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This week, on September 5, the Jelgava Night Half Marathon will take place. The event was postponed from August 22 due to unfavorable weather conditions. It is one of the largest road races in Latvia, and 3,856 participants have currently registered, with registration still open. This year, runners will follow a new route along the left bank of the Lielupe River. However, the running event will also bring significant traffic restrictions in the city, which everyone is encouraged to familiarize themselves with using the traffic scheme or the “Waze” navigation system.

This week, on September 5, the Jelgava Night Half Marathon will take place. The event was postponed from August 22 due to unfavorable weather conditions. It is one of the largest road races in Latvia, and 3,856 participants have currently registered, with registration still open. This year, runners will follow a new route along the left bank of the Lielupe River. However, the running event will also bring significant traffic restrictions in the city, which everyone is encouraged to familiarize themselves with using the traffic scheme or the “Waze” navigation system.

To prepare the course, traffic restrictions will be introduced as early as Friday, September 4, at 3:00 p.m. Stopping and parking will be prohibited along the race route. This restriction will also remain in force on September 5 until the course markings have been removed after the race.

It should be noted that a new route has been created this year. The event center will be located on Pasta Island, while the start will be on Jāņa Čakstes Boulevard. The route will run along Zemgales Prospekts, Katoļu Street, Lielā Street, Atmodas Street and Lapskalna Street, through Victory Park and around Jelgava Palace.

On Saturday, September 5, at 12:00 p.m., an EXPO tent will open on Pasta Island, where participants will be able to register and collect their race numbers, helping to avoid crowds in the evening. For short-term parking until 4:00 p.m., the so-called White Vase parking lot on Pilssalas Street will be available. This parking area will also be available to visitors attending the Jelgava Big Band concert “The World of Animation in Jazz Sounds,” which will take place at the open-air concert venue “Mītava.”

The event center on Pasta Island will open at 4:00 p.m., offering visitors various activities and creative workshops, as well as food and other vendors. The first start will be given at 7:30 p.m. for the children’s races. This will be followed by a foam party, the one-mile race, the half marathon—which will also serve as the Latvian Championship—and the 5 km and 10 km races. The awards ceremony is scheduled for around midnight.

PROGRAMME

12:00 p.m. — EXPO, race number collection and registration
4:00 p.m. — Event centre opens
7:30 p.m. — Children’s races start
8:15 p.m. — Foam party
8:30 p.m. — One-mile race starts
9:15 p.m. — Half marathon and relay start
10:40 p.m. — 5 km and 10 km races start
12:00 a.m. — Awards ceremony

TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS

A road race through the city streets will also result in significant traffic restrictions. On race day, September 5, traffic will be closed on Pasta Island and in the parking area near the palace from 7:00 a.m. Cars will be allowed to park in the so-called White Vase parking lot until 4:00 p.m. (this mainly applies to concert visitors). The restrictions will remain in force until 1:00 a.m. on September 6.

At 3:00 p.m., Jāņa Čakstes Boulevard will be closed to traffic between Lielā Street and Elektrības Street.

At 5:00 p.m., Pilssalas Street will be closed to traffic. From 7:15 p.m. until 1:00 a.m., vehicle traffic will be closed along the entire race route. Emergency and operational vehicles will be permitted to travel.

A more detailed traffic restriction map is available at the end of the article.

CROSSING THE RACE ROUTE

Controlled crossing of the race route will be permitted at several locations. Lielā Street can be crossed via Pasta Street, Mātera Street, and Aspazijas and Satiksmes Streets. Atmodas Street can be crossed via Ošu Road.

The race route may be crossed when there are no runners nearby and only with the permission of race-course personnel.

PARKING

Parking for event visitors will be available in the meadow opposite Jelgava Palace, at 2 and 2A Peldu Street, and at 2 Cukura Street.

CITY BUS SERVICES

During the Jelgava Night Half Marathon, the routes of several city bus services will be changed. SIA “Jelgavas autobusu parks” informs that changes to public transport services will be in effect after 8:50 p.m. on September 5.

SIA “Jelgavas autobusu parks” has announced changes to the operation of bus services on September 5.

