Carnival for the Poor
The Kaņepes Culture Center on February 19 will host a carnival for poor people. The organizers invite visitors to "put on a mask, dance, meet new friends, relax" and do other things.
It will feature the synthpop duo Tehnikums, the German 'one-man music machine' Stephen Paul Taylor, and local DJ Oriole who will make sure you're well-accompanied for dancing.
Visitors have to wear masks. The cover is really cheap (€3), perhaps as a reaction to a much larger and perhaps a bit more bourgeoisie festival...
Art Academy Carnival
The 78th Art Academy Carnival on February 19 will change the Latvian Academy of Arts beyond recognition, with numerous professional and amateur artists in attendance. For many in Rīga being there is just about mandatory.
This year the carnival turns into a "Virtual Paradise Garden" where "Adam finds himself together with Eve in a chat room," while around them is a cyber snake out to corrupt their minds...
It will feature renowned and up-and-coming musicians and artists from across the world an Latvia, inviting visitors to also participate in workshops and enjoy the beautiful look of the place, decorated by the young and talented artists themselves.
It starts at 8pm and goes well into the wee hours, and it seems that you don't have to wear a mask to enter - perhaps this is the mask-less festival from the song!
Put back the 'carne' in Carnival!
Carne is the Latin word for flesh, and a possible root word for 'Carnival'. Now there are carnivals related to naked flesh and things adults do to one another's flesh.
Erots styles itself as "the only erotica festival in the Baltic countries" and will from February 19 to 20 feature pornstars, strip shows and other things many adults like.
A Festival by the TV
Though not featuring too many masks, on February 21 at 9.25pm participants of the 'Supernova' show will put on their best act on for the viewers and jury who will pick four performers to be given a chance to continue the fight for Eurovision glory.
Luminary Justs will try to win the people's hearts with Heartbeat, while the metal act Catalepsia will choose quite a different path with their song Damnation.
Markus Riva will once again perform his essentially optimistic I Can, while MyRadiantU will try to charm with We Will Be Stars and Marta Ritova will put on an out-of-this-world performance with Not From This World.
Ivo Grīsniņš-Grīslis will perform We Are The Light and Marta Grigale will be performing Choices.
Inside sources - well, actually, our culture editor's hunch about what he's seeing in social networks - say that the fiercest fight will be between the supporters of Markus Riva and Justs.
The finals will be broadcast on February 28. Watch online at replay.lv.
