Once a year, the Seto people turn a village in southeastern Estonia into a kingdom for a day. Instead of tickets, visitors receive entry visas, and the event has its own made-up money. The Setos are a small community with their own language, which is closely related to Estonian.

The idea began in 1994. The community created the event to bring people together, show their culture, and keep their language alive. About 25,000 people say they can speak Seto, but only a few thousand use it every day.

The kingdom day was held in the village of Mikitamäe on August 1, 2026. Its streets were full of people in colorful folk costumes. A Seto woman's traditional dress can show whether she is married or single.

Each year the community also elects a leader. Candidates stand and explain their plans, and people line up behind the one they like best. In 2026, Ingrit Kala won, and she said she wanted to promote Seto culture and protect the language.

The day featured leelo, a traditional style of singing. Leelo is believed to be over 1,000 years old and is on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage. Maria Grünberg, 23, learned Seto by singing leelo songs as a child. She now leads a youth choir and hopes to show that the language is for everyone.