For the past five years, the Latvian capital has been home to “Staro Riga,” a festival of lights akin to those held in European cities like Berlin, Ghent and Lyon. This year, the festival coincided with the city’s reign as the European Capital of Culture, and from what I’ve gathered, Riga pulled out all the stops. Videos created by internationally-acclaimed artists danced across buildings while light installations were set up in the city parks and fountains. Even though it was freezing outside, we took to the streets along with seemingly half of Latvia to enjoy Riga in a whole new way.
My favorite display was the “Circus of Light” illuminating the facade of the Astor Hotel on the edge of Old Riga. The show opened with a drawing of red-top curtains and concluded with fireworks and a disappearing white rabbit. In between, a bevy of talented animals performed acrobatic stunts while the audience – real and holographic – cheered them on.
Another crowd-pleaser was the “United Fish” video, in which a school of musical fish, which had to protect its underwater world from attacking stingrays, swam across the Riga Congress Center. Someone told me this was meant to be an allegory for Baltic strength against regional aggression. Whatever it was, it was mesmerizing!
Several of the light displays were patriotic in nature, as the final night of Staro Riga fell on Latvia’s Independence Day, and the colors of the country’s flag stood out against the dark winter sky.
The most elaborate display was in Dome Square in the heart of Old Riga and took viewers on a “Journey into a World of Colorful Fairy Tales.” The video, projected across three buildings at once, was inspired by a popular Latvian children’s book. The story may have been unknown to us, but it was impressive to watch all the same.
While we didn’t make it to all of the festival’s light installations, here’s a look at the some of the others we enjoyed:
Which light festivals around the world have you attended?
Argh this looks so cool and like EXACTLY my kind of thing! The flower market near my home occasionally lights up at night, but it’s nowhere near this cool, and it doesn’t feature Latvian fairy tales. Booooo.
You’ll just have to add this awesome light festival to your travel calendar for next year! I’ll be curious to see how much effort Riga puts into it once the Capital of Culture title has been bestowed on another city.
This puts any light festivals I’ve been to shame … they are always fun, but the one you went to in Riga was truly unbelievable!
Wow, really? This was my first light festival so I didn’t know what to expect. Good for Riga for pulling off something so special!
There was a light festival in Amsterdam, but I missed it. Now I really regret that! Wow, the Riga festival’s absolutely amazing!!
I bet the light festival in Amsterdam was amazing, too. Now I want to travel around Europe and see them all!
So happy I can live vicariously through you! 🙂 Seriously, one of my travel goals is to one year spend Independence Day in Latvia, and Staro Riga is just one of the reasons. I love the look of all the white globes in front of the Opera! But all of the displays look amazing. As always – thanks for sharing!!
You MUST visit Riga for Independence Day! I was very impressed with all the festivities, especially the fireworks. I missed the torch parade and the Lacplesis candle lighting, though, so will save that post for next year when it will hopefully be more complete. Now it’s time to start tracking down all the Christmas trees around town!
Yes, a mid-November Riga visit is definitely in the 5-year plan! 🙂
Those photos are gorgeous! Sadly, I’ve never been to a light festival, but perhaps I’ll add that to my 2015 travels. Do you know if any of the lights stay up past the festival?
Sadly all the lights came down once the festival was over, but they were quickly replaced with loads of Christmas decorations. In Riga it’s one celebration after another!
Oh wow! Just stunning! I have never been to a festival of lights in such grandeur!! I hope I make it to the one in Sydney next year, if its still on!
This was my first light festival ever and I’m afraid it set the bar really high! 🙂
How stunning it must have been in person ~ your still photos are knockouts!
Thanks, Jan! I’m really enjoying the new camera 🙂
Wow what a concept. Mesmerizing, indeed!
It was truly spectacular. I can’t wait to see what they do next year!
What a dazzling display of artistry … I would love to see a show like this!
It was truly spectacular, Elaine! I can’t wait to see next year’s show!