Talking by the lamplight
The second annual LAMPA conversation festival takes place at the Cēsis Castle Park from Friday morning to Saturday evening.
In addition to the precious chance to see politicians being roasted on stage--pleasing by any means, even if your Latvian is rusty--the most talkative festival in Latvia offers workshops in critical thinking and public speaking, breathing masterclasses, public debate and more, and it's all for free!
Though the operative language is Latvian, you'll find that many visitors excel at foreign languages as well.
Jazz in Rīga
The Rīgas Ritmi festival is taking course over the week in the Latvian capital, with the largest events conveniently packed for Friday and Saturday. Among absolute must-sees are Saturday's Justin Kauflin concert, interspersed with jazzy interpretations of Latvian folk songs, performed by the Latvian Radio Big Band and arranged by James Morrison.
While some of the concerts have been sold out, there are some tickets left for the Kauflin concert and Friday's performance at 7 p.m. by Cainã Cavalcante & Michael Pipoquinha Yilian Cañizares.
Here's the schedule, which includes some freebies as well.
Photos of People
Ansis Starks' photos of people can be seen in two exhibitions in Rīga, one at the Dubulti Art Station in Jūrmala, and another at the Vasaras Maja art gallery.
The Portraits RL exhibition features the photographer's work for the highbrow Rīgas Laiks cultural magazine, which recently started releasing an English-language edition. The exhibition features more than 200 portraits of some 36 people.
While Pāri (Across) at the Vasaras Maja is dedicated to the late Ilmārs Blumbergs whom Starks photographed for the magazine in 2013 in connection with Blumbergs' exhibition "I won't die".
