Baltic Visitor

With only a few days to go before Midsummer, there is an excellent article on the annual festivities on Latvians Online – one of the best English-language Latvian websites. The piece by writer and musician Amanda Jātniece describes the run-up to Jāņi (Midsummer) in a manner recalling the days before Christmas:

Jāņi is on the air and in the stores throughout June. Radio stations play corny versions of Jāņi songs.

Typical Jāņi food includes caraway cheese, beer and šašliks (shashlik or shish kebab). People arrange parties and invite their friends, whether they plan a ‘traditional’ gathering or something more modern:

And Latvians feel it, even if they don’t care for—or scoff at—“traditional” celebrations with folk costumes, songs and bonfires. Jāņi is a celebration of light, life, summer and nature. At this time of year most Latvians need to get outside… What do they do, though, once they’re out of the city? Do they really sing all night, as our ancestors supposedly did? Most likely not, unless you’re with a bunch of folklorists, members of a choir or singing enthusiasts.

The article is well worth reading for anyone who wants to get a flavour of Midsummer in Latvia, which celebrates Midsummer with more gusto than the other Baltic States. I had been hoping to visit for Jāņi this year, but have not been able to make it. For those who will be there on the 23rd June, the best listings that I have found are at EventGuide.lv. Highlights include an event in Ventspils where all the celbrities taking part are named Jāņi. Other festivities are listed in Jurmala, Salacgriva, Talsi, and several other Latvian towns and cities. Enjoy!

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