VENTSPILS CITY FESTIVAL 2015 700 + 25

Tuesday, July 28

7.00 pm Concert of Introvert Music Festival "Ad Lucem" /Theatre House "Juras Varti", New Hall/ Participants – Laima Jansone and Saulius Petreikis (Lithuania) Tickets: € 6.00 Thursday, July 30

4.00 pm–6.00 pm Writer's Menu /Memorial Museum of Writer Herberts Dorbe "Dust of Ancestors"/ Participant – Latvian writer Nora Ikstena with her special recipes

7.00 pm Operetta "From the Sweet Bottle" by Imants Kalnins /Theatre House "Juras Varti"/ Participants: Chamber Choir "Ventspils", Ventspils Chamber Orchestra, soloists Inga Slubovska, Ilona Bagele, Dace Volfarte, Annija Putnina, Mikhail Chulpaev, Rihards Millers, Juris Jope, Guntars Rungis. Conductor – Aigars Meri. Tickets: € 8.50; 11.00

Friday, July 31

8.00 am City Festival Fair /Old Town Market Square/

9.00 am 15th International Flower Carpet Festival /Promenade of Ostas Street/ Participants start creating their flower carpets

11.00 am Liepaja Puppet Theatre's performance for kids "Magic Words" /Parventa Library/

2.00 pm Creative workshop for kids /Galinciems Library/

4.30 pm Concert "We Know How to Celebrate!" /Galinciems Library/ Live music by Ventspils amateur performing art groups

6.00 pm Ecumenical Worship Service /Ventspils Evangelical Lutheran Church/

7.00 pm City Festival Opening Ceremony and City Council's Big Prize & Prizes Awarding Ceremony /Town Square/ The event is hosted by actor Guntis Skrastins. Soloists – Sonore Vaice, Edvards Grieze, Roberts Petersons, Sallija Taucus, Amanda Mezvecka and Karlina Priedena. Participants – Ventspils Chamber Orchestra, Ventspils Big Band, conductor Aigars Meri Program: arias from operas by G. F. Handel, G. Rossini, V. Bellini, C. Gounod and G. Verdi and operettas by F. Lehar, as well as songs by R. Pauls, U. Marhilevics and Z. Liepins

7.00 pm–11.30 pm Country Music at the Adventure Park /Adventure Park/ Live music by "Tequila Band"

20:30 "Prāta Vētra" Concert "7 Steps of Fresh Air" /Renka Garden/ Entry from 6.30 pm 8.30 pm Warm- up act 9.30 pm "Prāta Vētra"

Saturday, August 1

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8.00 am City Festival Fair /Old Town Market Square/

11.00 am City Festival Parade /Along Lielais Ave., beginning at Katolu Str. and ending at Brivibas Str./

11.00 am–5.00 pm "Vinyl Summer" in Ventspils – vinyl records market /Theatre House "Juras Varti", New Hall/

11.30 am–4.00 pm Book Festival /Town Square/ Latvian publishing houses selling their books Book exchange desk Europe Direct Information Centre's tent "Euro Sign" 1.00 pm Musical program "All Because of One Moment" by Varis Vetra Congratulation of literary contest winners and Ventspils authors whose books have been published in the period from August 2014 to August 2015 2.00 pm Action painting performance "Time Signs"'by artist Ilgvars Zalans Event "Writer Sign" /Writers House's garden/

12.00–3.00 pm Program for kids "Bookmark" /Square at the Main Library entrance/ The concert program features dances, songs, fashion. Creative workshop "To Everybody Their Own Bookmark". The event is hosted by Madara Gregere.

