Ludza 848

The city festival marathon in Ludza Municipality will be kicked off by Latvia's oldest city! From August 8 to 10, Ludza will shine in a festive mood, celebrating the city's 848th anniversary with a wide-ranging program of events inviting both young and old to enjoy the joy of togetherness, music, sports, and traditions. The main festival day, August 9, promises vibrant and lively events - concerts, sports competitions, and a variety of activities for the whole family.

Ludza City Festival Program:

The festive atmosphere in the city will begin to stir on Friday, August 8. At the start of the day, sports enthusiasts are invited to the “Judo Cup 2025”, a beach handball tournament, and weightlifting competitions. Art lovers will have the opportunity to visit Agra Ritiņa's painting exhibition “Tribute to Nature's Inspiration” at the Ludza Local History Museum and a seminar for hunters, as well as a nature photography exhibition by local Aleksandrs Laizāns at the Ludza Culture House. The “Green Library Day” will also take place in a creative atmosphere with workshops and the opportunity to decorate Ludza's outdoor library.

In the evening, a motorcycle parade “Rev Up the Ludza City Festival!” will race through the city streets, passing through the main streets and concluding in the city park. Following this, an energetic evening is planned with the band “B.B.Max Band”, a dance show “Zumba in Rēzekne”, as well as performances by Jānis Drēģeris & Rockband and DJ Andy Bassland – lasting until dawn.

Saturday, August 9 – the main festival day, full of life and events!

Early in the morning, Ludza residents will be greeted by Oskars and Māris from the band “KINGI”, waking the city with a heartfelt call “Wake up, Ludza!”. At the same time, the “Ancient Crafts Fair” will begin in the Old Town Square, where visitors can enjoy and purchase local homemade delicacies, crafts, and other festive treasures.

The day promises to be active and lively – there will be a beach volleyball tournament, beach handball, weightlifting competitions, and a triathlon at Ludza Beach “Radziņš”. Meanwhile, the city park will be bustling all afternoon – visitors are invited to watch demonstrations by the State Border Guard, State Fire and Rescue Service, National Guard, and police, activities of the Ministry of Welfare's social campaign “Give Children a Loving Family!”, as well as participate in the creative afternoon “Come and Do!” – where children and families will find large-scale games, art workshops, acrobatic surprises, and a wheel of fortune. From 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM, we invite everyone to capture and preserve the festive moment for memory using the photo booth. Much like rain, which can appear quite suddenly, the location of the photo booth is still variable – it will be confirmed depending on weather conditions.

In the evening – the festival's culmination! On the main stage in honor of Ludza's birthday, the concert “Let the Native City, Ludza, Resound!” will feature performances by Diāna Pīrāgs, Normunds Rutulis, Andris Ābelīte, and the jazz orchestra “Mirāža”. Afterwards, the group “Citi Zēni” will delight the audience, and the festive ball will spin into the night with the band “Paper Airplanes” and DJ Gunchs – until dawn.

The festival's conclusion – Sunday, August 10, will be more peaceful and suitable for unhurried relaxation. There will be a festive service at Ludza Roman Catholic and Ludza Dormition of the Theotokos Orthodox Church. We invite you to participate in a chess tournament at the Ludza Children's and Youth Center, go on a hike “Ludza's Pearls” and a guided tour exploring the city's oldest and most beautiful places.

During the festival, there will also be outdoor cafes, attractions for children, raft rides, and other festive activities