I realize that 2009 has barely started but our family is planning to visit Latvija in 2010. Are there any festivals (song/dance) being planned for 2010?

Paldies,
jekabs

http://www.istc.org/sisp/index.htm?fx=event.search&loc_id=134417

check this out, arts or no arts.

It depends what you mean by festivals.  If you mean huge events like the song festival, Eurovision or world ice hockey championships then I think you will be disappointed.  However, there is a broad range of annual frstivals to suit every taste.  Every town has a town festival, there are a number of music festivals in Riga, Sigulda, Cesis and elsewhere, there are crafts festivals, beach festivals and a huge number of local concerts, theatre performances and general entertainment.  I expect some town will celebrate 800 years because since Riga 800 in 2001 there have been several other towns celebrating 800 years.

Whereas the huge international events receive much publicity, well in advance, the local events tend to be publicised on local websites and newsletters only a short while in advance.  It can take some research, but the rewards are great.

Sincve writing my earlier reply in June I have become aware of the youth song festival in Riga 2-11 July this year. http://www.visc.gov.lv/intizglitiba/dziesmusv/norise.shtml I will be there for a few days, at least.

Hi!  Good to see you here again and good for you to be attending this youth festival in Riga.  Do check in now and then and do let us know how it goes!

Irena

Not festivals per se, but if you want to sing a lot & dance too, go to any of the 3x3 camps

see http://www.3x3.lv

Hi Irena & Ilze. I do seem to be an infrequent visitor to these forums these days, mainly due to time constraints. I was over in Latvia for Jani and had a great time, despite bad weather. I fly over again on Wednesday for a few days of the youth song and dance festival and better weather is forecast.

Thw 3X3 camps are a bit of a problem for us Brits. Our school term only ends 23 July and so my son is not yet on vacation when the Latvian 3X3 camps are held. He is now nearly 8 years old and still speaks very little Latvian so I guess we have given up on the idea of 3X3 camps for our family.

Although life in Canterbury, UK, is very interesting, I am constantly planning and looking forward to my next trip to Latvia. It is now even easier to keep up to date now there is wider coverage of Latvian TV on the internet worldwide.

There is a 3x3 camp in England ( no 25. līdz 31. jūlijam, vad.  Rita Harrison, Ingrīda Dzeriņa, Monika Hall, Ilze Kadeģe ) and it seems to me it might be in English??  Not sure, though.

That’s true and these 3X3 in England were very popular before 1991 which is before I was involved in Latvian matters. Call me old fashioned but I prefer to go to Latvia for summer holidays rather than stay a week longer in the UK. We may do the UK thing at some point, maybe when I am a pensionar and time is less pressing.