Downsview Park (kell 10)
Centennial Park (kell 10)
Ashbridge’s Bay (kell 9:30)
Stan Wadlow Park(kell 10:15)
Mel Lastman Square (kell 10:15)
Pekka Erelti jutus loeme, et "pärast Vabadussõja võitu püstitati ajaloolase Mati Straussi andmetel Eestis kokku 170 Vabadussõjaga seonduvat mälestusmärki. Neist elas okupatsiooni terviklikuna üle vaid 8 ja rikutuna 13 mälestusmärki.
Jāņi is a festival held in the night from 23 June to 24 June to celebrate the summer solstice the shortest night and longest day of the year. The day of Līgo (23 June) and the day of Jāņi (24 June) are public holidays and people usually spend them in the countryside. The festival's eve Jāņu vakars is held in the evening of 23 June and goes on all through the night Jāņu nakts, where people Līgo (sway) into the following day.
The origins of the English word allegiance are interesting:
Allegiance comes from two words, Latin “ad” which means “to”, “toward”, “at”. The French word liege is derived from the Latin LIGARE from ligo which means “to bind”, so liege was to bind a relationship of a vassal to his feudal lord.
“Liege” has many different applications. Here the root or suffix can come from the writing or decree from a leige lord – a king or lord of a city to which one would pledge his allegiance. As the prefix “al” means “to” suffix “legiance” as in pledging allegiance to something or someone is the pawning. The root suffix liege is again found in such words as religion, or reliege or to be attorned so as to transfer one homage or so as to continue as a new land lords tenant. To attorn is almost like a lien – to transfer the tenant on a property from one land lord to another land lord, the tenant stays on the property. This is all feudal law. The allegiance from someone or something is to transfer this allegiance or to be attorned.
Jaanipäev was celebrated long before the arrival of Christianity in Estonia, although the day was given its name by the crusaders. The arrival of Christianity, however, did not end pagan beliefs and fertility rituals surrounding this holiday. In 1578, with some disgust, Balthasar Russow wrote in his Livonian Chronicle about Estonians who placed more importance on the festival than going to church. He complained about those who went to church, but did not enter, and instead spent their time lighting bonfires, drinking, dancing, singing and following pagan rituals.
For Estonians, Jaanipäev celebrations were merged with the celebration of Võidupüha (Victory Day) during the War of Independence when Estonian forces defeated the German troops on 23 June 1919. After this battle against Estonia's traditional oppressors, Jaaniõhtu and the lighting of the traditional bonfires became linked with the ideals of independence and freedom.
Joninės in Lithuania
Saint Jonas' Festival or Rasos (Dew Holiday), is a folk festival celebrated on June 24 all around Lithuania.
Rasos can refer to:
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The traditions include singing and dancing until the sun sets, telling tales, searching to find the magic fern blossom at midnight, jumping over bonfires, greeting the rising midsummer sun and washing the face with a morning dew, young girls float flower wreaths on the water of river or lake. These are customs brought from pagan cultures and beliefs. The latter Christian tradition is based on the reverence of Saint John. Lithuanians with the names Jonas, Jonė, Janina receive many greetings from their family, relatives and friends.


If you are in Estonia next week, why not try this sauna in Soomaa?
Another suspension bridge in Estonia also has an interesting story. It was commissioned by the von Mensenkampf family in 1879 to provide a scenic route across the Tarvastu River to the family chapel in the manor park (postcard info here).The Tarvastu estate is located near the Tarvastu river, halfway between Viljandi and Võrtsjärv, and was owned by this family from 1820s until 1919.
The iron portals and rails were built built in Riga, Latvia, by Felser & Company and were given as a gift by the family to the city of Viljandi in 1929. However, the bridge was not installed until 1931, as it had to be disassembled first and brought by truck from Tarvastu to Viljandi, which was very expensive and time consuming, as described in this article by Postimees from October 21, 1930.
The familiar red and white posts of the Viljandi suspension bridge are now a landmark, along with the castle ruins and historic city centre. Visitors use it to cross the 13 metre deep valley below from the castle to the park.Miks suurlinn

