Cesis City Festival 818

On Friday, July 19, in the evening, the festival will be opened and the Cesis Castle Park will be serenaded by the group 'Little Prince'. Shortly after, in the same park, the participants of the traditional festival procession will enter ceremoniously.

The festival procession includes various communities and groups from the Cesis district - businesses, sports teams, interest groups, and other locals! Every year, participants of the procession are encouraged to pay special attention to their visual representation, aligning with the overall festival theme - Cesis closer to the stars! The star theme for both the festival and the procession is linked to Cesis' goal to become Latvia's cultural capital in 2025.

From 8:30 p.m., residents and guests will gather on Valmieras Street, starting from the intersection of Valmieras Street and Niniera Street, to embark on a procession at 9:00 p.m. along Valmieras Street, Vienibas Square, and Lencu Street, concluding the procession in the Castle Park, where the 'Cesis Person of the Year 2024' award will be presented.

After the conclusion of the ceremony, procession participants and festival guests are invited to participate in the unprecedented 'Cesis 818' event 'Festival Choir' and sing along with actors and musicians.

Later in the evening, a summer party with DJ Didzis Kozlovski will take place in the Unity Square, while a splendid green ball with the band 'Zushi' will liven up the Cesis Castle Park.

Friday's festival events will also be complemented by a scientific conference organized by the Cesis Museum, 'Medieval Cultural Interaction: Honoring Wolter von Plettenberg'. Several experts and other representatives will reflect on historical events and discuss the influence of the Middle Ages on contemporary culture.

Saturday, June 20, will start early in the morning - from 8:00 a.m., the 'Cesis' brass band will wake up the Cesis residents and city guests, who will then embark on festival adventures together. There will be a crafts and home producers market and concerts featuring amateur art groups from the Cesis district in Rožu Square and the Old Town of Cesis. In the evening, Rožu Square will host a retro green ball with the 'Cesis' brass band.

On Saturday morning, families with young children are invited to participate in a specially tailored program in Pils Square - creative activities, performances, and games. At 11:00 a.m., there will be a morning exercise session for children, followed by a concert by the BIKIGroup and poet Inese Zandere, and then a concert 'Children and Youth in Cesis'.

In Maija Park, there will be chess and checkers tournaments, while the design market will take place in the art space 'Mala'. Visitors to Lenču Street will be greeted by an antique car club exhibition.

Starting from 10:00 a.m., Unity Square will offer a place for leisure with music and street food cafés. The relaxed atmosphere will be interrupted by a fun traditional summer event - the 'Blooming Skis' race. In the evening, a neon disco with DJs Emīls Spulle, Linda Samsonova, and Levan will take place, where people are encouraged to dress in white to make the neon lights shine even brighter.

A magnificent and eventful day is planned in Cesis Castle Park. The day will begin with the 'Custom Bike Show' and the American Auto Club. Later in the evening, the musical program will start with the students of A. Kalnins Cesis Music School's Popular and Jazz Music Department, followed by Shipsea and the Vidzeme Chamber Orchestra. Artist Prusax will perform, followed by Intars Busulis and the Abonementa Orchestra. At midnight, 'The Originals' will kick off the festivities at Cesis Castle Park, followed by performances by the 'Pisang Ambon' band, and the festival ball will continue with 'The Originals'.

Various sports activities will take place at the stadium throughout the day - beach volleyball, 3x3 basketball, roundnet competitions and training, 3x3 floorball.

Enthusiasts of extreme sports will have the opportunity to participate in various athletic activities. At Valmieras Street 1, on the Velosolutions velo track or pump track, the BTA Pump Track Championship 2nd stage will take place, welcoming participants of all ages and skill levels with different vehicles. Adjacent to this, at the Cesis skatepark, the 'Dynami:t Jam' competition will be held.

Sunday, July 21, is dedicated to relaxation and sports activities. In Pils Square, in collaboration with the French Institute in Latvia, a festival picnic will take place, where visitors are invited to bring their picnic baskets and blankets to enjoy a leisurely festival conclusion - a picnic with various creative and Olympic sports activities.

The sports activities at the stadium will continue with beach volleyball, basketball shooting contests, senior walking football, the 'Four Seasons - Summer' run, and the 'Star Game' in basketball, where teams from Cesis and Priekuli will compete.

The CATA Cultural Center will host the Cesis District Amateur Tournament, while at Niniera Street, a dog show, competitions, and various contests will be held.