This year, Riga is celebrating its 825th anniversary in style, with the festivities reaching their climax this weekend with Riga’s birthday celebrations on 11 November Embankment and elsewhere in the city. Everyone is invited to attend the wide range of festive events and enjoy the extensive programme of ‘Riga’s Summer’ events.
“Riga is ready to celebrate its 825th anniversary! These are the biggest city festival celebrations in Latvia, which we celebrate throughout the month, but, of course, the highlight of the festivities takes place on 15 August with a spectacular concert and show on 11 November Embankment. I am truly delighted that the programme has been put together with everyone in mind, so that Riga’s residents of all ages, as well as visitors to our city, can find events of interest to them and enjoy the festive spirit. I invite everyone to visit the website rigasvasara.lv, choose the events nearest to you and celebrate Riga’s anniversary together. See you at the festivities!” says Viesturs Kleinbergs, Mayor of Riga.
An electronic music concert in Town Hall Square and a festive restaurant in Opera Square
Riga’s anniversary celebrations will kick off on the evening of 14 August with an electronic music concert in Town Hall Square. This unified experience will bring together electronic music, light, technology and people. The evening will be opened by the international duo Maarja Nuut & Nicolas Stocker (EE/CH), followed by a performance by Evija Vēbere (LV) – one of the most prominent Latvian alternative music artists, whose style blends electronica, jazz, hip-hop aesthetics and experimental pop music. The international flavour will be complemented by Solo Ansamblis (LT), a band from Lithuania, whilst the evening’s highlight will be a performance by Oil X Gas (LV) – an industrial rock and electronic duo who will bring the event to a close with a powerful live performance, synth soundscapes and techno energy.
Gourmands are invited to Opera Square over the festive period, where, on 14 and 15 August, the restaurant “Open a Window onto Riga” – celebrating Riga’s 825th anniversary – will open its doors: a special place where the city’s flavours, people and stories will come together. Over the course of two days, the festive atmosphere will be enhanced by a diverse range of culinary delights, musical highlights and the chance to enjoy the city’s laid-back, welcoming atmosphere. It will be an opportunity to celebrate Riga through its flavours, character and people.
On 11 November Embankment, as part of the programme “Open Riga! Code: 825”
The celebrations will continue on 15 August – on 11 November Embankment, in Old Riga, in Vērmane Garden, in Victory Park, on Eksporta Street, on the Esplanade, near the Riga Congress Centre and elsewhere.
On 11 November Embankment, as part of the programme “Open Riga! Code: 825!” – every resident of Riga and visitor to the city is sure to find something to suit them. Throughout the day, there will be creative workshops for young and old alike, culinary adventures, and a diverse programme of live music featuring the contemporary folk group “Auļi”, Atvara, the band “Citi zēni”, hip-hop legend Ozols, the band “Alejas”, and the band “Sudden Lights”, whilst the evening concert programme “Mana partitūra Rīga” will feature Shipsea, Andrejs Reinis Zitmanis, Jānis Aišpurs, Aija Andrejeva and Jurģis Namejs. The concert will feature performers from various dance genres, bike-trial masters, rollerblading experts and parkour enthusiasts. Concert programme director – Juris Jonelis; artistic director – Reinis Sējāns. The concert will be hosted by Gerds Lapoška, an actor at the New Riga Theatre, and Elza Rūta Jordāne, an actress at the Latvian National Theatre.
After the concert, a special laser, fountain and video show will take place on the Daugava, whilst the celebrations will continue into the night with DJs Linda Samsonova and Magnus Eriņš.
Artisan Market, street music and mime performances in Old Riga
On 15 August, Old Riga will be transformed into a vibrant European cultural space, where two long-standing traditions of Old Europe – street music and the art of mime – will come together. Such a symbiosis of cultural events is rare in modern-day Europe, whilst Riga, as an ancient Hanseatic city, is a particularly suitable place for preserving and developing these traditions. The streets and squares of Old Riga will resound with jazz, Dixieland, classical music and percussion, whilst the urban landscape will be filled with pantomime, clowning and Butō movement theatre. At the end of the event, the artists will come together for a joint, energetic ‘flash mob’-style performance in Town Hall Square, where music, dance and performance art will merge into a single event.
During the celebration of Riga’s anniversary on 15 August, Doma Square will host the Artisan Market where residents and visitors of Riga will be able to view and purchase authentic, traditional handicrafts from various regions of Latvia.
Visitors are also welcome at Vērmane Garden, which will be transformed into a meeting place where traditions, cultural diversity and the joy of being together will create a special festive atmosphere. Throughout the day, representatives from foreign embassies and Riga’s twin towns will share their stories, and the participation of Latvian towns will lend a special atmosphere to the event, creating a celebration of friendship and cooperation. The evening concert programme will also feature the band “Le Petit Paris” and Diāna Pīrāgs, as well as Roberto Meloni and friends – Riga residents of other nationalities – presenting a parade of the world’s most beautiful songs. The evening will be rounded off by the band “Big Al & the Jokers”.
On this day, the “Discover the Wonder!” event in Victory Park will invite visitors to experience amazing street art performances. In the first half of the day, there will be a show, games and a children’s disco, whilst from 15.00 until midnight, renowned street performers from the UK, Sweden, Belgium, Spain, Estonia and Hungary will be performing in the park.
Throughout the event, the street artists’ group “Katakrak” will be presenting their interactive installations “L’Animalada” (Spain) and “The Great Wooden Games” in Victory Park. During the day, there will be performances by Andžejs Grauds’ Drum School and the “Mārtiņš’ Bubbles” soap bubble show.
“The Coast Match” and “Riga Football Festival 2026”
Meanwhile, on the Esplanade, Riga’s anniversary will be celebrated in a sporting spirit, with the traditional 24-hour basketball tournament “Krastu mačs” taking place, whilst the “Riga Football Festival 2026” will take place on the pitch next to the Riga Congress Centre. Both sporting events will take place on 15–16 August, bringing together several hundred participants and thousands of visitors for a two-day festival of sport and entertainment.
Riga’s anniversary celebrations will be enhanced by the Red Bull Showrun — a unique motorsport show that will bring together world-class technology, athletes and energy right in the heart of the capital. The highlight of the show will be a unique opportunity in Latvia to see Red Bull Formula 1 car live, complemented by spectacular drifting, rallying, MotoGP and other show elements. Local rally star Mārtiņš Sesks will also be taking part in the Red Bull Showrun.
Throughout the festive month of August, the Musical Parks programme will be bringing music to the Dzegužkalns Open-Air Stage, Ziemeļblāzma Palace Park, Vērmane Garden and the Kalnciems Quarter, whilst Sarkandaugava will host events as part of Street Art Month.
Riga’s birthday celebrations will ensure accessibility for visitors with mobility impairments, and at the “Open Riga! Code: 825” event on 11 November Embankment, a platform will be provided near the stage for visitors in wheelchairs. Meanwhile, during the concert “My Score Riga”, visitors with hearing impairments will be able to use Tilde’s transcription tool to follow the audio content of the stage programme, by scanning the QR code displayed on screen.
Just listen to the sounds, the breath, the pulse of the city of Riga – open, vibrant and free!
More information about Riga’s Summer and birthday events is available on the website www.rigasvasara.lv, on the mobile app “Rīgas vasara”, as well as on the Riga City Council social media pages “Rīga” and “Rīgā notiek”.
Information was prepared by Ineta Miglāne, Project Coordinator of the External Communication Division of the Communication Department of the Riga local government, e-mail: ineta.miglane@riga.lv