Major European folk festival in Latvia
This summer Riga has something loud to shout about. Europeadeis one of the largest international folk festivals in Europe celebrating traditional diversity in European culture and will be opening it’s doors in the Latvian capital from July 21st to the 25th to around 5000 participants from 20 countries filling the capital’s streets with song and dance all week.
The first festival was held in 1964 when folk music fans from France, Spain, Italy and Germany came together and formed the International Europeade Committee at Antwerp, Belgium. Each year since then the festival has grown and been held in a different city. Now 38 members of the Committee exist celebrating the shared European culture heritage.
This year the festival will open on the evening of 21st of July with a folk culture concert at the Kongres Nams. Next day will see many events throughout the ‘Old Town’ squares and parks. In the evening will be a large 3 hour concert at the Skonto Standium.
Through the five days of the concert Riga’s ‘Old Town’ should see people from all over Europe dressed in their national costumes walking around from one event to another with many street performances taking place.
The obvious highlight to the weekend will be the parade between 1500 and 1800 from Dome Square by Brivibas Street to the Daile Theatre.
The end of the festival will conclude with another concert at the Skonto Stadium starting at 1500.