But the day was just getting started, and – speaking of holiday traditions – the next stop was the German inspired Christmas Village in Baltimore and a joint Christmas show with the Baltimore-Washington Estonian Singers. The Inner Harbor tent was packed with market-goers to see the show, including a large contingent of the Baltimore and Washington Estonian communities, and the performers were prepared to get them into the holiday spirit. Pillerkaar had an extra-long program of ten dances that was split into two sets situated around the choir’s merry medley of Estonian Christmas carols. The two groups also performed jointly – singing and dancing – for two numbers: “Tuljak” and, the audience participation dance to Curly Strings’, “Kauges Külas.” It was a very jolly performance all the way around, and the ginger fresh piparkoogid, passed out to the crowd, were also a crowd pleaser!
by Jeff Zelek, Pillerkaar