Valdemārpils City and Beach Festival

On June 15, Valdemārpils will celebrate the city and beach festival. Bringing together the active residents of Valdemārpils and the surrounding areas in collaboration with the Valdemārpils Tourist Information Center, a creative city sightseeing route will be established.

Starting from 11:00, visitors will have the opportunity to visit the versatile photo exhibition of our fellow countryman Uldis Briežs with the message "Think Freely", view photographer Dainis Kārkluvalks' photographs, a flower carpet, the exhibition "Krišjānis Valdemārs' 300 STORIES" and their role in Latvian culture, participate in an artist plenary, and try writing as K. Valdemārs did. Explore artistically decorated arches in the synagogue complex, embody the role of a poet enjoying music, poetry, cakes, and refreshing drinks.

The authors' idea of the project is to create a festival that unites, involves, educates, and inspires everyone to find inner strength and courage to Cultivate Valdemārs within themselves, in events, literature, art, or throughout Latvia.

At 11:00, at Ezera iela 1, near the former synagogue, the legendary photojournalist Uldis Briežs' exhibition "Think Freely" will be unveiled, which will be the largest exhibition of this kind in Valdemārpils. Some of the photographs will be displayed in the Valdemārpils Exhibition Hall and the Valdemārpils Evangelical Lutheran Church. The exhibition's motto is derived from Uldis Briežs' words.

"The main thing is to think freely, without prejudice, and to stick firmly to your beliefs, whether the winds blow or not. " 

The special guest of the event is the writer Ēriks Hānbergs, who has been a friend of Uldis Briežs for 60 years.

The exhibition will feature nearly 200 photographs. They are testimonials of their time in Latvian history. They are portraits of fellow human beings symbolizing freedom, courage, bohemia, art, and the flow of everyday life. It is the author's great love for the sea, respect, and admiration for the hard work of fishermen. These are significant events in our country's history, evidence of history where the author's emotions are felt, capturing the special moment."""""Capturing"" the special frame.

Uldis Briedis was born in Ārlava parish in "Thunderstorms" and studied at Valdemārpils Secondary School. Although he lived in Liepāja and Rīga, he spent his summers and free time in Valdemarpils.

At 11:00, the Art Plenary "CULTIVATE VALDEMĀRS - Overtake Time" will also be inaugurated, inviting artists to create paintings using K. Valdemārs' message - to be courageous and think progressively or outstrip time. The works created during the plenary will be exhibited in Valdemārpils in 2025, marking the great fellow countryman's 200th anniversary.

"For a special atmosphere and natural ambiance in the synagogue complex courtyard, the owner of "Flower Accent" Maira Indriksone will ensure it, inviting residents to participate in a creative decoration contest - the exhibition "Time for Nature's Touch". Throughout the day, festival guests are invited to visit the exhibition and vote. The viewers' preference, which will receive a special prize from the store owner, will be determined.

During the day, the "I Cook" team will provide delicious meals, treats, and refreshing lemonades in the synagogue complex. Representatives from Abavas Winery will offer the opportunity to enjoy one of their best summer drinks. From 12:00 to 14:00, there will be creative workshops on poetry and calligraphy. Together with Iveta Bedrīte, you can create a bookmark with K. Valdemārs' success knot and write a word in the great garland cursive.

On the creative city sightseeing route, at the synagogue complex, you will have the opportunity to see the photo exhibition "Rally" by Valdemārpils resident Dainis Kārkluvalks. At K. Valdemārs' monument, there will be a flower carpet and two exhibitions at Valdemāra House.

At 18:00, the conclusion of the event in the synagogue complex courtyard. You will be able to view the paintings created during the plenary, listen to lyrical music, and poetry recitation "Everything Has Its Time''. Musicians Pauls Grīnfogels and Gunta Vecvagare will participate. There will be premieres of two songs, the lyrics of which are authored by local poet Maira Indriksone. Poems will be read by Lāsma Miščenko, Dace Maķevica, and Katrīna Olštreina.

The event "CULTIVATE VALDEMĀRS'' on June 15 from 11:00-19:00

Places in Valdemārpils:

• former synagogue complex, Ezera iela 1;
• Valdemārpils Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lielā iela 2;
• Valdemārs Memorial House, Lielā iela 27;
• Valdemārpils Exhibition Hall, Raiņa iela 14a.

The event will be photographed and filmed. Photos and videos taken during the event will be used for publicity and marketing purposes.