Riga City Festival
Riga is celebrating from August 19 to August 20 with music, dancing, sports and much more. Click HERE for more (English-language event descriptions are available too).
Remember that several road closures will be in effect, particularly along 11 November embankment. On the other hand, public transport (buses, trolleybuses and trams, but not trains) will be available to everyone free of charge on both August 19 and 20.
Festival Piens
Those of a more alternative bent, whatever that means, will surely appreciate the Piens Festival taking place in Riga's hip venue Piens ('Milk').
On Saturday night Ilya Lagutenko of Mumiy Troll fame will give a star performance with the Space Flight audio visual project, while on Sunday night Shipsea and his associates from Nepāriet will perform classic pieces by composer Imants Kalniņš in a performance titled ImKa. Shipsea. Nepāriet.
Latvian bands Pērkons, Ezeri, Polifauna, 100 baltas dvēseles, Jāņa Ruņģa klātbūtne, Pacific K, as well as rapper ansis, folk singers Lukass Edgars and Martin Confused, and pianist Jānis Ozoliņš performing études by Phillip Glass.
Sing for Finland
The Nordic and Baltic Youth Symphony Orchestra concert celebrates the 100th anniversary of Finland with a series of concerts by the name Orkester Norden ’17 celebrates Finland.
Conductor Johannes Gustavsson will lead the orchestra through pieces including Sibelius, Byström, and Elgar. Soloists are world-famous soprano Susanna Andersson and cellist Jakob Koranyi.
The concert takes place in Jūrmala's Dzintaru hall at 7 p.m. August 20.