The changes will affect the following services:

Route No. 1, 8:39 p.m. Tušķi GP–Centre: the bus will follow its regular route as far as the “1. līnija” bus stop on Dobeles Highway, then use a detour via Atmodas Street–Asteru Street–Dambja Street–Sarmas Street–Raiņa Street–Mātera Street to the “Svētes iela” bus stop, where the service will terminate. The following stops will not be served: “Satiksmes iela,” “Māras iela,” “Ozolskvērs,” “Pētera iela” and “Centrs.”
Route No. 2, 10:27 p.m. Svēte–Centre: the route will be shortened and will operate only as far as the “Svētes iela” bus stop on Mātera Street.
Route No. 8, 8:53 p.m. Bemberi–Bus Station: the service will operate along its regular route as far as the “1. līnija” bus stop on Dobeles Highway, then continue via the following detour: Atmodas Street–Asteru Street–Dambja Street–Sarmas Street–Raiņa Street–Mātera Street to the “Svētes iela” bus stop, where the service will terminate. The following stops will not be served: “Satiksmes iela,” “Māras iela,” “Ozolskvērs,” “Pētera iela” and “Autoosta.”

Route No. 8, 9:29 p.m. Romas krogs–Bemberi: the service will operate along its regular route as far as the “Jelgavas stacija” bus stop, then continue via the following detour: Stacijas Street–Rūpniecības Street–Mātera Street–Raiņa Street–Sarmas Street–Dambja Street–Asteru Street–Atmodas Street–Dobeles Highway, after which it will continue along its regular route. The following stops will not be served: “Bibliotēka,” “Raiņa iela,” “Muzejs,” “Centrs,” “Pētera iela,” “Ozolskvērs,” “Māras iela” and “Satiksmes iela.”

Route No. 8, 9:52 p.m. Bemberi–Stacijas Street: the service will operate along its regular route as far as the “1. līnija” bus stop on Dobeles Highway, then continue via the following detour: Atmodas Street–Asteru Street–Dambja Street–Sarmas Street–Raiņa Street–Pasta Street, after which it will continue along its regular route. The following stops will not be served: “Satiksmes iela,” “Māras iela,” “Ozolskvērs,” “Pētera iela” and “Autoosta.”

Route No. 9, 9:06 p.m. Ānes Cultural Centre–Tetele–Baloži Cemetery: the service will operate along its regular route as far as the “Cukurfabrika” bus stop on Garozas Street, then continue via the following detour: Garozas Street–P93 road–A8 road–Aizsargu Street–Miera Street–Lietuvas Highway–Rūpniecības Street–Mātera Street–Raiņa Street, after which it will continue along its regular route to Baloži Cemetery. The following stops will not be served: “Austrumu iela,” “Kalnciema ceļš,” “Jelgavas pils,” “Centrs” and “Mātera iela.”

Route No. 9, 9:52 p.m. Baloži Cemetery–Centre: the service will start with a delay and will operate as far as the “Svētes iela” bus stop on Mātera Street.

Route No. 15, 8:48 p.m. and 9:56 p.m. Satiksmes Street Post Office–Pārlielupe Primary School–Cukurfabrika: the services will operate along their regular route as far as the “Ganību iela” bus stop, then cross the race route and continue via the following detour: Aspazijas Street–Asteru Street–Dambja Street–Sarmas Street–Raiņa Street–Mātera Street–Rūpniecības Street–Lietuvas Highway–Miera Street–Aizsargu Street–A8 road–P93 road–Garozas Street–Rīgas Street, after which they will continue along their regular route. The following stops will not be served: “Māras iela,” “Ozolskvērs,” “Pētera iela,” “Centrs” and “Jelgavas pils.”

Route No. 15, 9:20 p.m. and 10:25 p.m. Cukurfabrika Station–Satiksmes Street Post Office: the services will start with delays and will operate along their regular route as far as the “Ledus halle” bus stop, then continue via the following detour: Garozas Street–P93 road–A8 road–Aizsargu Street–Miera Street–Lietuvas Highway–Rūpniecības Street–Mātera Street–K. Barona Street–Uzvaras Street–Dobeles Street–Blaumaņa Street–Lapskalna Street–Kazarmes Street–Kārļa Street–Zvejnieka Street to the “Satiksmes ielas pasts” bus stop. The following stops will not be served: “Kalnciema ceļš,” “Jelgavas pils” and “Lapskalna iela.”

