Youth Work Center, took place, with nearly 250 young people participating from both within and outside Tartu. The party, hosted by Kristjan Lüüs, an actor dearly loved by young people, was made possible thanks to the Tartu Youth Work Center and the young people of the Tartu 2024 Extended youth program.
The youth party, held in the former dental clinic and current Tartu 2024 premises, kicked off with the Estonian Deaf Youth Organisation's play "The Letter," which explored what happens when young people don't listen to their parents. Their performance was followed by a set from the Youth DJ School, with rhythms played by DJ Peeter Taimi getting many in the audience on their feet. The party atmosphere was further elevated by young and talented alternative musicians Dyvour and Mysty, whose live performance had passers-by turning their heads towards the venue – the windows of the former dental clinic vibrated so powerfully that it felt uncertain if the glass would remain intact by the end of the party. The stage program concluded with Oopus, the flagship of Estonian folktronica, who first introduced young people to their techniques and principles of music-making, and then delivered a spectacular sound and light show. It is also noteworthy that the entire stage program was translated into sign language!
In parallel with the artists' performances, young people had the opportunity to participate in various workshops. The most popular activities were the pop-up escape room and the smash room, which had seemingly endless queues. Wise and Shine biodegradable glitter added sparkle to everyone's faces, and FotoStop photo booth captured memories of the exciting evening! Participants could express their creativity in the Tartu 2024 graffiti workshop and floristry workshop. Sweet cotton candy satisfied sweet tooths, and the mocktail workshop Eufooria helped quench thirsts. Guests could take a break from the party atmosphere in the quiet room, where they could play board games with friends, and in the Tartu Youth Work Center corner, where they could make art, design shopping bags, and create badges.
At the end of the party, Margit Kink, director of the Tartu Youth Work Center, said, "It was a pleasure to see that the goal was achieved: for one evening, young people were able to forget about the crises taking place in the world, enjoy each other's company, and gain new experiences." Laura Lotta Sägi, who participates in the Tartu 2024 Extended youth program and also helped organize the party, commented that "The youth party was one of the coolest parties I've ever been to. It gave me the opportunity to do something that speaks to me. It was a great experience and will definitely remain in my memory. The whole party was like its own world, completely separate from the outside society. It was so amazing that I would like to have more and more and more events like this. This is what young people like."
The youth party was funded by the City of Tartu and supported by A. Le Coq, Brain Games, Estinvait OÜ, Kiiks ja Knihv, and Kirjastus SEIK.
Youth party on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noortepidu/
Youth party photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ERFMbX9XkyLhwEH59 & https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bKgpirHwB05E9KDy9zP8-jS9IVUfRpA-?usp=sharing
