Livonian Festival 2025

The Livonian Union (Līvõd Īt) invites you to the annual Livonian Festival, which will take place this summer on August 1st and 2nd in Mazirbe. This year's festival theme is “MINĀ UM LĪVLI. MA TĪEB.” or “I am a Livonian. I act.” These words embody the essence of the festival – action, involvement, and pride in the living Livonian culture, whose voice is becoming increasingly confident.

This year's festival prelude will be the play “Līvõd jelāmi” (Livonian Life), which can be viewed on the evening of July 26th at 7:30 PM in Mazirbe's community center. The play is created by Jānis Balodis and Elizabete Šiklova in collaboration with the theater collective KVADRIFRONS and Livonian youth. The conceptual inspiration for the play comes from the 1937/1938 school year photo and drawing album “Līvõd jelāmi” created by Pēteris Dambergs and his students. The principle of the 2024/2025 album is to depict Livonian life at a specific time and place from the perspective of young people.

On the first day of the festival – August 1st – we will experience two cultural events. At 7:00 PM in Mazirbe's community center, there will be the premiere of the contemporary dance chamber performance “1/5” by the dance group “Lauga” from the Vidzeme Livonian cultural space. Following this, at 9:00 PM, a special spiritual music concert “Songs and Prayers” will take place in Mazirbe's church, performed by the Ventspils Cultural Center's women's choir “Venda” and the vocal ensemble “Mundus”.

The main festival day – August 2nd – will offer a wide program for visitors of all ages. Alongside traditional performances, rituals, and music, special attention will be given to contemporary art and newly created cultural forms. The program includes excerpts from the play “Līvõd jelāmi” (Livonian Life), which can be seen in full on July 26th. Concurrently with the play, an exhibition with the same name will be on display in the community center hall – photographic stories returning to the Livonian Coast – to form a bridge over the century that has been both harsh and full of hope. The exhibition also highlights the personality of Bruno Dziadkovska – the man who is the photographer of most of the album's photos, revealing the everyday life of the Livonian community and the most significant cultural events of the 1930s.

Throughout the day, festival guests can enjoy traditional songs performed by Livonian ensembles and the contemporary dance performance “Jūokš īņõ” (Flow Along) choreographed by Elīza Rudzīte. A special engagement will be offered by a torch-making workshop with history enthusiast Jānis Goldšmits – where participants can create a symbolic torch to later use in the festival's traditional, magical sunset ritual by the bonfire at the conclusion of the Livonian Festival. The number of places in the workshop will be limited, and registration will take place on-site – until materials run out. On the festival day, a permanent exhibition dedicated to Livonian artist Jānis Belte (1893–1946) will be opened on the 2nd floor of the community center.

The festival culminates in an evening concert starting at 6:30 PM, featuring the Livonian youth ensemble “Nūrka lapst”, as well as a special guest – Estonian singer and composer Mari Kalkun, whose songs are rooted in the nature, language, and poetry of South Estonia. She has performed at prestigious world music festivals and released an album with the legendary “Real World Records”, which has received widespread international acclaim. This summer, her sensual and clear voice will be heard for the first time on the Livonian Coast.

The event will conclude with a fire ritual and songs by the sea – an ancient symbolic connection with nature and community.

It is important to emphasize – admission to all Livonian Festival events is free of charge. Therefore, everyone interested is invited to attend – meet like-minded people, explore Livonian culture, engage creatively, and simply be together in this beautiful coastal location. There will be both traditional festival cornerstones and new sounds, images, emotions, and activities for everyone to join!

The festival is made possible with the support of the State Culture Capital Foundation, Talsi Municipality, the Latvian National Centre for Culture, the people of the Livonian Coast, and Livonian organizations.

Jõvḑi pivḑi! Have a great festival! See you on the Livonian Coast!