As the 4th of May – the Independence Restoration Day of the Republic of Latvia – approaches, the city’s urban planning for the upcoming celebrations has begun. A varied programme of events is also planned for the days of celebration.
This year, more than in other years, Ventspils has been preparing for the celebrations on the 4th of May. A new festive decor – a four-metre-long family table – will be placed in the Town Hall Square. The Constitution of the Republic of Latvia is printed on the tabletop, and it will be decorated with Latvian national flags and flowers.
Other places in the city will also feel the approach of the festivities. The “Brīvības” (“Freedom”) decoration with Latvian national flags will be placed in the Big Square. In Newspaper Alley, a stand with 10 Latvian national flags will be placed by the Umbrella Fountain. In Parventa Centre, the decoration “Puzuri” will create a festive atmosphere. Latvian flags will be placed in the main streets of the city and the largest gathering places – Rātslaukums, Tirgus iela, Kuldīgas iela and Parventas centre.
May will start with the relationship comedy “Rhubarb Wine”, about the Latvian-style games between two neighbours. It will be screened on Wednesday, 1 May, at 16.00, on the stage of the theatre house “Jūras vārti”, and in the roles staged by Gundars Silakaktiņš we will see Zani Daudziņa, Kristīni Nevarauskas, Ģirts Ķesteris and Lauris Subatnieks.
On the 4th of May is also known as Latvia’s second birthday, and on this day, we celebrate the White Tablecloth Festival. This tradition was introduced to inspire people to gather around a beautifully laid festive table. Family, neighbours, colleagues, the local neighbourhood or the wider community come together, not only to show mutual attention, care and sharing of their treats but also to create a stronger sense of belonging to their neighbourhood and country. The White Tablecloth Festival is a way to celebrate Latvia’s birthday – to be together and create a sense of celebration in ourselves and others. On the 4th of May at noon, we invite everyone to a festive concert in Town Hall Square to mark the anniversary of the restoration of the Independence of the Republic of Latvia, where a unique 20-metre-long white linen tablecloth woven in the trinis technique will be presented. The weaving of this tablecloth started on 21 March, when the weavers of the folk applied art studios “Drellītis” and “Vīkale” of the Ventspils Culture Centre wove the warp for the White Linen Tablecloth on the looms of the Craft House. The concert will feature performances by the Ventspils Culture Centre women’s choir “Venda”, the brass band “Ventspils”, folk dance groups “Kurzeme”, “Senkurzeme”, the middle-generation dance group “Strautuguns” and guests – singer and actress Karina Tatarinova and musicians Robert Dinters, Mika Akota and Kristians Lindenblats. Youth guards from Ventspils Parventa Primary School, Primary 2 and Secondary 2 will also take part in the event. Free event.
The celebrations will continue at 16.00 with a concert in the concert hall “Latvija” to mark the Independence Day of the Republic of Latvia. The concert will feature works by Latvian composers performed by soloists Gunta Gelgote (soprano), Rinalds Kandalincevs (baritone), Zane Volberga (piano), Gidons Grīnbergs (violin), the Ventspils Chamber Orchestra and the Ventspils Mixed Choir. The conductor and artistic director of the concert is Aigars Meri, and the event will be hosted by musicologist Liene Jakovļeva. Free entrance tickets are available at the “Latvija” concert hall box office. NUMBER OF TICKETS – LIMITED.
On Sunday, 5th of May, at 11.00 in the Children’s Town and at 15.00 in the Children’s Park “Fantāzija”, the family orienteering game “Together to be” will take place. Children will have the opportunity to meet Sprīdītis and the Mother of the Forest, enjoy games and sketches, discover the story of the White Tablecloth, share thoughts about Latvia, freedom and take part in a creative workshop. The event will be hosted by the Liepāja Travelling Circus “Beztemata”. Free event.
On Monday, 6th of May, from 11.00 to 15.00, Ventspils will host a cycle orienteering event “European Footprints in Ventspils”, inviting Ventspils residents and visitors – families, groups of friends, and like-minded people – to spend time actively, exploring places of significance in Ventspils that have been renovated or built thanks to the funding of the European Union (EU) in an exciting adventure. Participation is free of charge. Please register your team in advance by filling in the application form: HERE. One to four members per team. The team starts together and finishes together, all team members must be present at each point. If there are children under 7 years of age in the team, these team members may not be counted in the total number of team members.
At 13.00, the Science Centre “VIZIUM” offers a creative workshop – “Sense – Sight”, where participants will get to know the sense of sight, which is so important for humans, find out what ensures good eyesight, whether everything is always as it seems, do various creative activities, such as looking into the eye of a microscope, and create their optical illusion. Find out more: http://www.adre.se/darbnicasmaija.
Ventspils tourist attractions’ opening hours on public holidays can be found HERE.
We can set the festive table on a beautiful balcony or in nature, in the city, in the countryside or anywhere in the wide world. Let’s use the white tablecloth to set the table and celebrate the occasion, gathering with family, friends, or like-minded people, taking time to talk, share memories and tell our story of the meaning of the freedom we have won.
Congratulations on the Declaration of the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia!
