Upcoming events

Riga dancers' festival to gather a record-high number of participants

On June 7, Arena Riga hall will host the Riga Dancers’ Festival, the largest dance festival in Riga both in terms of the number of participants and the dance repertoire that will be performed. More than 1,800 participants, representing 49 dance groups from Riga will present popular dance favourites along with brand new award-winning choreographies.

Exhibition "Isaiah Berlin and Riga of his time"

Exhibition "Isaiah Berlin and Riga of his time" is open at the Latvian National Library at 14 Kr.Barona Street, presenting artifacts witnessing about life and work of the Riga-born philosopher Isiah Berlin (1909-1997). The exhibition also provides a broader insight in the historic and cultural environment of Riga as it was in the beginning of the 20th century, focusing on the life of Jewish community in Riga. 
The exhibition can be viewed electronically at http://berlins.lnb.lv. More information about events, dedicated to Isaiah Berlin's anniversary, can be found at www.berlininriga.com.

Contemporary dance festival, featuring performances, film screenings and dance workshops

The International Contemporary Dance Festival Laiks dejot 2009 will run in Riga from June 4 through June 12, at three venues - the Dailes Theater, the Riga Art Space and the Riga School of Choreography; this year the festival's principal focus will be on Russian contemporary dance. 

Tickets for Rīgas Ritmi 2009 go on sale

Tickets are now on sale for the concerts of the International Music Festival Rīgas Ritmi 2009. For the ninth year in a row, the festival brings the best of jazz and world music to the audience and music lovers in Riga. Riga Congress Center will be the festival's central venue.
Programme highlights:
July 1: Markus Stochausen "Electric Treasures" and Chico Chagas & Dave O'Higgins Band
July 2: Yamandu Costa and Maria Joao & Mario Laginha
July 3: Marilyn Mazur "Celestial Circles" and Eldar Trio
July 4: Vinx and Grace Kelly Quintet

Rīgas Ritmi 2009 run from June 29 through July 5, presenting over 20 concerts. Tickets can be purchased at all Biļešu serviss ticket outlets and at www.bilesuserviss.lv
More information about the festival and about special ticket offers at www.rigasritmi.lv

Brilliant soloists to perform at the Riga Opera Festival

The 12th Riga Opera Festival will run from June 2 to June 14. This year's festival highlights: brilliant soloists, return of the opera The Flying Dutchman on LNO's stage and a performance of A.Dvorak's Requiem. 
links: http://www.opera.lv/opera.php?lang=2 

Art Nouveau Museum opened in Riga

An Art Nouveau Museum has been opened in Riga, at 12 Alberta Street. The building, where the museum's premises are located, was designed by the talented, outstanding Latvian architect Konstantīns Pēkšēns and the museum is now set up inside the apartment, where the architect used to live. Now the first stage of the Art Nouveau Museum has been completed and is open for public access, visitors have a chance to see the apartment's authentically renovated and furnished antechamber, salon with bay windows, fireplace room and an exhibition of furniture and household objects.
The museum's opening event will take place at 4 p.m. on April 25, admission will be free on the day of opening.
Access to the museum is from the Strēlnieku Street. After April 25, the admission fee will be LVL 1, no entry fee for children.
Links: http://www.jugendstils.riga.lv

POSITIVUS FESTIVAL 2009 finally goes on sale

The festival will take place in 17-18 July, 2009 in Salacgriva. It is the largest music festival in Baltics and in 2008 two festival days gathered 18 000 festival goers.
Tickets publicly available from Thursday, October 30. 2 day ticket will cost 25 LVL (28.50 LVL with camping).
Although the next festival's programm will be vener wider, the ticket prices will remain the same as in 2008. Ticket prices will be risen just shortly before the festival in 2009.
All the best from last years festival will be kept in 2009 as well as. 2009 will see more new European bands invited to the festival. The organisers will focus more on other activities besides the main stages - theatre, cinema and cirques that together with stars on the main stages makes the special atmosphere of the POSITIVUS FESTIVAL valued by not only Latvian, but also European festival goers.

About Riga

Riga, the capital of Latvia, was officially founded in 1201. Riga is divided into six administrative districts: Centra, Kurzeme, Ziemeļu, Latgale, Vidzeme and Zemgale districts.

Riga is located along the Baltic Sea at the southern coast of the Gulf of Riga, on the Rigava coastal plain. The historical core of Riga is situated on the right bank of the Daugava River, about 10 kilometers from where the Daugava flows into the Gulf of Riga. The natural terrain of this area is a flat and sandy plain, about 1 to 10 meters above the sea level.

Climate in Riga is influenced by its proximity to the sea; therefore it is moderately warm and humid. Summers are comparatively cool and cloudy (average temperature in July +16.9 C; average precipitation (rainfall) – 85 mm). Winters are comparatively warm with frequent thaws (average temperature in January – 4,7 C, thaw days are about 10 days a month). Snow cover forms in the middle of December and remain through the middle of March. About 40% of the days in a year are cloudy (overcast), average precipitation – 700-720 mm a year.