Ventspils City Festival 700+34 programme – blooming, colourful and sonorous
Ventspils will celebrate its 700+34th birthday on the first weekend of August. Three days of concerts, exhibitions, art performances, sports activities, delicious and blooming surprises. Saturday, 3 August will end with fireworks on the Ostas Street Promenade, which is particularly magnificent in the reflection of the River Venta waters. The Festival’s concerts will feature musicians from as far afield as South America, music superpower Great Britain and neighbouring Lithuania, as well as the most popular Latvian and local Ventspils artists. The world will be watching the Olympic Games with bated breath, and the streets, squares and parks of Ventspils will be packed with people to enjoy some of the wide range of events on offer.
| VENTSPILS CITY FESTIVAL 700+34 PROGRAMME: HERE | ||
| Thursday, 1 August – warm-up | ||
| 19.00 | Festive warm-up concert ROCK BALLADS. SUNSET STRIP | Theatre House “Jūras vārti” |
| The concert will be performed by the VENTSPILS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA, the mixed choir VENTSPILS, soloists AIJA VĪTOLIŅA, ATIS IEVIŅŠ, ERVĪNS RAMIŅŠ and ATIS ZVIEDRIS. Conductor AIGARS MERI. | ||
| The programme includes legendary songs by Guns n’ Roses, Bon Jovi, Cinderella, Poison, Aerosmith, Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Mr. Big, Skid Row, ballads by Joan Jett and other rock stars of the 70s and 80s. Ticket price: €10 – €15 (ticket pre-sale at “Biļešu paradīze” box offices and online) | ||
| Friday, 2 August – opening | ||
| 22nd INTERNATIONAL FLOWER CARPET FESTIVAL “Colourful Flower Games” | Big Square | |
| Making flower carpets. The rules of the Festival require each team to create one floral carpet in the shape of a circle with a diameter of 2.8 metres within 23 hours | ||
| 07.30 – 17.00 | City Festival Fair | Old Town Market Square |
| 10.30 | Meeting with the writer KRISTĪNE ULBERGA | H.Dorbe Memorial Museum |
| 11.00 | Liepāja Puppet Theatre performance in PII SPRĪDĪTIS | Pārventa Library |
| Ticket price 4 EUR, available at Pārventa Library | ||
| 12.00 – 17.00 | Creative workshop for children | Gāliņciems Library |
| Dreamcatcher workshop using natural and other materials | ||
| 19.00 – 21.30 | OPENING OF THE FESTIVAL and awarding ceremony of the City Council Grand Prize and awards | Amphitheater of the Concert Hall “Latvija” |
| Awarding ceremony and concert. Ceremony hosted by actor NORMUNDS LAIZĀNS. Music by singer AIJA VĪTOLIŅA and TANGO SIN QUINTO | ||
| FRIDAY EVENING AND NIGHT PROGRAMME | ||
| 21.00 – 01.00 | Beach Waterpark Whirlpool Night | Beach Waterpark |
| Night relaxation in the Waterpark’s pools, jacuzzis, saunas and on slides. Entrance fee € 8 | ||
| 21.00 | Sunset on the beach with DJ MAKREE | VIETA, KUR būt. |
| 21.00 – 01.00 | FESTIVE SPICES | Annas Street courtyard |
| A creative party in the unique courtyard of the Old Town. DJ SLĪMESTS SLAISTS will take care of the musical mood of the evening | ||
| 22.00 | Joint programme will be presented by Ventspils rapper MARCH and VENTSPILS JAZZ NONET | |
| 23.00 | Special guest – British DJ CHRIS ARNOLD with his project THE BEATLES DUB CLUB, which will take visitors on an exciting musical journey through his collection of cover versions, remixes and compositions, including the great The Beatles | |
| 24.00 | Audiovisual performance by the duo MONDAY IN SPACE | |
