Russian Language Academy BORN
Celebrating Midsummer in Riga is one of the many wonderful things about studying Russian in Latvia during the summer. In Latvia, these Midsummer holidays are otherwise known as Līgo and Jāni. The summer solstice holiday is a rich cultural experience that also provides an excellent opportunity to practice your Russian. Additionally, you also get to meet new people and visit the holiday market and festivals–all as part of the celebration!
Here, people celebrate Midsummer for two days–Līgo (June 23) and Jāni (June 24)–which Latvia observes as national holidays. My classmates and I celebrated together since the holiday provided a long weekend. We started after class on Wednesday by going to the holiday market in Dome Square in Riga’s Old Town. There, artists, craftsmen, and food artisans sold flower crowns, caraway seed cheese, meats, bread, traditional jewelry and garments, and other goods. Meanwhile, traditional choirs, bands, and dancers performed on the main stage to showcase Latvian culture. The air was filled with smiles and laughter, and you could hear a mix of Russian and Latvian throughout the square.
The next day, my friends and I went to Dzegužkalns Park where there was a large festival. (This was easy since public transport was free!) There we made flower crowns, ate delicious food (for just a few euros per item!), and joined in the traditional dances. Around 10 PM a ceremony began that ended with lighting a large bonfire. The bonfire kept us warm until 4:30 AM when we climbed the hill at the park. At the top, we sang a final song and looked for the first beams of sun that will give us energy for the next year (as the legends say).
In conclusion, studying at the Russian Language Academy provided a fantastic group of friends to celebrate with from the UK, Austria, the US, the Czech Republic, and more! Afterward, we rewarded ourselves with a long nap and agreed that we would gladly celebrate Midsummer in Riga again.
If you’re interested in reading more about the traditions and history of the holiday, click here.
-Lydia, Student, USA