On Friday, May 25, Ventspils residents and guests are encouraged to go out for a walk on Brivibas Street as part of the first events of Latvia’s centenary initiative in Ventspils. Everyone is invited to stroll up and down Brivibas Street and enjoy concerts, exhibitions, installations, excursions, entertaining projects and creative workshops – only a tiny part of the entire festival programme.
The event programme, also available during the event, will help you navigate the many events on Brivibas Street.
Starting from 19:00, you can embark on a stroll and see the street coming alive through numerous sensations and activities.
From 19:00 to 22:00, the exhibition “Story of a House” (“Viena nama stāsts”) will open its doors and elaborate on the history of the Gutschmidt family and their house with the aid of ten tablet devices.
From 19:00 to 21:00, everyone is encouraged to heed the call “enJoy – Nature!” (“ieBrien pļavā!”). Ventspils theatre actors will bring to life various scenes from the countryside and work in a farmstead. It also will involve petting animals and riding on a horse and in a cart, as well as cooling off with some tasty milk, which will be discussed more in-depth by the representatives of the Latvian Agriculture Museum “Kalēji”.
From 19:00 to 22:00, do not miss the opportunity to reach new heights and try out rock climbing.
Until 24:00, the atmosphere in Brivibas Street will be enriched through the photo exhibition-installation “Unfree. Free. Freedom” (“Nebrīve. Brīve. Brīvība”) by Ventspils photo club “Moments”.
The project “Grandmother’s Story Blanket” (“Vecmāmiņas stāstu sega”) will reveal memories of Latvia and its history.
From 19:00 to 22:00, the youngest participants will be particularly welcome at the “Children’s Grounds” to see the performance of Ventspils vocal-instrumental group “WINDY TEMPER”, giving the “Green Light for Music”, draw on the asphalt and participate in technical-creative workshops, while agency “Kasher's Dream Factory” (“Kašera sapņu fabrika”) will lead a musically educational play programme “Milda’s Mysteries” (“Mildas noslēpumi”) for children.
Ventspils Tourism Information Centre will participate in the evening walk on Brivibas Street with their call to “Love Ventspils!” (“Iemīli Ventspili”), emphasising the availability of recreational activities in the spring season and will encourage children to participate in creative and challenging games with the aim to popularise Ventspils as the city of recreational activities. A mobile bank for Venti will be available during the event. Here you will find the latest tourism material printouts with the events calendar for 2018, as well as the route plan for the “Friday Evening Walk on Brivibas Street”.
While strolling, do not forget to visit the boiler house of PSIA “Ventspils siltums”. During their Open Doors Day event from 19:00 to 22:30, visitors will be encouraged to join an excursion and find out how the heating for the Ventspils households is produced.
Do not miss out on the Fire Show, beginning at 22:10.
National Guard’s 46th Infantry Battalion will participate in the event with the motto “For Latvia!” (“Par Latviju!”), informing on the career opportunities in the National Guard. Use the opportunity to challenge yourself in the trials prepared by the National Guard!
From 19:00 to 22:00, the Friday Evening Walk will provide the visitors with the chance to travel to the past and experience the atmosphere of the 1980s. In a way, the garage cooperative “Signāls VP” will serve as the portal, because there visitors will be able to find cars from the 1980s, Moonshine Laboratory and a buffet, participate in the tournament of the Latvian card game Zole and take in other objects of the past. For sure, this is the place both for the ones who remember these times and for ones who only have heard stories.
Illusionist Robijs Trankalis will enchant the light of the eventide with his magic tricks.
From 19:00 to 23:00, there will be a real “Potter’s Revolution” with a fair, pottery workshops and other marvels.
Pack in a good mood, company and snacks with you to enjoy the Musical Picnic in the Meadow:
From 20:00 to 21:00, the children’s vocal ensemble “Dzeguzīte” will perform their concert programme “One Land, One Sun” (“Viena zeme, viena saule”) together with Normunds Rutulis, Ieva Sutugova and the accompanying group.
From 21:00 to 22:00, the celebration will be continued with the ecological music orchestra “Ducele”.
From 22:00 to 23:00, the performance by musical group “Lauku muzikanti”. The event will be hosted by actor Gints Grāvelis.
From 23:00 to 02:00, in a disco of the Latvian National Awakening style everyone is encouraged to stretch their legs with DJ GOBZIŅŠ.
After the descent of twilight from 22:00 to 02:00, many parts of Brivibas Street will offer series of light installations “Only One night in Briviba Street” (“Tikai viena nakts Brīvības ielā”):
Video mapping performance “Colour in” – the facade of the house on 11 Brivibas Street will lighten up with the designs born on the wings of the imagination of children, and employees of municipality institutions and companies.
“Play of Light” (21 Brivibas Street).
At 23:00, 23:30, 24:00 and 00:30, light and video mapping performance “River of Time” (32 Brivibas Street).
Video mapping performance “Cow Chameleon” (in the square next to the “Cow Colossus” by Gļebs Panteļejevs).
“Videogame Adventure” (on the side of the house on 38 Brivibas Street).
“Parade of the Freedom Monument” (at the end of Briviba Street).
The event is organised in cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of the Republic of Latvia, State Regional Development Agency, Latvian Large Cities Association, Ventspils Museum, Ventspils Main Library, Ventspils International Writers and Translators' House, as well as other institutions and non-governmental organisations in Ventspils.
Foto: J. Presņikovs