| 21.30 – 02.00 | OLD TOWN SCHLAGER BALL | Old Town Market Square |
| The Tavern “Karaliskā zoss” offers Old Town Schlager Ball with the band DAKOTA. Evening market, food, drinks and dancing | ||
| Saturday, 3 August – Festival events | ||
| BIG SQUARE | ||
| 22nd INTERNATIONAL FLOWER CARPET FESTIVAL “Colourful Flower Games” | ||
| Participants from all over the Baltics, whose artworks will grace the Big Square throughout the weekend. Everyone can vote for their favourite until 14.00 | ||
| 07.00 – 08.30 | WELCOMING THE SUN IN MOVEMENT AND SOUND | |
| Meditative musical programme LĪGA & BAHS with gong, wind chimes, singing bowls, kokle and countless percussion instruments. Exercise for body and mind, greeting the rising sun and the city, morning invigorating Masala chai tea | ||
| 09.00 – 17.00 | BALTIC DESIGN MARKET | |
| With the participation of nearly 50 of Latvia’s best fashion, jewellery and accessory designers, as well as guests from Lithuania and Estonia | ||
| 12.00 – 17.00 | Presentation of the latest cars by Moller Auto Ventspils | |
| 12.00 – 17.00 | CONCERT BY STUDENTS OF THE VENTSPILS MUSIC HIGH SCHOOL | |
| 12.00 | Young musicians from Ventspils Music High School SABĪNE MUSTERMANE and her band. Sabīne is a young singer and musician who released her debut album “Magnētiņi” at the end of last year | |
| 13.00 and 14.00 | The Big Square will be filled with the sounds of percussion instruments. Young percussionists will perform both solo and ensemble programmes | |
| 15.00 | Ventspils Music High School’s Wind Orchestra will perform a sonorous, colourful and varied programme | |
| 16.00 | The musical programme will be closed by EMĪLIJA JERMOLA (Emīlija Jermola trio). Emīlija is a young and promising musician who has just graduated from the Music High School in June and is actively creating her own music | |
| OLD TOWN | ||
| 07.30 – 17.00 | City Festival Fair | Old Town Market Square |
| 12.00 – 17.00 | FESTIVE SPICES | Annas Street courtyard |
| Creative activity in the Old Town courtyard. Vinyl record sales, the unique vegetarian cuisine and cocktails of the “Vārnu ielas republika”, specialcoffee from Closer Coffee Roasters, a street circus, musical programmes and a spiced treat for big and small | ||
| 12.00 | Percussionist NILS ĪLE and ethnopercussion group ZEMEDUNN | |
| 12.30 | “Roses in the Wind” by the travelling circus BEZTEMATA, featuring large-scale flowers and juggling wind | |
| 13.00 and 14.30 | DANTE PECOLLI will surprise with magic tricks | |
| 13.30 | ZEMEDUNN drumming with visitors | |
| 14.10 | Meet the Big Reptile and the Strange Eyes in BEZTEMATA performance “Creation of Life” | |
| 15.00 | The talented musician EMILIJA, known from the television show X Factor, with an acoustic programme | |
| 15.40 | Twins by twins and a monocycle in the Circus BEZTEMATA performance “Dual Nature” | |
| 16.00 | Songwriter and musician JURIS SIMANOVIČS, with the band BEZ GRĒKA IEŅEMTIE | |
| 12.00 – 15.00 | BOOK FESTIVAL | Town Hall Square |
| Informative and entertaining event “READ. THINK. DO. CELEBRATE!”. It will be hosted by EMĪLS and IEVA ĶIĢEĻI, the main characters of the TV programme “Mēs ar brāli kolosāli”. Find out more about European countries in the photo exhibition “Travels around Europe”. Let’s create our own celebration story “Latvia – EU”. Creative workshops, games and other activities will await children | ||
| 12.30 | Culture journalist LIEGA PIEŠIŅA will talk to writer LAURA VINOGRADOVA and blogger, traveller, book author ZANE ENIŅA. | |
| 13.45 | Let’s explore the flavours of Europe with culinary blogger PIPARS | |
| 14.15 | Launch of the book “Ventspilnieka ābece” | |
| 14.30 | Awarding the authors of the books of Ventspils state city and region and a musical greeting from the pop studio JŪRAS AKMENTIŅI | |
| 13.00 – 19.00 | COME. SEE. DISCOVER! | Livonian Order Castle |
| The Castle’s exposition is open. Exhibitions to see: MĀRIS ČAČKA “Reception” – painting and graphic art; “Ventspils Woman’s Wardrobe in the 1950s-1980s”; Medieval wooden games and tools of torture, thematic workshops in the Castle’s courtyard. Ticket price: € 2; € 5 | ||
| 13.00 – 15.00 | SEE at the Festival | House of Crafts |
| ELVITA ŠEPUTAITE (Klaipėda) paper art cut-out exhibition – masterclass. Ticket price: € 1; € 0.50 | ||
| OTHER LOCATIONS | ||
| 10.00 – 17.00 | RAITIS SILARĀJS 3X3 BASKETBALL CUP 2024 | 3×3 basketball courts, Brīvības iela 14 |
| 11.00 | FESTIVAL PROCESSION “BRIGHTER! FUNNIER! LOUDER!” | Lielais prospekts from Katoļu to Brīvības Street |
| Ventspils municipal and city private companies, services, institutions with attractive employee presentations and equipment parade | ||
| 12.00 | LATVIAN DRAG RACING FESTIVAL 2024 | Ventspils Airport |
| Possibly the biggest speed festival in the Baltics! The fastest drag racing cars from all over Europe, the Baltic Drag Racing Cup, the Lithuanian Championship, a large-scale car exhibition area with spectacular cars and bikes, shows and entertainment programmes for both adults and children. Tickets: www.aula.lv | ||
| 12.00 – 16.00 | TERRACE FESTIVAL “WISE. BRIGHT. CREATIVE!” | Science Centre VIZIUM |
| Technology workshops and other exciting activities for families and children on the VIZIUM terrace. DJ MAKREE will play music, students of MARIJAS DEJU STUDIJA will provide dance performances | ||
| 18.00 | Chamber music concert THREE PIANISTS for the 15th anniversary of the new building of the Pārventa Library | Pārventa Library |
| The concert features pianists ANDREJS MĀRTIŅŠ GRĪNBERGS, OLGA TRUBENKO and ENDIJS RENEMANIS. Free entrance | ||
| OSTAS STREET PROMENADE | ||
| 09.00 – 23.00 | Artisans’ market, the most delicious food and drinks, wide trade | Ostas Street Promenade |
| 09.00 – 19.00 | ANNELS playground for children | Square near Kurpnieku Street |
| 10.00 – 04.00 | EURO-LUNAPARK grand carousel park | Square between Lielā and Ūdens Street |
| 11.00 – 17.00 | Ancient car exhibition of the ANTIQUE AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF LATVIA | Promenade section from Ūdens to Jāņa Street |
| 13.00 – 16.00 | LATVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP FOR STRONGMEN | Square in front of the “Travelling Cow” |
| The last Championship round before the final will feature up to 10 athletes, as well as strongmen from Lithuania. Disciplines planned in stone lifting, relay, crucifix exercises, etc. | ||
| 12.00 – 17.00 | WATERFRONT MUSIC | The central stage of the Festival at the “Vecais Spīķeris” |
| 12.00 | Musical greeting to our city from the band JŪRAS AKMENTIŅI | |
| 12.30 | The mysterious artist ZEBRENE has created a joint program with Ventspils musicians especially for the Festival, performing such well-known hits as “Antidepresanti”, “Šamanis” and others | |
| 13.10 | Musician RAUM and backing band | |
