Traditional Summer Solstice in Turaida Museum

Summer solstice or in Latvia called also Jāņi is the celebration of the longest day and shortest night of the year. This is a little bit mystic event. Following ancient traditions, we invite you to look for the Legendary blossom of fern, which is blooming only in this night. You have to wash your face in the morning`s dew, gather herbal plants as during this night they have special midsummer power. The celebration of Summer Solstice date back in centuries, when Europeans were practicing the cult of Sun. During this night the bonfires and fireplaces are raised everywhere to celebrate the cosmic energy of Earth and Sun 

This year for the event there will be a lot of participants from 33 folk groups. Summer solstice is a celebration of the gathering together of the family, relatives, friends, and neighbors. A strong family is the one that forms the basis of a strong nation, so this year we will celebrate family and family strength.

19:00 – 21.00 GRASS EVENING

WISDOM OF WOMEN
making wreaths / making cheese  /  latvian bath tradition / power of herbs

WISDOM OF MEN
lighting the fire with a flint

WISDOM FOR KIDS
19.30 – 20.30 dancing with folklore group MILZKALNIEKI anda CEIRULEITS

BLESSING
19.30 – 20.00 field and courtyard ritual
20.00 – 20.30 household ritual of Janis
20.30 – 21.00 echoing

21:00  SOLSTICE FIRE
LIGHTING THE FIRE
horn is calling to gather at Janis hillside  /carrying oak garland up the hill  / lighting the sun and couple bonfires /  sunpath with “Nodibinājums Mārs loks” and folklore group URGAS
RITUAL OF OAK
22.30 burning of big Janis fire  / games with folklore groups CIELAVA and SUDMALIŅAS
LIGHT IN THE DARK
23.00 singing next to the Sun fireplace

00:00  MIDNIGHT
FIREWHEEL
00.00 ritual in middle of the night  /  burning of the old crowns
00.30 horn is inviting  / firewheel
BONFIRE OF DANCE
01.00 – 03.00 dancing with folklore groups CEIRULEITS, SUDMALIŅAS and DANDARI

NIGHT SINGING
01.00 – 02.30 singing together with Inese Kozuliņa next to the JĀNIS fireplace and with ethnographic ensembles from Šķilbēni un Rucava and folklore gruops NAKTINEICA,PŪRLĀDE, PŪRS, CEIRULEITS, PUTNI, LEIMAŅI, CEIDARI and DZIETI
02.30 jumping over the fireplace

03:00  THE PATH OF LIGHT
IN FRONT OF THE LIGHT horn is inviting up in Janis hill
FOUNT RITUALS going to founts
MORNING DEW
03.30 mornign dew rituals up in Dainu hill and at the end of Mara path with folklore group ORE
MEETING THE SUN
04.00 meeting the sun next to the scupture “Don’t sleep, the Sun!” with folklore group DZIETI
FAREWELL
05.00 puttiing the raft in the Gauja river