Lāčplēsis Day Events in Ventspils
01.11.2024 - 14:03
On November 11, Ventspils will commemorate Lāčplēsis Day. This year, the Cultural Center invites residents to participate in various activities, including remembrance ceremonies and the grand torch procession "River of Light," which will begin at the city’s Great Square. At the end of the day, everyone is warmly welcome to place a candle in the Latvian symbol "Laimas slotiņa" (Laima’s broom) at Renķis Garden and attend several musical performances.
12:00 PM at Ventspils Esplanade (square by Ventspils City Hall) - laying flowers at the memorial of Ventspils recipients of the Lāčplēsis War Order. Representatives from Ventspils City Council, the Ventspils State Border Guard, the 46th Infantry Battalion of the National Guard, the Ventspils Association of the Repressed, and other interested parties will participate.
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM at the Great Square - gathering for the torch procession. Activities will include displays from the 46th Infantry Battalion of the National Guard, armored vehicle exhibits, and youth activities hosted by the Young Guards unit. Each Ventspils school’s best poetry reciter will perform, and students from Centra Primary School and the Music Secondary School will give musical performances.
6:00 PM - the "River of Light" torch procession begins. Route: Great Square - Lielais Prospect - Saules Street - Aizsaules Street - Meža Cemetery at the White Cross. All are invited to join, bringing their own torches. Together with Ventspils’ singing groups, we will make this "River of Light" resound. Lyrics for songs sung together can be downloaded here.
6:30 PM at Meža Cemetery near the White Cross - a moment of remembrance. Pastor Aldis Pavlovičs from the Lutheran congregation and a representative of Ventspils City Council will address those present. There will be flower-laying at the White Cross and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
7:00 PM at Renķis Garden - the folk group "Laipa" led by Ligita Vaļuka warmly invites everyone to join in creating a traditional fire symbol with candles brought by attendees. This year, the symbol will be "Laimas slotiņa" (Laima’s broom). We encourage everyone to add to the candle display with their own candle, and we thank SIA "Diana Sveces" for their material support in providing candles.
On November 11, several musical events will also take place in the city:
5:30 PM - 5:45 PM, 6:00 PM - 6:15 PM, 6:30 PM - 6:45 PM, and 7:00 PM - 7:15 PM - Ventspils Technical School’s “Aquarium” (corner of Jūras and Saules streets) will host a musical and poetry program titled “Sound Vibrations for Latvia’s Soul” performed by students of Ventspils Technical School and the choir “TŌVAZ” (“Storm”). Together with guest instrumentalists, they will perform songs from the Song Festival repertoire, enriched with Latvian poetry selected and recited by the students, expressing young people’s love for their homeland. The performance will be repeated several times throughout the evening.
7:30 PM at the "Latvia" concert hall - a Lāčplēsis Day concert "Daugava and Soldiers’ Songs." Featuring the mixed choir "Ventspils," an instrumental group, Ritvars Garoza (keyboard), Gunta Gelgote (soprano), Liene Jakovļeva (concert host), and conductor Aigars Meri. Program: Zigmar Liepiņš’s "Soldiers’ Songs," Mārtiņš Brauns and Rainis’s song cycle "Daugava." Ticket prices: 10.00, 12.00 EUR.
On November 11, 1919, in Riga, the fate of the Republic of Latvia, founded on November 18, 1918, was decided. The independent Latvian national army defeated the Western Volunteer Army, also known as Bermont’s forces. After this battle, it became clear that Latvia had defended its independence. In honor of Latvia’s freedom fighters, we celebrate this day as Lāčplēsis Day.
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM at the Great Square - gathering for the torch procession. Activities will include displays from the 46th Infantry Battalion of the National Guard, armored vehicle exhibits, and youth activities hosted by the Young Guards unit. Each Ventspils school’s best poetry reciter will perform, and students from Centra Primary School and the Music Secondary School will give musical performances.
6:00 PM - the "River of Light" torch procession begins. Route: Great Square - Lielais Prospect - Saules Street - Aizsaules Street - Meža Cemetery at the White Cross. All are invited to join, bringing their own torches. Together with Ventspils’ singing groups, we will make this "River of Light" resound. Lyrics for songs sung together can be downloaded here.
6:30 PM at Meža Cemetery near the White Cross - a moment of remembrance. Pastor Aldis Pavlovičs from the Lutheran congregation and a representative of Ventspils City Council will address those present. There will be flower-laying at the White Cross and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
7:00 PM at Renķis Garden - the folk group "Laipa" led by Ligita Vaļuka warmly invites everyone to join in creating a traditional fire symbol with candles brought by attendees. This year, the symbol will be "Laimas slotiņa" (Laima’s broom). We encourage everyone to add to the candle display with their own candle, and we thank SIA "Diana Sveces" for their material support in providing candles.
On November 11, several musical events will also take place in the city:
5:30 PM - 5:45 PM, 6:00 PM - 6:15 PM, 6:30 PM - 6:45 PM, and 7:00 PM - 7:15 PM - Ventspils Technical School’s “Aquarium” (corner of Jūras and Saules streets) will host a musical and poetry program titled “Sound Vibrations for Latvia’s Soul” performed by students of Ventspils Technical School and the choir “TŌVAZ” (“Storm”). Together with guest instrumentalists, they will perform songs from the Song Festival repertoire, enriched with Latvian poetry selected and recited by the students, expressing young people’s love for their homeland. The performance will be repeated several times throughout the evening.
7:30 PM at the "Latvia" concert hall - a Lāčplēsis Day concert "Daugava and Soldiers’ Songs." Featuring the mixed choir "Ventspils," an instrumental group, Ritvars Garoza (keyboard), Gunta Gelgote (soprano), Liene Jakovļeva (concert host), and conductor Aigars Meri. Program: Zigmar Liepiņš’s "Soldiers’ Songs," Mārtiņš Brauns and Rainis’s song cycle "Daugava." Ticket prices: 10.00, 12.00 EUR.
On November 11, 1919, in Riga, the fate of the Republic of Latvia, founded on November 18, 1918, was decided. The independent Latvian national army defeated the Western Volunteer Army, also known as Bermont’s forces. After this battle, it became clear that Latvia had defended its independence. In honor of Latvia’s freedom fighters, we celebrate this day as Lāčplēsis Day.