12.00–3.00 pm Event "Bakery in Skolas Street" /House of Crafts/ Skolas Street Bakery in collaboration with art schools' creative workshops "Neķer beķer tas nav kliņģers", pottery workshop, bakery workshop 1.00 pm Brass Orchestra Music Concert "Notation Mark Fortissimo"/Lielais Square/ Live music by the brass orchestra "Auseklītis" and "Fanfara" of the Association of Riga City Council Cultural Institutions' Culture Palace "Ziemeļblāzma", Riga Technical University's students brass band "SPO", Talsi Community Centre's brass orchestra, Saldus region's municipal brass orchestra "Saldus" and brass orchestra "Ventspils" 1.00 pm–2.30 pm Hairdressing & Makeup Festival "Sea Orchid" /Dzirnavu Square/ Performances/shows by qualified hairdressing artists (Latvia, Ukraine)

1.00 pm–7.00 pm Latvian Drag Racing Championship /Territory of Ventspils Airport/ With the participation of racers of Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Russia, Estonia, Finland and the United Kingdom, incl. 2014 Latvian drag racing Unlimited class champion Normunds Lacis, 2014 Lithuanian champion Mindaugas Beniusis, 2014 Belorussian champion Andrey Kravchenko, 2014 UK champion Audrius Bogdonavicius, etc. Tickets: € 5.00; 3.00 (children under 16, seniors) 2.30 pm–5.00 pm Musical entertainment program "To the Most Beautiful City" /Dzirnavu Square/ Popular songs and dances performed by Y.Vaseva, A.Mirvis, V.Chuvizova, A.Bila's dance group "Konfetti" and Y. Smirnova's Aerobics Club. Special guests – saxophonist Sergei Boitsov, singer Yelena Gudkova (Saint Petersburg). Hosts – Tatiana Saksaganska and Alla Ivanova. 4.00 pm–7.00 pm Amateur Vocal Contest "Latvian Karaoke Championship 2015" /Lielais Square/

5.00 pm–8.00 pm I Once Had a Wine Tree /Livonian Order Castle/ Degustations, presentations by winemakers of Latvia and Kurzeme. 14th–15th century wine-drinking traditions in Livonia, music and mirth near the castle grapes 5.00 pm Meetings with the winemakers of Kurzeme, visitor vote for the castle's tastiest summer vine, assessment of castle grapes 5.30 pm Castle winemaking (process ensured by Alsunga winemaker Martins Sants) 6.00 pm Concert of medieval music ensemble "Trakula" 7.00 pm Castle summer wine awarding ceremony

6.00 pm Festive Concert /Parventa Library/ With the participation of Dita Krenberga (flute), Inga Sunepa (cello) and Juris Zvikovs (piano) 2

Promenade of Ostas Street – Day Program

15th International Flower Carpet Festival "Signs" /Promenade of Ostas Street/ 9.00 am–11.00 am Assessment of carpets by the jury 11.00 am–3.00 pm Assessment of carpets by festival attendees 4.40 pm–5.00 pm Awarding ceremony on the stage

World Taste & Music Festival "Spices" 12.00–4.40 pm Festival Stage /Next to the Old Warehouse/ Live music by BA CISSOKO (Guinea), ElektroFolk (LV), Jauno Jāņu orķestris /Dzelzs vilks/ (LV) 12.00–5.00 pm World Stage /Lawn at the intersection of Liela Str. And Ostas Str./ Live music by Mati Zundel (Argentina), Los Amigos and Roberts Gobzins (Nigeria/LV), Madry (LV) Educational and entertaining discotheque for kids and adults "Children of the World" by Roberts Gobzins – children's songs from all over the world in different rhythms and languages 12.00–5.00 pm Creative activities for children and families /Lawn at the intersection of Liela Str. And Ostas Str./ Craft workshops (making of masks, sunglasses planes and wooden dolls), Gigi Bloks paper block house makery, latest exhibits from the Children's Science Centre Tehno Annas Pagrabi, Pūres šokolāde candy-making, Latvijas maiznieks pastry-baking, Latvenergo experimenting workshop FIZMIX and mobile device charging station, photo corner. With the participation of mono-cyclists, jokers, mimes and stilt-walkers 12.00–5.00 pm National cuisines /Next to the fountain "Ship Contemplator"/ National dishes of various countries and historical periods, taste-testing and trade, cooking tips and secrets

1.00 pm Military unit presentations /Square next to the police building/

1.00 pm–6.00 pm Latvian Musclemen Championship Superfinals /Square next to the Traveler Cow/

