The “Alksnis” International Ethnomusic Festival

“Alksnis” is a two‑day festival in the Suiti cultural region, bringing together traditional and contemporary ethnomusic, crafts and community celebrations. Events take place across Alsunga – in the town centre, at Dižgabalkalns, in the courtyard of the Livonian Order Castle and other locations.

The programme gathers musicians, folklore groups, traders and craftspeople from Latvia and abroad, highlighting the richness of Suiti culture and its openness to international collaboration. The festival creates a dialogue between local traditions and contemporary interpretations of ethnomusic.

The festival opens on 3 September with an exhibition by French artist Martine Lafont and a concert by “Les Itinérantes”. On 4 September, Suiti bagpipers, Suiti women and Suiti men perform in the Alsunga town centre, joined by bands “Ogas”, “Iļģi”, Ēriks Zeps and “Rikši”. The evening concert in the Livonian Order Castle courtyard features bands “Auļi”, Finland’s “Okra Playground” and Georgia’s “Bani Hill Band”, followed by a dance evening with “Rahu The Fool”.

Organised by Kuldīga Region Municipality