Aastapäeva

Aastapäev is an Estonian term for an anniversary—the annual return of a date associated with a person, organization, or event. It denotes the recurring commemoration rather than a personal birthday, and it can mark historical events, the founding of an institution, or local milestones.

In use, aastapäeva is the genitive form used in phrases such as aastapäeva tähistamine (the celebration of the anniversary) or aastapäeva pidamine (the marking of the anniversary). The concept covers a range of occasions, from the anniversaries of historical events to corporate or municipal jubilees.

Aastapäevs are commonly observed through formal ceremonies, speeches, exhibitions, retrospectives, or other commemorative activities. They contribute to collective memory and institutional identity, and they are often accompanied by media coverage, organizational reports, or cultural programs. In Estonian discourse, the term is distinct from sünnipäev, which specifically refers to a person’s birthday, and from juubel, which is typically used for longer or milestone anniversaries.

See also: juubel; iseseisvuspäev; Eesti keel.