From Saturday, October 5, to November 10, folklore group showcases will take place in various locations across Latvia, organized by the Latvian National Cultural Center (LNKC) as part of the lead-up to the International Folklore Festival "Baltica 2025."
On Saturday, October 19, starting at 11:00 a.m., ensembles from South Kurzeme and Liepāja will gather for a showcase at the Otaņķi Cultural House. "In total, around 240 folklore groups with participants of all ages—from toddlers to elderly gentlemen and ladies—have signed up for the showcases. During these events, we will hear traditional songs, chants, and musical performances, as well as see colorful dances and folk costumes from all regions," says LNKC’s expert on folklore and traditional music, Katrīna Feldmane.
From the South Kurzeme region, the October 19 showcase will feature the Otaņķi ethnographic ensemble, the Vecpils folklore group "Dižlāņu īve," the Nīca ethnographic ensemble, the Bārta ethnographic ensemble, the Rucava ethnographic ensemble, the Bunkas Cultural House folklore group "Traistēni," the Rucava rural band "Paurupīte," and the Kazdanga folklore group "Zīle." From Liepāja, the lineup includes the Folk Art and Cultural Center's folklore group "Vēlava," the folklore group "Jarilo," the Liepāja actresses' folklore association "Atštaukas," the folklore group "Saknes," and the Liepāja Children and Youth Center's folklore group "Ķocis." The event is free for visitors.
The International Folklore Festival "Baltica 2025" will take place from June 26 to 30. It is organized by the LNKC. The festival’s theme was chosen through a competition, with the jury selecting "Language," proposed by Edeite Laime, as the winning theme. The theme encourages folklore groups to explore language in its broadest sense—studying local dialects, scripts, rhythms, sounds, and characteristics through words, music, song, dance, stories, craftsmanship, and musical styles, while also recalling what has been forgotten, reclaiming what was lost, highlighting the unique, and strengthening the fragile.
The International Folklore Festival "Baltica" is a significant event for the Baltic nations, showcasing the values of traditional culture: songs, instrumental music, storytelling, games, dances, as well as folk applied arts, crafts, and other forms of cultural expression. The first "Baltica" festival in Latvia was held in 1988, marking the beginning of the National Independence Movement. The festival is organized by the LNKC in cooperation with local municipalities.
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