The Livonian Festival

On August 5, 1989, less than a year after its reestablishment, the Livonian Union organized a celebration with its partners for the Livonian Community House’s 50^th anniversary. So began the annual tradition of celebrating the Livonian Festival in Mazirbe on the first Saturday of August. The festival brings together the Livonians and their descendants from near and far as well as government officials, foreign ambassadors and other embassy staff, and many other interested individuals. Livonian can be heard at the festival by participants and guests alike in songs, speeches, and conversations.

The Livonian Festival. 1993. Picture: Kolka.lv

Flag Day

The Livonian flag was first raised at the pastor’s residence in Mazirbe on November 18, 1923. In 1998, the International Society of Livonian Friends along with Līvõ kultūr sidām (the Livonian Culture Centre) proposed Livonian Flag Day to honour this event. It was first celebrated on November 18, 1998 in Tallinn, Estonia. The celebration of Flag Day has become a tradition both in Latvia and abroad thereby lending added significance to Latvian Independence Day (November 18, 1918) for the Livonians.

Kūolka singing group “Laula”, Riga Livonian singing group “Līvlist”, Tārgale singing group “Kāndla” and Ventspils livonian singing group “Rāndalist” at Livonian flag day celebrations 19.11.2017. Photo: Ainars Gaidis.

Livonian Culture Days

The tradition of celebration Livonian Culture Days was begun in 1998 by the Livonian Culture Centre with a wide range of Livonian cultural events coinciding with the celebration of the 800th anniversary of Rīga.

In 2003, Livonian Culture Day was organized by the Livonian Union and took place at the Mentzendorff House in Rīga, while in 2006, the Livonian division of ĪUMSILS in cooperation with community organizations, local governments, and museums organized Livonian Culture Days spanning two months with events taking place in Rīga, Vidzeme, and Kurzeme. Livonian Culture Days have been organized annually in Ventspils since September 2011 by the Ventspils division of the Livonian Union along with the Ventspils Livonian Society Rānda and the Livonian Culture Centre.

Livonian culture days in Ventspils. Opening of Livonian-Estonian-Latvian dictionary. 15.09.2012.

Livonian events take place on the last Sunday of every August at the Turaida Museum Reserve. The folklore group “Skandinieki” organizes “Livonian Days” in Rīga with events focusing on traditional culture.