A season for entertainment

  • 2012-07-11
  • By Antra Feldmane

RIGA - Like every year, summer has arrived with a great variety of entertainment options. Music and art festivals in the Baltic region are as popular as they are in such countries as the UK or Denmark, where festival goers have not forgotten this tradition for more than 40 years now. These festivals are not just for youngsters, but also for seniors, families, and even for their pets, if one likes. The Baltics can offer rather small, boutique-style options for those who do not desire Glastonbury-size crowds and choose to stay home, rather than travel around Europe. The Baltic Times suggests taking a look at some of these, at quite reasonable prices.

Yaga Festival. 60 km from Vilnius, Lithuania, July 19-23. Do you fancy spending four days in the woods? If the answer is yes, welcome to Yaga. “This is a platform for being yourself, sharing love, arts, knowledge, experiences, self-exploration and spiritual relief in the sanctuary of the forest,” says the festival’s Web site. Some of my friends were there last year. It is a place for a psychedelic dancing experience, positive madness and freedom, as in good old ‘60s hippies’ days, they say. The festival site is located literally in the woods, near a lake and offers an isolated “dream island,” for four years now, with more than 112 DJs, several crafts workshops and a few yoga courses in the mornings. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, it will change your life.

Positivus Festival. Salacgriva, Latvia, July 20-21. This event does not require an introduction for most Latvian people. This two-day festival near Salacgriva beach is a regular action spot every summer. Folks buy tickets in advance, knowing that the price will go up later. Vans and cars are filled with children and friends. Indeed, this is a family-friendly event. If you are fast enough, there are options for booking a room in a guest house or hotel near the site. Children can take part in several group activities while their parents listen to the gigs. Keane, Friendly Fires and Damien Rice as well as Wild Beasts and SBTRKT are this year’s headliners. Don’t forget to check out Tallinn Music Week stage with young artists from Estonia. This is, no doubts, the biggest festival in the Baltics and has gained the attention of locals and foreigners.

Laba Daba. Ratnieki, Cesis region, Latvia, Aug. 3-5. This is a “nature reserve” with tent places in a real, wide apple orchard. You will like it here if you fancy a bit of reggae and a bit of melancholic folk music. There will also be a few places for cheerful dance floors. The food there has been great for years; vegetarians will also stay happy with the menu. This year’s special guest will be singer Chinawoman, from Canada. In fact, she is Russian and has influenced many from the 70s Russian popular music, including Alla Pugachova. Her song was used in the Latvian indie movie “Kolka Cool” soundtrack. That is why there will be three sessions for “Kolka Cool,” where you will meet the screenwriters of the movie. This is a great event for Latvian underground music lovers. Such classic bands as indie ensemble Dzeltenie Pastnieki, and shoe gazers Tramplini will also play at Laba Daba. This is “all-in-one” for music and nature lovers.

Greenfest City Edition 2012. Tallinn’s Tselluloosi hill, Estonia. Aug. 9 – 10 will see a unique debut for a festival in Tallinn’s Tselluloosi hill with youthful and urbanistic propensity called Greenfest City Edition 2012. Headliners for the two-day festival are Tinie Tempah (UK) and I Blame Coco (UK). Altogether, 25 artists will perform on the festival’s three stages. Greenfest City Edition is an exclusive, modern and innovative urban festival aimed at young pop- and dance music enthusiasts. The festival takes place in Tallinn in the historic Tselluloosi area.
These are just a few of the events that will be held in the Baltics during the summer months. There is no doubt that more gigs will follow.

More information about festivals and tickets can be found at:
www.yaga.lt
www.positivusfestival.com
www.labadaba.lv
greenfest.rockcafe.ee