About 850 participants will participate in the Open Air Museum event “One day in our homes”.

In honor of the centenary of the Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia, on May 11, opening the summer season, the museum grounds will come to life in the event “One day at our homes”.

In more than thirty objects of the museum, people will be busy in clothes appropriate to the era and will do works specific to the specific place and time. It will be a journey in time, feeling 100-200 years into the past.

Visitors to the museum will have the opportunity to experience marriages, jurgis, and utrupi, as well as meet a miller, get acquainted with a schoolmaster and a pastor. Fishermen will prepare for fishing, elsewhere the potter’s family will go to the market, in one farm the landlady will invite you to join in the garden work, in another a peacock Jew will have wandered in.

There will be May carols at the Latgale crucifix and an impromptu holy moment in Usma Church. The potters, the weaver, the drayman of spinning carts are working. Boats will be tarred, fish will be dried. Above all, there will be folk songs, games and dances, and each homestead will have a special task for the children.

At the same time, about 850 members of amateur theaters and folklore ensembles from all cultural and historical regions will work on the territory of the museum, who will also involve visitors in the events of their homesteads. On this day, not only the central entrance and the West gate, but also the Bergu gate (70A Bergu Street) will be open to visitors.

The director of the event, Kārlis Anitens, says: “I would say that the upcoming event will be getting into the fairy tale of the Latvian people: you can go anywhere – miracles will be waiting everywhere. Together with more than 60 collectives – Latvian amateur theaters and folklore ensembles, we are working so that a moment of a possible day in ancient times flashes in each of the farms and buildings of the Open Air Museum.

From waking up birds to making seals for windmill wings, from spring gardening to marriages, from searching for a lost cowshed to choosing a dowry chest – the number of topics covered is very wide, covering both honors and everyday life.

The celebration of the centenary of the Open Air Museum will probably be the biggest improvised performance that has ever been held in Latvia. At the same time, about 850 members of amateur art collectives will work on the territory of the museum, who will also involve visitors in the events of their homestead. Therefore, the total number of participants in the story of one day in our house will probably reach at least 10 thousand people. It will be a powerful show on an area of ​​80 hectares to honor the important anniversary of the Open Air Museum.”

The Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia houses buildings and household items that reflect the way of rural life from the 17th-20th centuries. century 1930s, but the most rapid changes in the infrastructure of the rural environment have taken place in the last half century. Decorative and cultural-historical significance is no longer only for mills, but also for cattle sheds and granaries in farmers’ farms.

There are no horse-drawn carriages on the country roads, no hay bales in the meadows. Most of the work tools and household items that were once used no longer have a recognizable use. Celebrations of several holidays and domestic events have become history.

“Many thanks to all participants who will be with us on May 11 and will help revive the museum’s gardens. Thank you to the municipalities that support the opportunity for their artistic collectives to come to the museum. I hope that “One day in our house” will be an interesting and educational event for both museum visitors and event participants themselves, and will create a desire to visit the museum again,” says Zanda Ķergalve, director of the Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia.

At the event will participate

Latvian amateur theaters: Īslīce’s “Dadži”, Jaunsaule’s “Laucis”, Zemīte’s “Ai-z-iet”, Puze’s “And so further”, “Ugāle’s drama”, Matkule’s amateur theater, Brocēni Theatre, Iļguciem’s ​​Theater Studio “Ramp”, Usma’s “Souffle”, Riga’s “The Fifth Tram”, Sabile’s amateur theater, Salacgriva’s Theater studio “Visa kind of versions”, Valle’s “Deer”, Skaistkalne’s “Incident”, Bauska’s folk theatre, Gulbene’s folk theatre, Trikāta’s theatre, Lubana’s “Prelude”, Cesvaine’s “Cesvaine” , “Palādas” of Baltinava, amateur theater of Salsnava, “Glowing Hearts” of Nīcgale, Vaboles theater, amateur theater of Barkava, “Skats” of Krimūnas, Codes “Spēlētprieks”, Viesītes “Vēris”, Zilānu ‘Patapa”, “Effect” of Mežāre, Lielvārde theater, Pļaviņu “Aina”, “Margots” of Zlēki, “Dūdenīši” of Aizkraukle, amateur theater of Vānes, amateur theater of Uzvara, theater of Livbērze, theater of Lielvārde, “Dailes” of Penkule and Choir of Trikāta.

Folklore groups: Kurzeme: “Basu suiti”, “Maģie suiti”, Rucava ethnographic ensemble and chapel “Paurupīte”, Rucava tradition club, Saldus “Medainis”, Pizni folklore group, Latgale: Daugavpils “Svātra” and “Dzīsme”, “Olūteņi” of Dagda, “Ceiruleits” of Līvāni, “Zeilā” of Ozolaine, Sēlia: Krustpils “Krāce”, Vidzeme: “Putni” of Lēdurga, “Josta” of Lielvārde, “Vērtumnieki” of Madona, “Are” of Pļaviņu, “Cielava” of Salacgrīva, “Dvīga” of Saulkrasti, Skaņumajas musicians, “Rudzupuķe” in Smiltene, Zemgale: “Tīrums” in Bārbeles, “Laukam pāri” in Ceraukste, “Dimzēns” in Jelgava, Riga: “Budėli”, “Zeidi”, “Dandari”, “Līvlist”, “Savieši”, Riga Dance Club .

The event is organized in cooperation with the National Cultural Center of Latvia, it is financially supported by the Ministry of Culture and the State Cultural Capital Fund.

The Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum is one of the oldest and largest open-air museums in Europe. This year the museum celebrates its centenary. Its area is 87 hectares and there are 114 ancient buildings from all regions of Latvia. Collection and storage, educational, research and restoration work are carried out in the museum.

The museum also has two rural expositions in their natural location – the museum “Vēveri” in Vecpiebalga parish and the fishing farm “Vītolnieki” on the seashore in Rucava parish.

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