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The summer solstice is approaching, bringing with it the longest day and the shortest night of the year. Traditionally, various themed events take place during this time. The Jelgava Regional Tourism Center (JRTC) also invites city residents and guests to the annual Midsummer Fair this Sunday, June 21st, from 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM in the Jelgava Old Town Street Quarter.

This year, the Midsummer Fair will move from the courtyard of the House of Traditions and Crafts to Old Town Street, where visitors can immerse themselves in the summer solstice atmosphere, sensing this magical season through scents and flavors. There will be an opportunity to buy treats made in Latvia and cherished by local businesses, various items themed around the Līgo holiday, as well as delicious food for the festive table. 19 home producers and craftsmen will offer their products at the fair. Visitors will have access to a wide range of home-produced products – honey and other beekeeping products, herbal teas, various snacks, a rich selection of bread, tray bakes, sweet casseroles and other pastries, fruit and berry wines. Vendors will offer tastings of their products, as well as refreshments at the mobile café “Kafīte”. Meanwhile, craftsmen will offer maple-leaf hats, flower arrangements, various candles, handmade designer jewelry made of natural stones, handicrafts, prints of ancient maps and engravings on canvas and paper (16th–19th century maps of Livonia, the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia, Jelgava, Europe, and the world), ceramic items, hand-sewn cotton knitwear, silk scarves, children’s accessories, educational activity books for children, wooden boxes with floral patterns, wooden products and tableware with fruit and floral designs, sheep fat creams, wooden barrels, mugs, and much more. Fair participants will also host activities at their stands – visitors can taste and try out products, participate in quizzes, and win small prizes.

The event will kick off with a musical performance by the folklore group “Zemgaļi” from Līvbērze parish, while the festive mood will be enhanced by themed creative workshops in the courtyard of the House of Traditions and Crafts at 2 Vecpilsētas Street. Starting from 12:00 PM, children can participate in the “Liepa Daba” creative workshops – coloring flower wreath mandalas and making creative postcards, as well as try their hand at large-format games provided by the “Junda” youth creative house. “Austras raksti”, along with Zanda Kursīte, will provide activities suited to the solstice theme, as a sauna whisk making masterclass will run from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM, a traditional Jāņi cheese-making masterclass will open to anyone interested at 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM, and a maple-leaf hat-making workshop will take place from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Visitors who want to participate are asked to arrive with pre-gathered maple leaves – making one hat requires about 200 leaves with stems. From 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, the fresh scent of mint will fill the courtyard of the House of Traditions and Crafts as the “Piparmētru namiņš” offers a workshop to make body scrubs from various mint varieties.

To ensure no one goes without the traditional solstice decoration – a Jāņi wreath – the “Samaritan Association of Latvia” will host a sedge wreath and decoration masterclass from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, while Ligita Danenberga will offer a wreath-weaving masterclass from 3:00 PM (until the gathered grasses run out). Meanwhile, the JRTC will host a workshop to create the unofficial symbol of the Jelgava Old Town Street Quarter – the traditional Latvian geometric straw decoration called a ķists – running from 1:00 PM until the very end of the event.

Participation in all the aforementioned activities is free of charge, and no pre-registration is required.

From 12:00 PM (until materials run out), a ceramic tableware painting workshop will be held in the pottery studio of the House of Traditions and Crafts. The ceramics workshop will be led by experienced ceramicist Beatrise Kaktiņa. The participation fee for the ceramics workshop is 5 euros, and tickets can be purchased at the Jelgava Old Town House at 14 Vecpilsētas Street.

To add even more charm to the event, the youngest visitors to the Midsummer Fair on Vecpilsētas Street can enjoy rides on the “Little Children’s Train Leo”. Ride tickets can be bought directly from the train driver, and the price per ticket is 5 euros.

While waiting for the summer solstice, the JRTC also invites you to visit the weavers’ workshop at the House of Traditions and Crafts, where visitors can discover the secrets of a weaver’s work, see how the Semigallian national costume is made, or participate in creative classes by booking in advance. The House of Traditions and Crafts is open to visitors from Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and on Sundays by prior appointment at your preferred time. Admission is 5 euros for adults; 2 euros for school children, students, and seniors; and 10 euros for a family ticket.

The nearby Jelgava Old Town House is a real gem for any history and architecture lover, as well as those wishing to discover the charm of ancient Mitau. Inside the Jelgava Old Town House, Jelgava’s lost wooden architecture comes alive through interactive exhibitions and the House’s stories. On June 21st, visitors are welcome from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, while regular exhibition hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and Sundays from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Admission is 4 euros for adults; 1.50 euros for school children, students, and seniors; and 6 euros for a family ticket.

It is worth noting that after the Midsummer Fair, everyone is invited to the Summer Solstice celebration on Pils Sala (Castle Island). From 9:00 PM until midnight, traditional solstice activities will take place on Pils Sala – singing around the great oak tree, fire rituals, seeing off the sun, dancing, and games. The festive atmosphere will be created by folklore groups “Dālava”, “Dimzēns”, “Laukam pāri”, “Liepāre”, “Nāburdzīte”, “Svitene”, and “Vecsaule”, inviting everyone to celebrate together.

Once the sun has set at midnight, the celebration will continue on Pasta Sala (Post Island), where the culmination of the 14th International Large-Format Ceramic Fire Sculpture Symposium will take place at 12:00 AM – featuring the lighting and glowing of fire sculptures. Read more about it HERE.

Photography and video recording will take place during the event for publicity and public information purposes. Information on personal data processing in the Jelgava State City Municipality is available on the website: https://www.jelgava.lv/pasvaldiba-par-pasvaldibu-datu-aizsardziba/.