Latvia's Top Events 2018
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LATVIA’S TOP EVENTS 2018 International Ice Sculpture Festival 09.02.-11.02. Jelgava Visit the park which has the largest exhibition of ice sculptures in the Baltics, and where musical shows, demonstrations of sculpture creation, and various activities for children will be organised. With the fall of night, visitors will be treated to synchronised ice sculpture, music and light performances. www.icelv.lv Easter 30.03.-02.04. Latvia Mixing Christian and pagan traditions, Latvia celebrates Easter. For Christians, this is the time when Christ was resurrected. For those celebrating pagan traditions, this is the Spring equinox - honouring of the arrival of spring and return of the sun. Those celebrating the spring equinox carry out ancient rituals to help the land wake up from its winter sleep and ensure the fertility of the land and bless it. LATVIA www.latvia.travel CLICK! Swing Festival 30.03.-02.04. Sigulda During festival in Sigulda will be located more than 100 environmental objects – swings. www.tourism.sigulda.lv Riga Jazz Stage 05.04.-07.04. Riga The festival gives a chance for young jazz artists to perform on international stage together with musicians from other countries. Each year along with the category “Jazz Vocal”, a different music instrument category is selected. www.rigajazz.lv Lido zivis Festival 28.04. Kuldīga The highly entertaining spring thaw festival, Lido zivis, which takes place in Kuldīga. www.visit.kuldiga.lv Independence day Cycling marathon 04.05. Jūrmala Join the race in a patriotic mood along Jūrmala. annual event www.maratoni.lv 1 Magical Night of Senses Sigulda Region Festival 05.05. Valmiera 24.05.-27.05. Sigulda To open the summer season of the Park of Senses by the Take part in fun and active events like a traditional festive Gauja River Steep banks, visitors are invited to the Magical procession, amateur performances, concerts and attractions Night of Senses to enjoy the symphony of lights, colours, for children. Holiday culmination will be a special concert and sounds and flavours. open-air party. www.voc.lv www.tourism.sigulda.lv Lattelecom Marathon Jelgava City Festival 19.05.-20.05. Riga 25.05.-27.05. Jelgava If you have never been to Riga, then participation in a The biggest festival of the year in Jelgava with a wide range marathon or half-marathon is a good reason to visit one of of activities, including performances, shows, exhibitions, the most beautiful cities on the Baltic Sea coast. Since 2007, concerts and parades. the Riga Marathon is officially in line with the AIMS standard, www.visit.jelgava.lv guaranteeing the race international recognition. www.lattelecomrigasmaratons.lv Marta’s Ball 26.05. Daugavpils Museum Night A fancy-dress ball takes place in Daugavpils Fortress which 19.05. Latvia turns into a real fairy tale kingdom just for one night. Museums, theatres, concert halls, libraries, universities, www.martasballe.lv churches and other venues in Latvia open all night, or until the wee hours, in this annual Europe-wide happening. Lilac Festival www.muzeju-nakts.lv, www.muzeji.lv 26.05. Dobele Let the magical scent of blooming lilacs get you carried away Liiv Village Celebration in one of the largest lilac gardens in Europe. 19.05.-20.05. Liepāja www.lvai.lv One of the largest traditional culture events in Latvia combining folk and ethno music with traditional culture, Jūrmala Resort Festival arts&crafts, as well as food sampling. This huge trade show 26.05. Jūrmala also highlights craftsmanship. A broad programme, including many other genres – folk dance and music, painting, You’re welcome to join the very special celebration marking modelling and others, showing Latvian heritage and history the beginning of the summer season in the largest resort through old and contemporary ways of expression. This town of the Baltics. outdoor festival takes place at the Promenade of Liepāja and www.visitjurmala.lv every year there are thousands of people in attendance. www.liepajaskc.lv Cycling festival and cycling night in Kuldīga 26.05. Kuldīga Liepaja Tweed Ride Spend a day and night in a leisurely ride for families and 19.05. Liepāja cycling enthusiasts who love riding bikes and enjoying nature. Bicycle fans dressed in the traditional tweed outfits of the 1930s gather together to ride in the streets of Liepāja. www.velokuldiga.lv Programme includes concerts, dances, old-style designed photo studio and other activities. www.liepaja.travel 2 3 Latvian Folk Applied Arts Fair Summer Signs International Sand Sculpture Festival 02.06.-03.06. Riga 09.06.