Latvia is a country for thoose who want to get the feeling as they're the
first to discover a destination. The long years of Russian communism regime kept the country away from the
large-scale tourist attention. Today, after 20 years of freedom, Latvia still
reveals an unpretentious and serene image of enigmatic beauty.
Traditional Celebrations – Following the Signs of Nature
Long dark winters mark the Latvian people lives, while summertime brings the opportunity to express the joy to be alive, with vibrant traditional festivals. The most important feast is Janu Diena (St. John's Day) – the Midsummer Celebrations, taking place in June, when nights get longer, all around the Baltic region. It is the time when magic twilight comes right after midnight, and people gather for all-night parties, in a fantastic atmosphere of singing and dancing around fires, wearing flowers, drinking beer, and eating traditional cheeses (with caraway).
The
Apjumibas Rudenaji Festival marks the ending of the agricultural year and and it's celebrated
at the end of September three days before the Autumn Equinox. A clump of uncut grain is left on the field and pressed into the soil, allowing Jumis, the spirit of fertility, to go back in
the earth and revive the next harvest. In urban areas Apjumibas is celebrated with big gatherings at home, serving home-made bread, meat and beer. If you're lucky to be invited by friends, you'll get the chance to taste delicious traditional gastronomy in a joyful atmosphere.
Visiting Latvia in wintertime is not an easy thing to do, but it offers you the opportunity to attend one of the few traditional feasts of December – Ziemassvetki, celebrating the winter solstice and the birth of Dievs, a mythological Latvian god with plenty of food and drinks served around the fire that will burn all the unhappiness of the previous year.
Art Festivals
Music, dance and cinema, they are all celebrated during summertime and early fall, especially in Riga. The season of events is opened with the International Baltic Ballet Festival in April-May, gathering renowned artists, with performances taking place throughout the city. September brings the Bildes Festival, an innovative art and music festival in Riga, where organisers invite visitors and artists to try their hand in creating festival artwork.
Again it's Riga that awakens the child in you at Bimini, The International Festival of Animation, at
the Coca-Cola Plaza Cinema, for a entire week in October.
The art events and the vibrating capital of Riga are the bridge to the modern world, and soon enough the mesmerising nature-related traditions, and the unspoiled nature will gain more and more attention. Fascinated by the untravelled countries charm? Hurry up and plan
to come Latvia!