The Jāņu riti festival, one of the largest pre-Ligo events in the capital, continues in Victory Park in Riga. The celebration will last until two in the morning, and its main events are still ahead — a concert, the lighting of the Jāņi bonfire, and folk festivities.
On Friday, June 20, Victory Park in Riga became one of the main venues for the celebration of Ligo. A large-scale event "Jāņu riti" is taking place here, gathering folklore groups, artisans, musicians, dancers, and guests from across the capital.
The festive program started at 3:00 PM and will continue until late at night. Throughout the day, visitors can learn about the traditions of Jāņi, participate in workshops, and purchase products from artisans and local producers at the fair.
Special activities are organized for families with children, and food stalls are available on the festival grounds. Simultaneously, demonstrations of traditional crafts and various thematic activities dedicated to Latvian folk traditions are taking place.
Music from different historical and cultural regions of Latvia is performed on the main stage. The concert "Novadu riti" showcases the folklore traditions of Riga, Kurzeme, Vidzeme, Latgale, Augšzeme, and Zemgale.
The evening part of the program is considered one of the most anticipated. At 9:00 PM, the decoration of the Jāņi bonfire will take place, followed by a performance by the band "Zāle," where the audience can join in singing together.
One of the central events of the festival will be a concert-performance by the dance ensemble "Daiļrade," which is celebrating its 35th anniversary. The performance will start at 11:00 PM.
After midnight, festival participants will gather for the traditional ritual of lighting the Jāņi bonfire. The festivities will then continue with folk dances to the music of the band "Rikši."
The main events of the "Jāņu riti" festival are still ahead, and Victory Park will continue to welcome guests until the early hours of the morning.
The organizers urged visitors to come to the festival in folk costumes or modern clothing with ethnographic elements to become part of the overall celebration of Ligo.
We invite you to view photos from the event taken by the LETA agency, which is currently ongoing in Victory Park.
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