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Archive for latvia

Latvia Celebrates Centenary

By Linda Tancs

On November 18 Latvia will reach the 100-year anniversary of its founding as an independent nation. The celebration, however, has already begun—in 2017! And it will continue until 2021; after all, 100 years is a lot of ground to cover. In addition to song and dance, the National History Museum of Latvia is collaborating with museums around the nation to present the exhibition “Latvia’s Century.” Historical artifacts will be available for viewing in Kurzeme, Sēlija, Vidzeme, Zemgale and Riga.

Beer in the Baltics

By Linda Tancs

Aldaris Beer Museum and Brewery is the first of its kind in Latvia and one of the most modern beer museums in the Baltics. The launch of the facility in 2015 coincided with the opening of the First Latvian Beer Congress, which brought together nearly 100 representatives of its beer industry. Located on the outskirts of Riga, the museum is situated in an old part of the Aldaris brewery, offering visitors a collection of exhibits related to beer, as well as tastings and the opportunity to attend beer-making classes. Of particular interest is the room housing the vats, which has remained practically unchanged since 1938. Take tram No. 5 from Riga’s city center to “Aldaris.”

Europe’s Capitals of Culture

By Linda Tancs

The European Commission’s picks for this year’s capitals of culture are Riga and Umeå.  Riga, the Latvian capital, is the largest city in the Baltic region.  Its covered market is one of the largest of its kind in Europe.  Umeå, in northern Sweden, is the northernmost city selected by the EU for this annual honor.  During the weekend of 31 January to 2 February, Umeå will inaugurate the year with a spectacular Burning Snow music and dance recital on and around Umeälven River.  Riga promises 365 days of enjoyment of Latvian music, fine arts, cinema and pop culture.  The cities are also planning several joint projects to celebrate their capital of culture year.