-10.06. Jelgava Don’t miss the opportunity to buy products and pieces The oldest and largest sand sculpture festival in the Baltics. of art made by local craftsmen! Performances by folk and More than twenty recognised sculptors from all over the dance groups, ensembles of singers, choirs, masters of old world will be creating from 14,000 tonnes of sand. Live music games and toys, chefs presenting traditional dishes and other is a key part of the festival, as are sand workshops for children. participants enrich the Fair. Be on hand and catch the process of sculpting. When www.brivdabasmuzejs.lv darkness falls, the sculptures will appear in a different light, in a shadow play of sorts. Daugavpils City Festival www.festivali.jelgava.lv 04.06.-10.06. Daugavpils During the festival, the city’s birthday is marked with an Riga Festival extensive programme of festivities. For one whole week, in 12.06.-21.06. Riga various locations around the city, cultural, sporty, and rec/ The Festival offers various theatre plays, art exhibitions, relax are held, and special care has been given to the younger multimedia and open-air events, as well as activities for set. Several thousand people from Latvia and abroad usually children. Usually also the street cafes and restaurants of Old make this scene in the SE Latvia city. Riga do their share in organisation of Festival events. www.kultura.daugavpils.lv www.rigasfestivals.lv Riga Opera Festival Pre-Summer Solstice Festival “Saulgriezis” 07.06.-17.06. Riga 22.06. Valmiermuiža Founded in 1998 as the first festival of its size and scale in Prepare yourself for the celebration and learn about Eastern Europe, it has already become a treasured tradition. traditions, buy tasty Jāņi beer, cheese and other goods and The festival is highly anticipated by both Latvian audiences take part in lighting the festive bonfire, Latvian dances and and opera-lovers from abroad, which form the majority of all songs in an ethno-concert. Riga Opera Festival fans. www.valmiermuiza.lv www.opera.lv International Folklore Festival “Baltica” Slītere Travellers Days 16.06.-21.06. Latvia 09.06.-10.06. Slitere National Park Baltica is the most popular traditional culture festival in the You are welcome to experience a number of activities Baltic States. This is the largest and internationally recognised including popular nature and cultural history tours on foot, traditional culture festival in the Baltic countries, which cares on bicycle or boat. Special attention is paid to local Livonian for the preservation and development of intangible cultural cookery heritage and cooking skills as well. heritage. www.visit.dundaga.lv www.festivalbaltica.com Lilium Vindaviensis Knight Tournament Summer Solstice celebration at open-air museum 09.06. Ventspils “Vītolnieki” The Livonian Order castle yard gathers together romantics 21.06. Pape who favour the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, Summer Solstice celebration according to ancient traditions participants of re-enactment groups - who will be fighting, - warm up songs, tasting traditional food, watching the winning and celebrating. Everything will be for real! sun setting into the sea, singing songs about the sun, www.visitventspils.com dancing around the bonfire and feasting till the next sunrise. www.liepaja.travel 4 5 Liigo! market on Old Town Riga’s Dome Square Garden Festival 22.06. Riga 30.06. Rundale Palace garden Celebration of the Latvian pagan holiday, the year’s shortest Held when the rose bloom reaches its peak; thousands night, is the ‘most Latvian’ of all traditions, and its key features in attendance, including foreigners and gathers together are beer, caraway cheese, dances and Liigo! songs by the thousands of interested visitors not only from Latvia but bonfire until dawn. Before you head out for the country, visit also from other countries. Every year the festival’s theme has the special Midsummer Fair annually held on Dome Square something to do with fruit trees and bushes, flowering bulbs, to properly prepare. Impressive flower bunches and garlands, roses, and historic partners. This year is devoted to the tenth delicious smoked meat and fish, homemade cheese from anniversary of the rose garden. It has already been a decade all Latvian regions - all that along with cheerful singing, and since it was first laid out and planted. shopping all day long at the Fair! www.rundale.net www.kultura.riga.lv, www.avesol.riga.lv Latvian Song and Dance Festival Big Latgale Market 30.06.-08.07. Riga 23.06. Ludza Over 30 000 participants, hundreds of thousands of viewers Craftsmen, farmers and singers from Latgale and elsewhere and one passion - Latvian songs and dances. This is how will gather at the Ludza Castle Mound to hail the Big Latgale every 5 years the biggest celebration of Latvia brings joy and Market and the Summer Solstice. Visitors will be able to enjoy pride of tradition with the folk costume parades and concerts, demonstrations of olden day crafts, learn secrets from master which unites all of those present for the occasion. craftsmen and buy their products for use or enjoyment, www.dziesmusvetki.lv participate in ancient Latgallian battles and games, and sing or dance together with Latgallian folk ensembles.