May 4 celebration events program for Rīga released

Rīga City Council has published details of events it has planned to mark Latvia's restoration of independence day on May 4.

Events will take place under the slogan "You also matter" and posters featuring black and white portraits will be used on posters aroud the city to publicise events, which will include:

  • Near the Freedom Monument - environmental object "Flowers of Latvia", brass band parade and ceremonial laying of flowers
    • at 10:00 a.m. , every resident of Riga and city guest is invited to participate in the traditional making of "Flowers of Latvia" at the Freedom Monument. The spring flowers brought by people will be wrapped in a common outline of Latvia throughout the day. The finished "Flower Latvia" can also be viewed on May 5.
    • at 12.00 a parade program will be held in the Freedom Square, during which Latvian school brass bands will demonstrate their musical and parade skills to Riga residents and visitors to the city. At the end of the event, the combined orchestra, gathering around 300 young musicians, will play together.
    • at 14.00, a solemn flower-laying ceremony will take place at the Freedom Monument.
  • In the Town Hall Square - "Put on folk costume in honor of Latvia"
    • Celebrating the 33rd anniversary of the restoration of the independence of the Republic of Latvia, the Culture and Folk Art Center "Ritums" in cooperation with the Folk Costume Center "Senā klēts" invites you to put on a folk costume in honor of Latvia and participate in the traditional folk costume parade, place flowers at the Freedom Monument, and afterwards to attend a festive concert.
    • at 13.00 there will be a gathering for the procession in the Town Hall Square.
    • at 14:30 the procession from Rātslaukum along Kalķu Street will lead to Brīvības Square, where at 15.00 there will be a ceremonial laying of flowers.
    • From 15:30 concerts of the group "Auļi", Katrīna Dimantas, and ethno-folk group "TKP" will take place in the Town Hall Square.
  • In Independence Square - Latvian flowers for the freedom of Ukraine
    • at 11:00, supporting Ukraine in its defense of independence, the Riga City Council, the Saeima of the Republic of Lithuania and the May 4th Declaration Club invite you to the campaign "Latvian flowers for the freedom of Ukraine", during which blue and yellow flowers prepared by the municipal company "Rīgas Meži" will be planted.
  • Concert on the Esplanade
    • at 17.00 there will be a grand festive concert featuring Alice Joste, Goran Gora, the groups "Zāle", "Chipsis un dullais", and "Laika suns", and the evening concert will be closed by the group "Turaidas Roze". It will also be possible to watch the concert live on the Riga City Council's Facebook account .
  • Celebrations in Nordeķu Park, Vērmanes Garden and Latgale Park
    • at 12.00 creative workshops for the whole family "Create a green Latvia!" will be held in Nordeķu Park and Latgale Park.
    • at 13.00 Vērmanes garden will host a game day for children, during which children and young people will be introduced to the work of poet Imants Ziedonis.
  • Movie marathon and documentary cinema
    • The May 4 Latvian film marathon organized by the National Cinema Center traditionally takes place in the "Splendid Palace" cinema as a National Holiday gift to Riga residents and city guests - free film screenings in two cinema halls throughout the day and an open-air screening at the end of the evening. On the day of the national holiday, the National Cinema Center offers free screenings of Latvian films in the Kokaru Hall of the Mežaparks Grand Stage, in the Riga Culture and Leisure Center "Imanta", in the Riga Culture Center "Iļguciems" and in the Palace of Culture "Ziemeļblāzma".
  • A wide program of concerts
    • In the Great Hall of the Latvian Academy of Music of Jāzeps Vītolas, you can enjoy the performance of the Riga Chamber Choir "Ave Sol" in the concert "Zeme", 
    • In the "Ziemeļblāzma" Palace of Culture, the "From Vītols to Pauls" concert will be performed by "Rīga" Orchestra,
    • At the VEF Culture Palace, the group "Tautumeitas" will give a concert.
    • In the Riga Culture and Folk Art Center "Mazā gilde" there will be a festive concert "Savā tautā" with the participation of the youth choir "Voices",
    • The concert "Your words are strong words" will be held in the Riga Culture and Leisure Center "Imanta", in which singer Igo will participate.
  • Exhibitions
    • From April 29 to May 7, you will be able to view the digital exhibition "Children Draw Latvia" in the windows of the Riga Culture and Folk Art Center "Mazā gilde",
    • The National History Museum of Latvia and the Riga Art Nouveau Center museum will host various exhibitions and thematic excursions.

All events in Riga can be found on the website svetki.riga.lv , as well as follow the "What's happening in Riga " social network page .

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