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Jelgava celebrates its 761st birthday this year. From the 29th to the 31st of May, Jelgava residents and city guests are invited to experience the 2026 City Festival, the motto being “Jelgava unites – voices, steps, people.” This vividly describes the essence of the city – the ability to meet, connect, and unite different people, generations, traditions, and experiences in one common festive rhythm. Jelgava residents are already invited to prepare for one of the city festival’s central events – the festive parade “Ieskandini Jelgavu” (Ring in Jelgava) – which will take place on Friday, May 29th at 6:00 PM.

This year’s festival is intended as a diverse set of events starting from May 24th, but the culmination will be from Friday, May 29th, to Sunday, May 31st. At that time, Hercoga Jēkaba Square will become one of the main festival centers. Dancers will gather at the “Mītava” open-air concert hall. Activities dedicated to children and families will take place in “Uzvaras Parks” (Victory Park), and the square behind the house of culture (Kultūras nams) will be transformed into a meeting place for youth. The festival program will also be complemented by a market, culinary delights, sporting activities, a retro car rally, and other events in various parts of the city.

Special significance is given to this festival by the fact that many events will be organized by the people of Jelgava themselves. The city’s choir singers, dancers, young musicians, artists, athletes, families, children, and creative groups will meet at the festival, filling the program themselves with their presence, work, and talent. That is exactly why the festival motto “Jelgava unites” rings especially true this year – the festival is formed not only by the program, but also by the people who, through their participation, create the city’s shared sense of celebration.

One of the central events of the city festival will be the festive parade “Ieskandini Jelgavu” (Ring in Jelgava), which will take place on Friday, May 29th. The parade will start at 6:00 PM, but the gathering of participants is scheduled at 5:30 PM.

This time, the parade is planned along a new route – Lielā Street, Pasta Street, Krišjāņa Barona Street, Uzvaras Street, and Lielā Street – ending at “Hercoga Jēkaba” Square. After the parade, a collective dance event and sing-along will take place at the square, uniting participants and spectators in a shared festive moment, and ringing in the evening program.

The theme of the parade invites groups, institutions, companies, and groups of like-minded people to fill the city streets with sounds, movement, colors, and creative solutions; therefore, participants are invited to bring various objects for noise-making – bells, horns, percussion instruments, and other engaging elements that will help create a special mood.

Please note – attending the parade is free and does not require signing-up. You can see the gathering points in the attached diagram.