PEOPLE AND TRADITIONS
"The most important holiday for every Latvian is the Summer Solstice festival, or JŸÅ‰Üi, whish is celebrated on the night of June 23. Farms are bedecked with garlands of oak and birch branches and meadow flowers. Nearly everyone leaves the city for the open air so that the shortest night of the year can be spent in the merry company of friends Campfires are lit, special songs are sung, dancing is a universal element during the festival. Traditional caraway seed cheese and lots of beer are on the menu.
Latvians are very proud of their quadrennial Song and Dance Festival. This festival has been organized since 1873, and each time it bring together literally tens of thousands of singers and dancers, dressed in their best folk costumes and coming from every region in Latvia. The festival always unifies the Latvian national, strengthening its spiritual self-esteem. The Song and Dance Festival has never lost its significance, and it helps in upholding ancient traditions of song and dance in Latvia. The festival is always held in Riga, with the culminating concert on the grand open ’Äì air stage in Me‰æaparks. A massive parade of participants weaves thought the city, and every resident and guest of Riga is on hand to watch the spectacle."
*All information/facts/pictures used above are from: http://www.visiteurope.com/ccm/experience/detail/?nav_cat=134&lang=en_GL&item_url=/NTO-Latvia/experiences/culture/people-traditions-.en, http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/scripts_php/img_copyright.php%3FphotoID%3D00193%26size%3DBIG&imgrefurl=http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php%3Fpg%3D00084%26reg_id%3D05%26pan_id%3D00193&h=394&w=500&sz=164&hl=en&start=26&um=1&tbnid=oQMCN1hOyuEwmM:&tbnh=102&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlatvian%2Bfolk%2Bdancing%26start%3D18%26ndsp%3D18%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN