In the year of Latvia’s centenary, Riga prepared a large-scale celebration programme for May 4, Latvia’s Independence Restoration Day, inviting residents and guests of the city to attend festive concerts, the Latvian Film Marathon, theatre performances, exhibitions, as well as one of the mega festive events, “Stories of Brīvības Street”.

Activities of “Stories of Brīvības Street” will be organized from 10.00 until 22.00 all along Brīvības Street, from Brīvības Square up to the Latvian Ethnographic Museum, while emphasising several venues – Brīvības Square, Esplanade, the Latvian National History Museum, Dailes theatre, Vidzemes market, VEF Culture Palace, and the Latvian Ethnographic Museum.

In Brīvības Square, everybody is invited to create floral composition “Latvia in Flowers”, to listen and watch the parade of brass bands of educational institutions and their concert, to participate in the flower- laying ceremony, to enjoy the performance of musicians from “Jauno Jāņu orķestris” and “Iļģi” and to attend evening concert “Brīvības pieturas”, in which soloists Elza Rozentāle, Jolanta Strikaite-Lapiņa, Daumants Kalniņš, Juris Jope, Zigfrīds Muktupāvels, group “Rikši”, actors Gints Grāvelis, Gints Andžāns, choir “Maska”, and conductor Jānis Ozols will participate. The concert will be moderated by actor Artūrs Skrastiņš.

On this day, visitors of the event are invited to a guided tour in special bus No. 100, which will run along route Esplanade – Ethnographic museum– Esplanade, to get familiar with the history of Brīvības Street. After listening to the narration specially prepared for this occasion, the bus passengers will learn interesting facts about the most significant events related to Brīvības Street. The bus departure times will be available at bus stops. The Latvian National History Museum will also introduce the visitors of the exhibition “Latvia’s centenary” to the century-long history of the Latvian State. Threre will be also outdoor stands all along Brīvības Street, where everybody will be able to read the memories of contemporaries about Brīvības Street and the events that took place there.

As a part of the event, the Forum of Brīvības Street will be held from 12.00 till 18.00. During the forum, everybody is invited to tents where lectures, discussions and talks will take place. Visitors of the tent at Esplanade will be able to meet awareness teacher Ansis Jurģis Stabingis, philosopher Artis Svece and political scientist Ivars Ījabs, but those who will come to the tent near Dailes theatre will meet the participants of educational programme “Mission Possible”, author of programme “Street Long” Lilita Eglīte, researcher in the field of pedagogy Zanda Rubene, and urbanist Evelīna Ozola. In these two venues, popular musicians will be also playing in the intervals between discussions. The forum will be also held near VEF Culture Palace, where visitors will meet anthropologist  Viesturs Celmiņš, urban planning expert  Neils Balgalis, economist Ņina Linde, green lifestyle supporter Artūrs Jansons, and doctor Pēteris Urtāns.

Young people, families with children and all new technology fans are welcome to the venue near the    VEF Culture palace, where a show of technical innovations, master classes, lectures, demonstration of future technologies and an entertainment programme involving high tech companies, as well as Latvian and foreign musicians, groups and soloists will be organized.

Those interested in popular traditions can visit the Latvian Ethnographic Museum, where children and parents are invited to participate in creative workshops, listen to lectures, talk about national costumes, as well as to enjoy the performances of popular music groups and to sing and dance in a ring. There will be free entry to the museum for this event.

Guests of “Stories of Brīvības Street” will be also offered to attend theatre performances. Three performances for kids will be staged in Esplanade: “Carnival and Potato Salad”, “Does the Second Group Hear Me?” and “How the Sun Occurred?”. There will be also puppet master classes. Meanwhile, Vidzeme market invites to “Latvia’s Planning Institute”, a performance for adults staged by “Dirty Deal Teatro”.

There will be other events along with “Stories of Brīvības Street” on May 4, both in the city centre and districts. You can find a more detailed programme of the event, including information about its participants, time and venues at www.kultura.riga.lv, as well as in a printed version, which will be available at Riga City Council’s customer reception centres, Riga culture centres, branches of Riga Central Library and tourism information centres.

“Stories of Brīvības Street” is one of Latvia’s centenary’s events. It is organized by the Ministry of Environment Protection and Regional Development, the State Regional Development Agency and the Latvian Association of Big Cities in cooperation with Latvia’s nine big cities, including capital Riga.       

On May, passengers can use Riga public transport for frees.