Events guide: The mystery of what to do this weekend!

Take note – story published 8 years ago

Time to hit the ground running to gear up for the summer season while pondering some of life's mysteries!

Time to hit the ground running to gear up for the summer season!

Grainy mysteries: Sandy arts show in Jelgava

Jelgava has already been the scene for several days of future visions carefully being sculpted into marvelous sand (900 tons of it, in fact) art. You guessed right – it’s the 9th International Sand Sculpture Festival Summer Signs 2015 going on this very weekend from May 23 to 24.

Naturally the theme is the city’s amazing 750-year founding anniversary, but guest artists competing in this year’s sand fest come from Lithuania and Estonia and Russia next door, as well as Ukraine, Poland, Finland, Hungary, France, Bulgaria, Turkey and China from farther away.

Latvia’s adopted Sicilian Roberto Meloni, raucous everbillies Big Al&The Jokers and emeritus synth-pop stars Jumprava will perform on Saturday.

The line-up Sunday continues with new band contest-winners UMAY, Antra Stafecka and mega-earnest falsetto-rock balladeers The Sound Poets.

Not to mention lots to do for the kids.

Spa-town mysteries:  Jūrmala’s sunny beaches beckon fun-seekers and concert-connoisseurs

Saturday Jūrmala inaugurates its summer season with the Spa Celebrations (even though beaches have been open since May 15, officially).

Finally the town council managed to set the festivities up on the beach this time, taking their cue from beach-town party-throwing exemplars Liepāja and Ventspils. Things kick off with a traditional celebration march from Dzintars Woods Park down to the beach at Majori, where the official Blue Flag (for swimming health safety) will be raised, to bring the number of sanctioned swim-pure waters to five locations down the extended shoreline.

Latvia’s leading pop innovators Instrumenti will perform after a day full of fun stuff to do, especially sports activities like the beach volleyball tournee.

Already Friday night the concert program of the newly-relaunched Dzintars concert hall’s small auditorium kicks off with the concert titled Mozart&Mozart to feature the Sinfonietta Riga, Dom Boys’ Choir and Inga Šļubovska. Saturday accordion star Ksenija Sidorova, Kirils Burlovs and friends will tell Tango Stories, and Sunday the Jurmala Dance Collective with show Amber Dance Signs.

Mysteries of the ‘hoods – Rīga’s neighborhoods attract all kinds

All day Saturday the Left Bank of Pārdaugava celebrates at its picturesque Arkādijas Park and its surroundings from 12 until 23. Over the Māra Pond a fireworks display will bring back memories of the Awakening’s iconic rock pioneer pyro-technicians Pērkons.

The Kalnciems quarter meanwhile from 10 until 16 on Saturday invites all neighborly-feeling folks to visit for a string of concerts, dances, yoga activities, workshops for all ages, excursions led by guides and the traditional farmers and crafts market.

Back downtown the hipster-certified neighborhood of Miera iela (Peace Street, for English-speakers) and the upcoming Avotu iela district are throwing special parties full of attractions that shouldn’t be missed if you’re in the area. For instance, at 14:00 at the Miera iela site the new-folk collective Pērkonvīri mark the release of their brand new concept album-folktale Dindaru.

Mysteries of springtime nights –

On Friday night at 21:00 at the University of Latvia Grand Hall the mixed choir Juventus, cello-tronica troupe DaGamba and DJ Rudd are taking on a colorful night concert experience with a kaleidoscopic list of composers from Vasks to Orff, Prokofiev to St.Saens.

On their part, the Valka district folk-dancing community is hosting a grand-scale concert show called Mysteries of a Spring Night, featuring the local traditions, especially.

Afterwards a classic Latvian open-air dance.

Mystery of Aminata - watch LIVE on LTV1 Saturday night.

 

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