Your friend in Riga last months has been pretty lazy on this blog... Let me apologize for this silence. But of course I have excuses, everyone has excuses for everything - for not traveling, not eating healthy and even for not having fun.
Summer in Latvia is in it's peak. The streets of Riga today are almost melting and beaches are crowded. Every weekend comes with festivals outside Riga, music and beer seems to rule the world. From folklore festivals to entertainment for mainstream lovers - whatever your heart is longing for. Folklore festival Baltica 2012 has already left the streets of Riga, one of the coolest Latvian festivals Positivus in Salacgrīva (with 25 000 visitors), Fonofest close to Cēsis and others are behind... But some festivals are still in front of us: my summer festival vote goes for LabaDaba - international music festival on August 3-5 (2012). Friendly and positive festival with the name that could be translated as "Good Nature". That's what the organizers say on their website about the festival:
"LABADABA would like recall that the world is colorful, hospitable and free.
LABADABA – for people who make the world turn around!"
This festival has something to do with Nabaklab (located at the Old Town) and something to do with the only non-commercial radio station in Latvia - University of Latvia radio "Naba". Yap, these are the same hands and brains working also on this festival. No pop-music there. On the menu of this festival is reggae, etno-folk, rock, electro... - pretty interesting music to enjoy on five stages - Bear's stage (that's the main stage), Dog's stage (barn), Hedgehog's stage (world, reggae, folk), Raven's aerie (electro, Dj) and Chillout stage ”Green owl’s lair”. I guess for many visitors the most waited performers are Chinawoman from Canada, but this definitely is not the only interesting band you will meet there - Spiritual Seasons from Ukraine, Dub Syndicte from Jamaica, Bombillaz from Estonia, Clubroot from Great Britain, Skafandr from Russia, Adolescents from USA, Dr. Ring Ding from Germay and the list goes on. From the huge list of Latvian performers there are some you definitely have to see - Auļi, Iļģi and Dzelzs Vilks with their folk, post-folk and folk rock programs are truly amazing!
Besides the music many other activities are waiting for you there - geocaching, bathhouse (sauna), different creative workshops, getting henna tattoos, a tent for curious people, kindergarten, cosmic swing, mail art exposition, cinema house, different sports, discussions, yoga, theatre and the list goes on...
After a long period of non-stop work I think I deserve it and if you are in Latvia on that weekend, you have to check out their website now to make the right decision: LABADABA.lv
