Events at the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum December & January

Events at the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum

December & January

Winter Solstice Light Trail

19 December 2025 – 4 January 2026
Daily at 17:00, 18:00, 19:00, 20:00, 21:00
(Closed on 24 & 31 December)

Step into the magic of Latvian winter traditions with the Winter Solstice Light Trail, the second part of the trilogy “The Cycles of Light” – “The Sun. Winter Solstice.”

Folk beliefs and ancient rituals come alive through soundscapes, light installations, lasers and video projections, creating an immersive winter night walk through the museum’s forest landscape.

You will meet traditional Latvian winter mummers – the Gypsy leader, the Bear, Death, the Gypsy woman, the Goat, the Wolf, the Crane, the Billy-Goat, and others.

Warm yourself with seasonal festive foods:
braised sauerkraut with roast pork, sausages or pig’s snout, peas and beans, fish in aspic, bacon pies, and special Christmas gingerbread with nuts and chocolate.

Enjoy Latvian herbal teas, beekeepers’ honey, acorn coffee, and a variety of hot festive drinks.

More information: www.gaismasgadskartas.lv
Tickets: https://www.bilesuparadize.lv/lv/performance/36433

 

Yule Log Pulling (Bluķa vilkšana)

20 December, 11:00–14:00

One of Latvia’s most symbolic winter traditions.
The Yule log pulling ritual marks the end of the old Sun’s year and the beginning of the new one. Dragging the log around the farmstead collects all the year’s misfortunes, which are then burned to make space for renewal and good fortune.

Visitors can also try fortune casting with molten metal, enjoy live folk traditions, and take part in one of the most atmospheric Christmas customs in Latvia.