Promenade of Ostas Street – Evening Program 7.30 pm–11.00 pm Festival Stage /Next to the Old Warehouse/ 7.30 pm Special city anniversary program. Residents of Ventspils and musicians closely related to the city perform the most popular songs by the local poet and songwriter Ivars Kurpnieks. 8.30 pm Concert program "Return to …" by Intars Busulis & "Abonementa orķestris" 9.30 pm Movie "Ventspils 700+25" 9.50 pm Concert of "Latvian Blues Band", special guest – Justina Lee Brown 11.00 pm Festival culmination Speech by Chairman of Ventspils City Council, Aivars Lembergs Fireworks display

Festival night program

9.00 pm–1.00 am Seaside Waterpark Open Night /Seaside Waterpark/

11.00 pm–4.00 am Night Dances /Renka Garden/ With the participation of the band "Bellacord", Roberts Gobzins and the band "Los Amigos", "ROYCE playing the Depeche" (Lithuania) with the most popular songs of the band "Depeche Mode"; DJ Roberts Lejasmeijers during intermissions Tickets: € 5.00

10.00 pm–4.00 am Electronic Music Night "Insomnia" /Theatre House "Juras Varti", New Hall/ With the participation of "Elvi/Dunian" /Latvia/, "Heatsick" /UK/ and DJ "Terranova" /Germany/

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Tickets: € 4.00; 5.50

00.00 Night Concert /Ventspils Baptist Church/ Live music by Marlena Kleina and Arvids Kleins Sunday, August 2

11.00 am–4.00 pm Latvian Drag Racing Championship /Territory of Ventspils Airport/ With the participation of racers of Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Russia, Estonia, Finland and the United Kingdom, incl. 2014 Latvian drag racing Unlimited class champion Normunds Lacis, 2014 Lithuanian champion Mindaugas Beniusis, 2014 Belorussian champion Andrey Kravchenko, 2014 UK champion Audrius Bogdonavicius, etc. Tickets: € 5.00; 3.00 (children under 16, seniors)

11.00 am–4.00 pm Day of Ancient Crafts /Seaside Open Air Museum/ Folk applied arts fair, artisans from the entire Latvia (blacksmiths, potters, weavers, handicrafters, woodworkers), Kurzeme kiln opening, live music by "Lustīgais Blumīzers" and Sergei Somik Band, dance performances by the folk dance group "Liedags", belly pleasures offered by the Smiltini family, narrow-gauge train rides, creative workshops, open-air games and activities, rabbits, goats and horses 12.00–12.20 pm Kiln opening (Baiba Dumpe, Einars Dumpis, Ivars Grasis)

12.00–2.00 pm 15th Anniversary Celebration of Recreation Park "Children's Town" /Recreation Park "Children's Town"/ Liepaja Puppet Theatre's performances "The Adventures of Pif" and "Little Devils", creative workshops with the participation of fairytale characters, sporting and educational activities. Special guest – Karlsson-on-the-Roof with a delicious festive cake.

3.00 pm–4.00 pm 12th Anniversary Celebration of Children's Park "Fantasy" /Children's Park "Fantasy"/ Liepaja Puppet Theatre's performance "Max and Moritz", creative workshops with the participation of fairytale characters, sporting and educational activities. Special guest – Karlsson-on-the-Roof with a delicious festive cake.

3.00 pm Concert by the teachers and best students of the International Vocal Masterclass /Livonian Order Castle, chapel/

6.00 pm–7.00 pm Bard Concert /Parventa Open-Air Stage/ With the participation of Ventspils bards and guests – Anzhela Mikusha (Riga), Yelena Gudkova (Saint Petersburg), and Tatiana Koroleva (Moscow)

Exhibitions

August 1 An exhibition featuring exam works by students of Flower Design School of Rita Garaissils /Livonian Order Castle/ With the participation of students from Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, Belarus and Russia

Exhibition "Luminaries" showing items from the museum's collection /Seaside Open Air Museum/

Exhibition "The Stories of Sampler Blankets" featuring works by Latvian creative crafters /Seaside Open Air Museum/

Opening ceremony of photography exhibition "One Week in Parventa" /Parventa Library/ Opening July 30 at 6.00 pm

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Opening ceremony of Ilgvars Zalans's painting exhibition /Main Library/ Opening August 1 at 4.00 pm

Opening ceremony of Maija Dragune's exhibition of graphic arts /Theatre House "Juras Varti"/ Opening August 1 at 5.00 pm

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