Pelgulinna Folklooriklubi (Estonia) 

                                 Wild Goose Chase Cloggers (USA)

The XXII International Folklore Festival “Baltica 2009” will take place in Latvia from July 9-12, 2009. This is the largest, most popular and internationally recognised traditional culture festival in the Baltic countries, which cares for the preservation and development of intangible cultural heritage.

The festival will take place in Riga, Jelgava and rural municipalities of Zemgale. Its participants will be folklore groups and ethnographic ensembles from all the regions in Latvia, with guests from nine foreign countries. The festival theme is “Signs”.

So far, seven of these festivals have taken place in Latvia (1988., 1991., 1994., 1997., 2000., 2003., and 2006). Since its existence, starting from 1987, the festival has become an established tradition and is recognised throughout society. In turn, for the preservers of traditional culture, this festival is always a source of new inspiration for further activities. The festival is included within the CIOFF Organisation and takes place in accordance with its approved calendar. CIOFF – the world’s most prominent International Council of Organisations for Folklore Festivals and Traditional Art – is a member organisation of UNESCO, and approximately 80 countries are involved in it.

Festival programme