On 17 and 18 August the inhabitants and guests of Riga are invited to the main event of Riga Festival at the 11th November Embankment. You will be able to explore and experience the city legends, tales and stories, learn about the rich history of the capital of Latvia and enjoy a colourful culture programme.
This year Riga Festival is devoted to Riga’s legends as legends and presence of history can be felt in every step of the narrow Old Town streets, in its ancient buildings and come to life always when Riga celebrates its festival.
On 17 and 18 August the inhabitants and guests of Riga are invited to the main event of Riga Festival at the 11th November Embankment. You will be able to explore and experience the city legends, tales and stories, learn about the rich history of the capital of Latvia and enjoy a colourful culture programme.
On Saturday, 17 August, from 13.00 to 23.15 there will be event “CITY LEGENDS. MEETINGS OF LEGENDS”. During the event the visitors will learn the most popular legends of Riga and tales about the rise of Riga to learn if Riga is ready, about Riga’s hills and neighbourhoods, underground passages beneath the Daugava River, about the defenders of the city, its ghosts, the first Christmas tree, Big Christopher and legendary personalities. Helping to explore and make the legends alive will be DJ [Ex] da Bass, bands “The Rolltones”, “Trio 3 LIVE PROJECT”, “Laime Pilnīga”, “Indygo”, “Laika Suns”, Līga Rīdere with the accompanying band and Chris Noah. The event will be hosted by Aivis Ceriņš and Mārtiņš Kozlovskis.
At 21.30 there will be a grand concert “STUDENT LEGENDS OF A CITY” devoted to the legendary students of Riga. It has been a hundred years now since Riga can boast of being the city of students. This year three higher education institutions of Riga – the University of Latvia, Art Academy of Latvia and Jāzeps Vītols Academy of Music – celebrate a 100-year anniversary. The history of Riga Technical University, Riga Dome School and Latvian Maritime Academy can be traced even further into the past. Student life has always been legendary, there are many tales about it, however, they have always been superseded by the values linking the students and the core nature of the university: to discover, open and express the world. Riga as the student capital of Latvia has always lived along with the student spirit, which together with the old legends and ancient origin grants the city also the aura of eternal youth and mischief. The evening concert will be a musical trip into those values from the student perspective and their path into the future along the perceived ladder of growth.
The musical programme will consist of the songs and musical pieces of different ages that have been popular and are well-known also today among students. They will be performed by soloists Ieva Akuratere, Ginta Krievkalna, Antra Stafecka, Raimonds Bartaševičs, Ralfs Eilands, Daumants Kalniņš, Viktors Lapčenoks, Zigfrīds Muktupāvels, Ģirts Rozentāls (OZOLS), Mārtiņš Ruskis and Kaspars Upaciers (UFO), Riga Chamber Choir AVE SOL, instrumental band led by Kristaps Krievkalns, Festival orchestra and dance group led by Inga Kurciša, director Kārlis Anitens.
The concert show will be hosted by Gundars Āboliņš. Its artistic director is Romāns Vanags.
The concert will finish at around 23.00 with the FESTIVAL FIREWORKS.
On the side of the Akmens Bridge, for the whole day there will be a crafts market and mobile cafeterias. The visitors will also see sculptural object “Riga” and sand sculpture “The Sailing Ship”.
However, on Sunday, 18 August from 12.00 to 18.00 there will be event “City Tales. Our Tales”, where different activities will take place hosted by Ieva Florence and Oskars Vīksne. Particularly welcome to the activities are families, children and youth.
With the assistance of duo “Signe un Jānis” and their accompanying band it will be possible to measure Riga with an oxhide. “The Originals” band will help to learn the tale about the roosters on the spires of Riga and find the big devil’s s rock. The event will also feature the dance show “The tales of Riga’s Hills” performed by dance groups “Teiksma”, “Ačkups” and “Vektors” under the guidance of choreographer Jānis Ērglis and choir “Anima” with its conductor Laura Leontjeva, the whole show will be directed by Reinis Suhanovs. It will be followed by Riga’s Youth Tales – it might happen that some from the things young people do these days will once become legends or tales therefore the big stage will offer the time for absolute freedom under the guidance of DJ Ex [Da] Bass: showing “shuffles” and “boards”. Accompanied by music, Riga Circus Studio “Jaunība” will demonstrate the best pieces from its repertoire. The smallest participants of the event will gain particular joy from the colourful parade of giant puppets and talismans. The programme will be concluded with the story about the Symbols of Riga created during the creative workshops over the day. The colours will be added to the story by band “Dziļi Violets”.
Like on Saturday, also on Sunday there will be a crafts market and mobile cafeterias on the side of the Akmens Bridge. It will be possible to participate in activities, like upholstering sculpture object „Riga” with the strips of an “oxhide”, laying the silhouettes of Riga spire roosters with painted pebbles, Big Christopher’s Hopscotch Championship and creation of small sand sculpture under the supervision by Professional sculptors.
Director of the event – Kārlis Anitens, scenographer – Kristaps Skulte, videoartists – Māris Mīlgrāvis and Rihards Gēcis.
Riga Festival is offered by Riga City Council in cooperation with Riga Freeport Authority and foundation “Riga Tourism Development Office”. The Festival is organized by the Education, Culture and Sports Department of Riga City Council together with other participants of the event – enterprises and NGOs.
For more details about the Festival “RIGA’S LEGENDS AND TALES” on the 11th November Embankment please visit the website: www.rigassvetki.lv.
The topicalities of the event will also be published in social network profiles: www.twitter.com/rigassvetki, www.facebook.com/RigasSvetki and www.instagram.com/rigas_svetki.
All events at the 11th November Embankment are public, they will be photographed and filmed. The acquired photos and videos may be used for public awareness and publicity purposes. For more information: https://kulturasapvieniba.riga.lv/lv/publicitate/.
During the Festival days – on 17 and 18 – public transport in Riga will be free of charge.
Information was prepared by:
Vineta Žilinska,
Media and Communications Project Manager
Association of Culture Institutions of Riga City Council.
Telephone: 67012551
E-mail: vineta.zilinska@riga.lv