4 May this year marks the 36th anniversary of the restoration of independence of the Republic of Latvia. The Riga Municipality has prepared an extensive festive programme and invites residents of Riga and city guests to attend it.
From ten in the morning until the evening of the next day, Riga residents and guests are invited to participate in creating a flower arrangement “Latvia of Flowers” [“Ziedu Latvija”], jointly creating a blooming map of the country, symbolising unity and mutual respect. A solemn flower-laying ceremony by state and municipal officials at the Freedom Monument will take place at 10.30, while at 12.00 the Latvian school marching band will perform a défilé programme in Freedom Square.
Event in Vērmanes Garden: “We all together in Latvia!”
Everyone is invited to a heartfelt, colourful and inspiring celebration event “We all together in Latvia!” in Vērmanes Garden. From 12.00 to 16.00, Vērmanes Garden will be transformed into an exploratory and exciting adventure space for the whole family. Children and families will have the opportunity to learn practical and environmentally friendly skills: to sow and sprout different herbs together with “Daces zaļumi”, in the workshop “I am building my Latvia!”, to learn how to make natural plasticine and create a symbol – “my family sign”, “my green Latvia” or “a form of freedom”. The whole family can learn to take care of our land and environment on a daily basis, together with “Komposts LV” and “Zero Waste Latvia”. Creative minds will be able to let their imagination and colours run wild, creating all kinds of characters together with the author and illustrator Rūta Briede.
The youngest visitors will have the opportunity to work with special sand-light tables and Latvian-made activity boards in the “House of Light and Sensations” and create beautiful crowns in the “Good Happens” papercraft workshop. The whole day will offer the opportunity to have your photo taken and receive prints of photos with the motifs “My Latvia, my responsibility”.
In the run-up to the World Ice Hockey Championships, the event will also be full of sporting excitement. Families and friends will have table hockey games and watch demonstrations by European and World Table Hockey Champion, Edgars Caičs.
Children’s voices and joy will be heard on the stage of Vērmanes Garden from 12.00 to 14.40, when the children’s groups Knīpas un Knauķi, Kolibri, Podziņas, Momo and Poppy will delight
visitors with their music. At 15.00, the stage programme will close with the Willas’ theatre performance “Lemonade”, where Inese Zandere’s poetry and fairy tales intertwine with Jēkabs Nīmanis’ songs.
Campaign “Wear the national costume in honour of Latvia” and Latvian film marathon
The campaign “Wear the national costume in honour of Latvia” has become a strong tradition over the years, demonstrating the belonging to Latvian folk culture and the diversity, splendour and decoration of folk costumes. This year, we will also celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Folk Costume Centre “Senā klēts”, and it was the centre representatives who initiated this tradition 11 years ago, initially gathering a few dozen participants. However, in recent years, their number has exceeded 400 participants. From 12.00 to 15.00, the Town Hall Square will host a concert by folklore groups Kokle, Skandinieki, Vilkači, Rīgas Danču klubs and the Brička band. The traditional procession in folk costumes will take place from 14.10 and will end at 14.30 with the laying of flowers at the Freedom Monument and the song “Both sides of the Daugava”.
The Splendid Palace cinema will hold a Latvian Film Marathon throughout the day. From 13.00 to 23.00, Latvian films will be screened in both halls of the cinema, attracting a wide target audience. Admission to film screenings is free.
“My Latvia – My Responsibility” at Freedom Square
The event “My Latvia – My Responsibility”, dedicated to the Independence Restoration Day of the Republic of Latvia, will take place at Freedom Square. This day is Latvia’s spring – a symbol of awakening, unity and youth. From 15.00 to 22.00, visitors will enjoy a varied concert programme, bringing together tradition and contemporary sound.
The event will be opened by Riga Municipality amateur art groups: folklore group Skandinieki, children and youth vocal ensemble Kolibri, dance ensembles Ačkups and Austris, dance music group Dārdari and Emīls Dārziņš Mixed Choir. The evening will continue with Elza Rozentāle and her ethno jazz quartet and the post-folk band Rikši, creating an energetic and contemporary mood.
The evening will culminate at 20.30 with the concert story “Spring. Eternal Youth”, which, through music and storytelling, reveals the idea of Latvia’s awakening, generational inheritance and eternal youth. It is the story of 4 May: spring not only in nature, but also in the destiny of our country. And spring is eternal rebirth, return, and youth. In this concert story, we see ourselves, our country, our ancestors and our children through the prism of spring and youth. Our ancestors were young before they were old. And symbolically, they will always remain so. Their courage, their youthful ideals, their dream of a free Latvia – they continue in us and in the generations after us. As the eternal engine that makes us strong, proud, hardworking, curious and passionate.
It features such outstanding Latvian artists as Intars Busulis, Andris Sējāns, Reinis Sējāns, Andrejs Reinis Zitmanis, Raimonds Tiguls, vocal group Latvian Voices, children’s vocal studio Knīpas un knauķi, Emīls Dārziņš Mixed Choir, Rūdolfs Ozols (guitar), Valters Sprūdžs (bass guitar), Rūdolfs Dankfelds (drums), Līga Griķe (concert kokle), Mārtiņš Miļevskis (drums and percussion), Ieva Nīmane (bagpipes, pipes, kokle), and Kaspars Bārbals (bagpipes). Concert story master and soloist Agnese Budovska. The programme highlights intergenerational succession – a living link between past, present and future.
Celebration concerts in the neighbourhoods
Various events dedicated to the anniversary of Latvia’s restoration of its independence will also take place in the neighbourhoods. From 15.00 to 16.30, the VEF Culture Palace will host the concert “Pūt, vējiņi!” with the participation of the Riga Orchestra, the Riga Chamber Choir Ave Sol, soloists Ieva Parša and Gundars Dziļums, as well as conductor Valdis Butāns.
At 16.00, everyone is invited to the festive concert “Valodiņa” at the Culture Centre Imanta, featuring a concert programme by Mārtiņš Kanters, specially dedicated to this celebration. Alongside the singer’s best-known songs, the programme includes compositions by Latvian composers who have strengthened our nation’s self-confidence through different times and fates. It will be a musical story about home, language and the unchanging foundation of values that we celebrate every year on this day.
At 16.00 at the Culture Palace Ziemeļblāzma, you can enjoy the music of the ethnogroup Ogas at the concert “Rokam!” The programme will be interesting for listeners of all tastes – lovers of folk and world music, rock or ballads.
At 19.00, the Culture Centre Iļģuciems will host a concert “Dainu parafrāzes” with the trio AKA by Aleksandra Špicberga. The programme intertwines Latvian folk songs and popular Latvian melodies. The concert will feature original songs inspired by folklore and jazz, arrangements of folk songs, as well as pieces by Latvian composers interpreted by the musicians of AKA.
Free invitations to these events will be available from 27 April at 10:00 at Biļešu paradīze ticket offices and online.
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.