| 14.00 | Concert by Lithuanian band PROPER HEAT. For more than 10 years, the trio of musicians from Vilnius has been delighting music lovers in Lithuania and other countries with its unique nu-disco, jazz and electronic sound, live saxophone parts and the distinctive vocals of soloist KAROLIS RAMOŠKA | |
| 15.00 | Awarding the winners of the Flower Carpet Festival, awarding the most interesting participants of the procession, honouring the winners of the competition CITY ORNAMENT 2024 | |
| 15.30 | Concert of CHRIS NOAH, popular musician in Latvia | |
| 20.00 – 23.00 | WATERFRONT EVENING | The central stage of the Festival at the “Vecais Spīķeris” |
| The hosts of the evening are a little romantic, vocally unbalanced, intoxicated by poetry, tamed by the warmth of your heart – actors of the duet GRABULIS – GINTS GRĀVELIS and ANDRIS BULIS | ||
| 20.10 | Concert by THE MARIACHIS | |
| Four musicians, originally from countries such as Mexico, Bolivia and Chile. Performed at major music festivals. In their repertoire, in the so-called mariachi style, the band performs the best known hits of the genre “La Cuccaracha”, “Bamboleo”, “La Bamba”, as well as mariachi cover versions of popular songs from around the world for a complete party atmosphere | ||
| 21.20 | Film “VENTSPILS 700+34” | |
| 21.30 | Concert by INTARS BUSULIS AND ABONEMENTA ORĶESTRIS | |
| The beloved musician Intars Busulis has prepared a programme of his greatest hits, including a new track from his latest album “Spēlē savā burvju flautā” | ||
| 22.55 | Festive address by the Chairman of Ventspils State City Council JĀNIS VĪTOLIŅŠ | |
| 23.00 | FESTIVE FIREWORKS | |
| NIGHT PROGRAMME OF THE FESTIVAL | ||
| 20.00 – 23.00 | Night trips with the locomotive MAZBĀNĪTIS | Seaside Open Air Museum – station of the locomotive Mazbānītis |
| Enjoying another era – a slow ride under the stars! Ticket price: € 2; € 4 | ||
| 21.00 – 01.00 | TOBOGGAN RIDE NIGHT | Adventure Park |
| 3Live Project and Latvian TOP DJ [EX] DA BASS. Rides on the largest illuminated toboggan track in the Baltics, attractions and entertainment. 3Live Project is an energetic trio of musicians, which is the result of the coming together of the popular DJ and radio voice – [EX] DA BASS, trumpet virtuoso and NORMUNDS PIESIS, as well as intuitive music artist – percussionist EINĀRS LATIŠEVS | ||
| 23.00 – 05.00 Entrance from 22.00 | NIGHT DANCES | Reņķa Garden |
| From midnight onwards, the masters of lyrical rock hits THE SOUND POETS, the best British Bon Jovi lookalikes BON GIOVI and one of the hottest new generation Latvian musicians FIŅĶIS with his band. DJ MĀRIS DADZIS (Kurzemes radio) in the introduction and breaks. Ticket price: €10 (ticket pre-sale at “Biļešu paradīze” box offices and online) | ||
| 24.00 – 06.00 | PARTY ON THE TERRACE | Ole Bar |
| DJ ZIGGY hosts the dances. Ticket price: 5 € | ||
| Sunday, 4 August – closing events | ||
| 07.30 – 15.00 | City Festival Fair | Old Town Market Square |
| 10:00 – 17:00 | Crafts Day: COME, SEE, DISCOVER! | Seaside Open Air Museum |
| Opening of the Kurzeme potters’ kiln with potters DUMPJI (supported by VKKF), EDVARDS STRAZDIŅŠ & GUNTARS RAČS in concert programme “365” and MAĢIE SUITI from Jūrkalne. Pāvilosta amateur theatre with a performance – “Wedding” by B.Jukņēvičs (dir. K.Skrulle), craftsmen, craft demonstrations, traders, games for children, rides with horses and the locomotive Mazbānītis, mini ZOO and other activities. Guided tours of the new museum exhibition. Ticket price: € 3; € 6 | ||
