The "Staro Rīga" light festival returns to give everyone the opportunity to celebrate Latvia's birthday in a unique illuminated atmosphere. This will be the thirteenth time that the "Staro Rīga" light festival will take place during four days from 15 to 18 November every evening from 17:00 to 23:00.
This year's festival theme is "A Time of Light", highlighting the role of light as a unifying and hopeful force in society. "Recent years have brought many challenges for the world. The festival organisers have chosen a theme that invites visitors to reflect on and celebrate the values of unity, brightness and a positive outlook on the future. Light, which is the main means of expression in the artists' palettes, also becomes a symbol that unites everyone in hope and positivity," says Diāna Čivle, the festival's curator.
The last time the festival took place was in 2019. Its return is particularly welcome as it is one of the capital's best-loved and best-attended cultural events. The festival continues the tradition of combining the power of light and art with technological solutions to provide an unforgettable experience for residents of Riga, visitors from other Latvian cities and tourists from abroad.
This year not only marks the return of the festival, but also an opportunity to experience this wonderful symbiosis of light and art together after a long pause. Visitors of the festival will be able to enjoy more than twenty light installations and objects, each with its own unique message and aesthetic. This year, the geography of the festival is expanding, with a new route that will take visitors outside the Old Town and the central part of Riga. The festival's light path will lead to the left bank of the Daugava River, expanding the festival map and providing a new perspective on the urban environment and places in the city that have never been used before to host light objects or events. A special place is reserved for emerging and young light artists, to give them the opportunity to showcase their new light creations and creative experiments.
"Together in the light" is the slogan of this year's festival, which speaks about the need to come together and celebrate our common values on the Latvia's birthday. Riga City building owners, businesses and residents are invited to join the "Staro Rīga" light festival by becoming part of this magnificent event and a festival partner. This initiative gives people the opportunity to illuminate building facades, squares, and architectural elements of the city where they live and work, making Riga even brighter during the national holidays. Everyone will have the opportunity to let others see their own light object or illumination spot by marking it on the map of the festival partners' sites, which will be available on the festival website from the beginning of November.