During the fourth week of Advent city’s inhabitants and guests will be able to enjoy the opportunity of various concerts, mask workshops, as well as a traditional log dragging evening and masquerade procession. At Christmas the municipality delights with concert programmes in concert halls and churches.
During the fourth week of Advent the municipality invites you to several concerts – on 17 December at 07:00 p.m. city’s inhabitants and guests are invited to the concert “Satikšanās” at the concert hall “Ave Sol”, where the mixed choir “Sonante” will perform; on 18 December at 06:00 p.m. the cultural palace “Ziemeļblāzma” offers a musical performance for children “Kazlēni un vilks”, where you will have the opportunity to hear the children’s vocal studio “Knīpas un Knauķi”. At 07:00 p.m. At Chamber Hall of VEF Culture Palace, the women’s choir “Dzintars” will perform at the Christmas concert. Entrance fee EUR 5.00. At 07:00 p.m. Riga’s inhabitants and guests are invited to participate in the lecture and the workshop on traditional mask making at the Culture and folk art centre “Ritums”. Entry fee EUR 10.00.
Log dragging evening and masquerade procession
On 19 December from 06:00 p.m. to 08:30 p.m. the traditional log dragging evening masquerade procession will take place in the Town Hall Square along the route Town Hall Square (Rātslaukums)-Skārņu Street-Audēju Street-Vaļņu Street-Kalķu Street-Līvu Square-Zirgu Street-Doma Square-Town Hall Square. Bonfire lighting and traditional winter solstice rituals, dancing and singing will take place in the Town Hall Square. Folklore groups from Riga and the regions will participate there.
Meanwhile, at the Culture centre “Imanta” at 07:00 p.m., you will be able to listen to the concert program “Jazz and Christmas with Santa Schiller’s Jazz Sextet and the youth choir “Vecrīga”. Free invitations are available at “Biļešu paradīze” box offices.
The festive creative workshops “Christmas Tree Decoration” will take place on 19 December at 12:00 p.m. - 01:30 p.m. and 03:00 p.m. - 04:30 p.m. at Riga Porcelain Museum. The thematic creative workshop will allow you to make one porcelain souvenir or openwork decoration using porcelain moulds. Families with children 10 years old and older, youth, seniors, as well as people with reduced mobility are especially welcome to participate at the workshop individually or in groups up to 10 persons. Participation should be booked in advance by phone +371 26406354 from Tuesday to Saturday, at 12:00 p.m. - 05:30 p.m.
Events for families with children at Riga Art Nouveau Centre, Ave Sol Concert Hall and Tallinas Street Quarter
On 20 December at 11:00 a.m. and 02:00 p.m. the museum “Riga Art Nouveau Centre” will host an event for families with children “A Tale of Christmas”. During the event, children will learn about Christmas traditions and decorating the tree, sing, play games and guess riddles. Families with children aged 3 to 10 years are welcome. A museum ticket will be valid for the participation in the event. Advance registration is required by writing to the e-mail address jugendstils@riga.lv or by calling +371 67181465 during the museum’s working hours.
Meanwhile, at 04:00 p.m. the last concert of the cycle “Colors of the Season 2025” “Winter Sparkles” will be performed in the concert hall “Ave Sol”. At the same time, the solstice celebration “Winter Solstice” will take place in the Tallinna Street quarter, led by the folklore group “Brička”, a musical collective from the Kekava (Ķekava) Municipality. The programme includes masquerade, which symbolises fertility and protection, traditional games and games, as well as learning traditional dances led by a folklore group. The event is free and suitable for all generations, especially families with children.
In the evening, at 07:00 p.m. the concert "Snow Rose" with the folk instrument orchestra “Sadko” will take place in the Chamber Hall of VEF Culture Palace.
Concerts in Town Hall Square, Bastejkalns Park, concert hall “Ave Sol” and Small Guild Hall (Mazā ģilde)
On 21 December from 12:45 p.m. to 04:00 p.m., on 25 December from 01:00 p.m. to 03:30 p.m. and on 26 December from 12:45 p.m. to 04:00 p.m., the Christmas Garden in Tornakalns will take place at Riga Luther Church, with a market, creative workshop, photo corner and a reflection path around the church. At 03:00 p.m. the “Nāc līdzās” Foundation Choir for people with special needs will perform at the Angāra Concert Hall in the Tallinas Street Quarter.
