On 4 May this year, the 35th anniversary of the Restoration of the Independence of the Republic of Latvia will be celebrated. The Riga Municipality has prepared an extensive festive programme and invites Riga residents and city guests to attend it.
Environmental object “Latvia of Flowers”
From nine in the morning until the evening of the next day, every Riga resident and guest of the city is invited to participate in creating a flower arrangement “Latvia of Flowers” [“Ziedu Latvija”], where flowers brought by people will be woven into an outline of Latvia.
Creative workshops, the campaign “Wear the national costume in honour of Latvia”
Families with children are especially welcome in Vērmanes Garden the whole day from 12:00 to 17:00 to participate in creative workshops, play at the large-format game area in collaboration with BigGames and get involved in many other activities. At 16:00, the group Brīnumskapis will perform a concert for children.
Meanwhile, the 10th-anniversary event of the campaign “Wear the national costume in honour of Latvia” will take place at the Town Hall Square from 12:30 to 15:00, with a concert by the folklore groups Kokle, Grodi, Skandinieki, Vilkači, Zeidi and Rīgas Danču klubs.
The traditional procession in folk costumes will take place from 14:30 to 15:30 on the route from the Town Hall Square to the Freedom Monument to demonstrate the diversity and splendour of folk costumes and adorn the holiday.
Folklore ensemble singing, grand concert “Roots That Bind”
From 13:00, Latvian school brass bands will parade at the Freedom Square with a programme dedicated to the Independence Day of the Republic of Latvia. Thereafter, from 15:00 until the evening, festive concerts will be performed at Freedom Square. Various folklore groups will start the concerts by welcoming the participants of the “Wear the national costume in honour of Latvia” procession. At 17:30, state officials will give ceremonial speeches and the festive grand concert “Roots That Bind” will culminate the performance. It will feature popular soloists such as Ance Krauze, Dināra Rudāne, Igo, Jānis Aišpurs and many others. The soloists’ voices will be joined by singers from the choirs Anima, Aura, Aurum, SkanTOS, Vivere and Muklājs, while the events on stage will be complemented by dancer performances. The programme will be hosted by Ritvars Logins.
At night from 20:00, the post-folklore group Rikši will lead a lively dance for everyone.
Latvian film marathon and neighbourhood festival
The Splendid Palace cinema will hold the 4th May Latvian Film Marathon throughout the day. For the twentieth time, the latest Latvian films will be screened in both cinema halls and in an open-air night screening to attract a wider audience. Admission to film screenings, as usual, is free.
The Culture Centre Iļģuciems will host a jazz concert “Improvisation on Folk Songs” featuring the Rūta Dūduma-Ķirse’s and Lauris Amantovs’ quartet and the youth chamber choir Vecrīga from the Culture Centre Imanta.
The concert “May You Live Forever, Latvia!” will be performed at the Culture Palace Ziemeļblāzma, featuring the orchestra Rīga, the National Guard choir Stars and the mixed choir Sōla of the Latvian Academy of Culture with soloists Marlēna Keine, Ieva Parša, Emīls Klaužs and Armands Siliņš. Concert conductors: Valdis Butāns, Kaspars Ādamsons, Ārijs Šķepasts.
Meanwhile, at the VEF Culture Palace, the concert programme “Words of Power for Latvia” will feature pianist Agnese Egliņa, tenor Jānis Kurševs and actress Lidija Pupure.
From 11:00 to 17:00, thematic holiday workshops will be held in the courtyard of the Riga Porcelain Museum in the Convent Yard open to families with children and people with special needs.
Free invitations to the concerts will become available at Biļešu paradīze box offices on 28 April.
Exhibition “We Are Free, Independent” and pre-holiday concert “We Are Composed”
Before the holidays, from 30 April to 30 May, a documentary exhibition dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the restoration of the Independence of the Republic of Latvia “We Are Free, Independent” will be on display at Līvu Square, which will tell about the adoption of the declaration “On the restoration of the independence of the Republic of Latvia” and the period of the restoration of the Latvian state, starting from the victory of the Popular Front of Latvia in the Supreme Council elections to the de facto restoration of the independence of the Latvian state.
Meanwhile, on 3 May at 16:00, the concert “We Are Composed” [“Mēs esam sacerēti”] will be held at the Kokaru Hall of the Mežaparks Grand Stage – honouring the beloved poet and leader of the Latvian National Awakening, Jānis Peters, the most beautiful compositions by Latvian composers will be interwoven with the poet’s poetry. Outstanding choirs and artists will meet on stage – the Jāzeps Mediņš Riga 1st Music School Boys’ Choir, the Riga Dome Boys’ Choir, the mixed choirs Balsis and Juventus, concert director and soloist Zigfrīds Muktupāvels and instrumentalists Uģis Tirzītis (acoustic guitar) and Jēkabs Jančevskis (piano) to create a touching festive mood under the leadership of conductors Romāns Vanags, Ints Teterovskis, Valdis Tomsons, Artūrs Mitrevics and Georgs Zujevs. Entry free of charge.
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.
