As expected, demand was immediately massive and social media were filled with tales of people waiting in lines for tickets, both online and in real life at approved ticket offices.
The tickets will be sold through the Bilesu Paradize ticket system and the hashtags #bilesuparadize and #DzSv show many responses from those wishing to purchase tickets.
Despite measures to reduce ticket-touting, there were also tickets appearing for re-sale or exchange immediately via online ads sites.
There was also a falling-out between the organizers of the festival and the ticket agency over a surcharge the agency was applying to online purchases, dubbed an "internet store usage fee" and applied on top of the face value of the ticket.
No more than four tickets will be available to one buyer at a time when buying at the box office, and no more than eight when buying on-line.
The festival will be free for children up to seven, and all Song and Dance Festival participants will be able to watch the closing concert at the Mezaparks Grand Stage free of charge.
The festival's program includes a total of 63 events, concerts and performances, of which two-thirds will be free. In addition, many of the festival's concerts will be aired on Latvian Television, said Latvian National Center for Culture.
The total number of invitations to the Song and Dance Festival will not exceed 2 percent of the total number of tickets.
The Song and Dance Festival will run from June 30 to July 8 in Riga.