On 21 December at 03:00 p.m. - 03:45 p.m. in Bastejkalns Park and on 24 December at Līvu Square from 12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m., musicians from “Sunny Groove Dixie” Dixieland band will perform Christmas melodies in the concert “Čiekurs Čikijs”. The elves will have prepared a special gift for the little ones in the audience – a little cone called Chikki, which can be taken home and used as a Christmas tree ornament to remind them of the warm festive feeling of the concert and the miracle they experienced together.
On Saturday, 21 December, from 12:00 p.m. to 08:00 p.m. the M/Workshop will host a carnival of Budēļi. Visitors can take part in an authentic Budēļi mask-making workshop led by textile artist Emma Sofija. Solstice feast, games, dances and bonfire in the courtyard of Aristida 9. At 04:00 p.m. – concert of the vocal ensemble “Kalmes”. From 05:00 p.m. to 06:00 p.m. there will be a log pulling ritual and a community masked procession organised together with the craft beer bar “Labietis” and the Miera Street Republic community. From 06:00 p.m. – lighting of the sacred fire – burning of the log. The evening concludes at 06:30 p.m. with a concert by the band “Zāle”. Entrance is free, but the mask workshop is EUR 5.00.
On 21 December at 04:00 p.m. the concert “Šī jausma savādā” will be held at the concert hall “Ave Sol”, featuring the “Ave Sol” Mixed Choir “Laudate” and a string quartet. On 22 December at 07:00 p.m. the concert “Pirms Ziemassvētkiem” will be held in the concert hall “Ave Sol”. On 25 December at 02:00 p.m. and 05:00 p.m. the Riga Chamber Choir “Ave Sol” will perform in the concert “Ziemassvētku noskaņa”.
On 21 December at 07:00 p.m. Annika Lanka will perform in the Fourth Advent Concert at the Folk Art Centre “Mazā ģilde”. Tickets are available at the website bilesuparadize.lv and at the “Mazā ģilde”.
At the end of the evening from 07:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. he closing concert of the charity campaign “Angels over Latvia” will take place at the Town Hall Square. The event will feature performances by beloved Latvian musicians, a mobile studio of radio “Star FM”, a donation booth and festive treats will be available.
On 22 and 23 December at 08:00 p.m. and 25 December at 11:00 p.m. at Anglican Church of St Saviour concerts by the group “Sigma” and the youth choir “Balsis” will take place. Tickets available at the website bilesuparadize.lv. On 23 December at 07:00 p.m. the Riga Congress Centre will host the concert “Ziemas bolero”, featuring the Orchestra “Rīga,” soloists Aija Vītoliņa and Normunds Rutulis, pianist Rihards Plešanovs, and conductor Valdis Butāns. Tickets are available at the “Biļešu paradīze” box office and online.
Exhibitions at Riga Porcelain Museum, Riga Art Nouveau Centre and Palace of Culture “Ziemeļblāzma”
From 15 December until 6 January next year, the Riga Porcelain Museum’s workshop will host a festive exhibition “Christmas Tree Decorations”, dedicated to Christmas. Everyone interested will have the opportunity to see Christmas tree decorations made of porcelain by Latvian artists. Entrance to the exhibition is free of charge.
From 2 December to 11 January, the Riga Art Nouveau Centre Museum will host the exhibition “A Christmas Fairy Tale”, which will revive Christmas traditions of the early 20th century using historical trinkets, postcards and interior objects. Visitors will be able to enjoy and be inspired by the festive mood in the museum’s premises, viewing both the museum’s collection and the collection of Christmas decorations created by artist Tamara Čudnovska. Entrance ticket to the museum.
From 9 December to 29 January, the exhibition halls of the Culture Palace “Ziemeļblāzma” will host the Riga Municipality Music and Art School Winter Festival “Christmas Stars”. The festival will include works by students from Riga art schools – Riga Bolderaja School of Music and Art, Riga Kengarags School of Music and Art, Riga Pardaugava School of Music and Art and Māra Muižniece’s Riga School of Art. Entry free of charge.
You can find out more about Advent, Christmas and New Year’s Eve events in Riga on the website www.kultura.riga.lv and by following the information on the Riga City Council’s social media pages “Rīga” and “Rīgā notiek”.
Information was prepared by Ineta Miglāne, Project Coordinator, External Communication Division of the Communications Department of the Riga City Council, e-mail: ineta.miglane@riga.lv.