Kindlasti esimene põhjus oli, et sealset eesti ühiskonda külastada. Kunagi aastaid tagasi tehtud koolireisil ei jõutud Chicago Eesti Majja.Koolinoorte kaunid lauluhääled ja hingeminevad laulud täitsid Chicago Eesti Maja saali, kus enne oli pakutud eestilikku maitsvat kolmekäigulist lõunat. Me ei ole kiitustega kitsid, sest meid toitlustati ja võeti ülitoredasti vastu. Lennaku tänud esimees Mehis Vahtrale ja teistele tublidele Eesti Maja töötajaile! Meil oli tore retk Chicago Eesti Maja ümbruses ja muidugi maja sees, kus on isegi saun, millega Toronto Eesti Maja küll uhkustada ei saa.
Toronto laulukoori dirigent Reet Lindau-Voksepp kutsus koori toetama klaverimänguga torontolase Charles Kipperi, kes ka parasjagu viibis Chicagos. Minikontsert eesti lauludest oli tänutäheks võõrustajaile. Koorilaul kõlas väga kaunilt. Aitäh, Reet ja Charles!Toronto Eesti koolinoored tänavad ka maailma näinud arhitekt Martin Vahtrat. Ta tutvustas linna ja arhitektuuri bussiaknast vaadatuna, viis meid peale Willis Toweri külastust all-linna ka natukene jalutama. Huvitav oli temaga vestelda õhtusel pidulikul koosviibimisel, kuhu ta oli saabunud koos abikaasa Lorraine’iga.
Meie seltskond oli selleks ajaks isegi suurenenud, sest Chicago Eesti Maja külastuse ajal kohtuti sõpradega, kellega on oldud Jõekääru suvekodus ja 2009.a laulupeol
Eestis. Anu Pirn, kes elas varem Torontos, tuli nüüd laulu kuulama ja kohtuma Bostonist. Silvi Pirn-Vahtra ja ta lapsed nautisid eesti sõprade seltsi nii restoranis kui Chicago Eesti Maja tutvustades.
Bussireisija Torontost Eda Oja jutt ja pildid

Anu Lamp is a well known actor who provided voices for many children's animated films such as Ladybird's Christmas and Lotte from Gadgetville. She also wrote a play with her senior theatre students using the texts of Johannes Aavik. „Keeleuuenduse lõpmatu kurv“ (The Infinite Potential of Language Innovation), was published and produced in 2006. It is sadly out of print but a great find if you come across it.
Kui noor Kaelvipoeg oli suuremaks sirgunud, ta oli nii tugev et rebis puud juurtega maast välja ja viskas rändrahnu nii vette, et see veepinda puudutades korduvalt õhku tagasi põrkas. Kuna ta hästi palju viskas, nii saigi Käsmu rand kivimürakatega kaetud. 
Kuna laev sai ehitatud 1000 aastase mudeli järgi, siis on eriti oodatud muinasajahuvilised ja käsitöömeistrid. Alustame 5. juunil, kohale on lubanud tulla Tartu viikingilaev Turm, kes peab oma aastast sünnipäeva. 6.juunil toimub viikingilaeva vettelaskmine, pidukõned ja Oorti kontsert."
The Maiden of Northland
Elias Lönnrot compiled Kalevala in the 1800s as he travelled throughout Finland collecting folk poems and songs. The poetry was usually sung to tunes, sometimes accomonpanied by the kannel-kantele (a five-string zither). The songs were based on folk tales from ancient times that were handed down by word of mouth. The first version, called Old Kalevala, appeared in 1835-1836. The final version of his epic poem, consisting of 22,795 verses, divided into fifty cantos or "chapters", was published in 1849. The first English translation appeared in 1888, the latest in 1998.Ewok Karaoke from Rob Tyler on Vimeo.