About
The International Folklore Festival BALTICA is a unique co-project of the three Baltic States and as such, the best proof that we share common aspirations and goals, as well as the same history and, hopefully, the same future.
Without a doubt the whole world acknowledges “Baltica” to be the most popular traditional culture festival in the Baltic States. This is the largest and internationally recognised traditional culture festival in the Baltic countries, which cares for the preservation and development of intangible cultural heritage.
The festival is organized under the auspices of CIOFFF and appears in their calendar. CIOFF – the world’s most prominent International Council of Organisations for Folklore Festivals and Traditional Art – is a member organisation of UNESCO, and approximately 80 countries are involved in it.
The founding of the festival is very closely related to the national reawakening movement in all three Baltic States.
So far, eleven of these festivals have taken place in Latvia (1988, 1991, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018). Since its existence, starting from 1987, the festival has become an established tradition and is recognised throughout society. In turn, for the preservers of traditional culture, this festival is always a source of new inspiration for further activities.
Next International Folklore festival BALTICA in Latvia will take place during July 6–10, 2022. With the motto “Come and Play!”, more than 250 folk groups and ethnographic bands will meet and interact in various concerts, events and activities in Alsunga, Dundaga, Inciems, Inčukalns, Jūdaži, Krimulda, Kuldīga, Lēdurga, Mālpils, Pope, Rīga, Sigulda, Talsi, Turaida and Ventspils.
BALTICA festivals introduce folk dance, folk music, customs, handicraft and other fields of folk art in their historical forms.
BALTICA festivals have gained recognition and popularity in the world due to the aim at authenticity and the originality of the program revealed in the organizing of Country and Capital days.
Every year the festival gathers over 2000 participants of different age from Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania as well as from other countries.
The festival activities take place both in cities - concert halls and in the streets, for example, parades, and in the countryside - on open-air stages.