Piltene Festival 2025

The festivities will begin at 9:00 AM with a service and concert at the Landze Lutheran Church. As in the past, this year, you can also reach the church via the Venta River – by boat and raft.

Throughout the day, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the exhibition “Years of Piltene's History” at the Piltene Cultural Center, showcasing various artifacts from different periods of the city’s life and people.

Event attendees can climb the tower of the Piltene Evangelical Lutheran Church and enjoy a panoramic view of the city. At 5:00 PM, a sacred music concert “From Baroque to the Present” will resonate in the church vaults. The ensemble “BACH D’AMOUR” will perform, featuring Ilze Grēvele-Skaraine (soprano), Ieva Nīmane (Baroque oboe, recorder), Lāsma Meldere-Šestakova (Baroque violin), and Ilze Reine (positive organ). The program will include works by J. S. Bach and G. F. Telemann.

From the morning, a festive market will delight residents and guests on Rožu Street, available until evening. Meanwhile, at 10:00 AM, registration for the Piltene Run will take place at the cultural center. This traditional sporting event, celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, will gather participants of various ages. Together with inspiring characters for children – Pigman, Cipollino, and Little Monkey – the start will be given for the anniversary mile, children's races, five and ten-kilometer runs, as well as for Nordic walkers. The awarding of winners will occur in the afternoon.

On July 26, a festive atmosphere will be felt throughout the city – the park by the cultural center will transform into a creative zone where various workshops will take place. Students of the Piltene Music School will invite visitors to discover musical instruments, fairy tale characters will roam the city streets, and there will be an orienteering game offering the chance to test knowledge and win prizes. Visitors are encouraged to view the works of Piltene's craftswomen and the youth-created environmental exhibition “Cultural Stops.” Those interested can explore Piltene's local history collections and peek into the world of motorcycle clubs.

In the afternoon, Emīlija Jermola and her band will perform in the park by the cultural center, creating a light summer ambiance leading up to the evening's festive climax.

At 8:00 PM, the Piltene Open-Air Stage will host the premiere of the concert show “The Legend of Piltene.” On stage will be actors Madara Botmane, Romāns Bargais, Kristiāns Karēļins, Juris Jope, amateur ensembles from the Ventspils region, and a musical group led by Anatolijs Livča. The concert show's director is Edmunds Freibergs. The evening will conclude with a dance party at the Piltene Open-Air Stage with the band “Johneys Band.”