| 11.00 | Festive activities for children BEST MEMORIES | Children’s Town |
| Young visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy real summer fun – a Foam Party | ||
| Lidl x Lupilu Baby Crawling Championship: Exciting Lupilu crawl competition for the little ones to compete and win prizes. During the event you will have the opportunity to visit the Latvian Safer Internet Centre stand, which will provide useful information on internet safety for children and young people | ||
| 12.00 | LATVIAN DRAG RACING FESTIVAL 2024 | Ventspils Airport |
| Possibly the biggest speed festival in the Baltics! The fastest drag racing cars from all over Europe, the Baltic Drag Racing Cup, the Lithuanian Championship, a large-scale car exhibition area with spectacular cars and bikes, shows and entertainment programmes for both adults and children. Tickets: www.aula.lv | ||
| 13.00 | ANNIVERSARY PICNIC | Gāliņciems Library |
| Closing of the joint project “Knitted for Gāliņciems” – dressing of trees in knitted squares created by residents, workshop for children, music by VENTSPILS BLŪMĪZERISTI | ||
| 15.00 | Opening of MALDA PORNIECE’s exhibition “Tell me where the most beautiful land is…” | |
| 15.00 | MUSIC AT THE COURT OF PRUSSIA | Livonian Order Castle |
| Playing: MAIJA KĻAVIŅA, KRISTĪNE STUMBURE (transverse flute), NORA KALNIŅA (soprano), ELĪZA ČAŠA (baroque cello), GERTRUDA JERJOMENKO (harpsichord).Ticket price: € 2; € 5 | ||
| 15.00 | BEST MEMORIES in Pārventa | Children’s Park “Fantāzija” |
| Foam party, Lidl x Lupilu baby crawling championship and Latvian Safer Internet Centre stand also in Pārventa Children’s Park | ||
| 17.00 | Bard concert THE MOST FLOURISHING SONGS | Pārventa Stage |
| Among the participants will be YOLI KAMPUOS, an author and performer from Argentina, TOMASZ EDMUND DRACHAL, a Polish musician, as well as ARNIS MILTIŅŠ, a musician well known in Latvia. Local artists will include JEKATERINA VARKAKOVA, ALEKSANDRS MIRVIS, ALEKSANDRS SIVACKIS and JURIJS SAKSAGANSKIS. The concert participants will perform their own original songs as well as works by other authors, offering a wide and varied repertoire | ||
| 17.00 | GIDONS KRĒMERS and orchestra KREMERATA BALTICA | Concert Hall “Latvija” |
| In the closing concert, the chamber orchestra KREMERATA BALTICA, together with its permanent artistic director, the legendary violinist GIDONS KRĒMERS, will perform a specially created programme with music by Ludwig van Beethoven, Grażyna Bacewicz and Franz Schubert. Ticket price: €10 – €30 (ticket pre-sale at “Biļešu paradīze” box offices and online) | ||
| EXHIBITIONS | ||
| MĀRIS ČAČKA “Reception” painting and graphic art | Livonian Order Castle | |
| “Ventspils Woman’s Wardrobe in the 1950s-1980s”, Ventspils Museum collection | Livonian Order Castle | |
| “Hidden City” related finds during archaeological monitoring in Ventspils | Livonian Order Castle | |
| ELVITA ŠEPUTAITE (Klaipėda) exhibition of paper art cut-outs | House of Crafts | |
| Ventspils Photo Contest 2023 photography exhibition | Main Library | |
| Exhibition of textile artist DZINTRA VILKS | Pārventa Library | |
| Photo exhibition “Travels through European Countries” | Main Library | |
| ANNA HEINRIHSONE “Fog Day” | Theatre House “Jūras vārti” | |