Route No. 22, 8:45 p.m. Asteru Street–Jelgava Station and 9:45 p.m. Asteru Street–Stacijas Street: the services will operate along their regular routes as far as the “Bebru ceļš” bus stop on Atmodas Street, then continue via the following detour: Asteru Street–Dambja Street–Sarmas Street–Raiņa Street–Pasta Street, after which they will continue along their regular routes. The following stops will not be served: “Atmodas iela,” “Satiksmes iela,” “Māras iela,” “Ozolskvērs,” “Pētera iela” and “Autoosta.”

Route No. 22, 9:32 p.m. and 10:32 p.m. Jelgava Station–Asteru Street: the services will operate along their regular route as far as the “Jelgavas stacija” bus stop, then continue via the following detour: Stacijas Street–Rūpniecības Street–Mātera Street–K. Barona Street–Uzvaras Street–Dobeles Street–Blaumaņa Street–Lapskalna Street–Kazarmes Street–Kārļa Street–Zvejnieka Street, after which they will continue along their regular route. The following stops will not be served: “Bibliotēka,” “Raiņa iela,” “Muzejs” and “Lapskalna iela.”

Route No. 22, 10:45 p.m. Asteru Street–Atmodas Street–Meiju Road: the service will operate along its regular route as far as the “Bebru ceļš” bus stop on Atmodas Street, then continue via the following detour: Asteru Street–Aspazijas Street–Satiksmes Street, after which it will continue along its regular route.
Jelgavas Autobusu parks notes that, due to unforeseen traffic restrictions before and during the race, some services may not operate or may be diverted via alternative detour routes.

INTERCITY BUS SERVICES

The traffic restrictions will also affect intercity bus services. The Road Transport Administration informs that the changes will affect eight regional bus services.

The main changes are as follows: buses will bypass the closed section of Lielā Street using alternative routes, and the “Satiksmes iela” bus stop will not be served. Buses travelling towards Dobele will use Raiņa Street, Filozofu Street and Atmodas Street as detour routes, while buses travelling towards Riga will use the A8 road, Garozas Street and Rīgas Street. Jelgava Bus Station will remain accessible.

The following services will be affected:

No. 7363 Jelgava–Dobele, departing from Jelgava Station at 8:32 p.m.;
No. 7376 Riga–Jelgava–Dobele, departing from Riga at 8:00 p.m., 8:30 p.m., 9:00 p.m. and 9:50 p.m.;
No. 5824 Līvbērze–Jelgava, departing from Līvbērze at 8:55 p.m.;
No. 7017 Jelgava–Riga, departing from Jelgava at 9:55 p.m.;
No. 7017 Riga–Jelgava, departing from Riga at 11:00 p.m.
Timetables for regional bus routes are available on the information portal www.1188.lv.

FREE PARTICIPATION FOR MORE THAN 500 JELGAVA RESIDENTS

For the third consecutive year, free participation in the half marathon in Jelgava is primarily being provided to children and young people in order to encourage their involvement in sports activities. The initiative is aimed at students of sports schools and clubs aged 7 to 19, as well as pupils from general education schools.

Free participation could also be earned by taking part in various sporting events in the city, such as the “Spring Messengers” challenge, group running training sessions and the “Mītavas apļi” running series.

In total, free participation will be provided to more than 500 Jelgava residents this year.

DISCOUNT FOR “3+ FAMILY CARD” HOLDERS

Holders of the “3+ Family Card,” the official card for large families, can receive a discount on participation in the Jelgava Night Half Marathon. When registering, participants must enter their “3+ Family Card” number and, when collecting their race number, present the card together with an identity document.

BUS TO RIGA

A free bus to Riga will be provided after the Jelgava Night Half Marathon. The bus is scheduled to depart as soon as traffic is restored (at around 1:00 a.m. on August 23). Participants will gather at the bus parking area at 1 Jāņa Čakstes Boulevard.

Those interested are invited to register by August 21 by emailing Agija.Polanska@sports.jelgava.lv and providing their first and last name, telephone number and the race distance they will be participating in.

HOPING FOR A RECORD

The Jelgava Night Half Marathon has been held since 2014, with a break during the pandemic. Last year, 4,027 participants took part, and this year the organizers hope to exceed that

Further information on the Jelgava Night Half Marathon, event schedules, and route maps can be found HERE.

This article has been translated from Latvian to English using the help of Chatgpt AI.