Viljandi County
South-central Estonian cultural county hosting Estonia's largest folk music festival alongside agricultural production.
Viljandi County occupies south-central Estonia—a region where medieval castle ruins, folk music traditions, and agricultural production create a modest but culturally distinctive economy. The annual Viljandi Folk Festival draws thousands to what remains a small town.
Cultural events anchor tourism activity. The Folk Festival (established 1993) became Estonia's largest, attracting international performers and audiences. This positions Viljandi as cultural destination despite limited other tourism infrastructure. The castle ruins and Old Town add historical attractions.
Agriculture remains the economic foundation. Dairy farming, grain production, and meat processing employ rural populations. Food companies add industrial employment. The economy mixes cultural distinction with standard agricultural activities.
The biological pattern is cultural niche specialization: Viljandi converted folk music traditions into tourism asset, creating differentiation that overcomes geographic peripherality for a few festival weeks annually.