Dates: November 15 – 18, 2025
Free entrance
Theme / Purpose: Staro Rīga is an annual light art festival that transforms Riga’s urban environment using modern light, video, and projection technologies. It celebrates Latvia’s statehood (Independence Day is November 18) and serves as a creative public art event.
Format / Programming:
• A multi-day exhibition of light and multimedia installations across the city: buildings, squares, bridges, monuments become illuminated art objects.
• Site-specific 3D mappings, spatial projections, interactive light objects, and multimedia performances are common features.
• Additional elements like music, performance art, soundscapes, and theatrical or street acts may accompany the light works.
Locations & Schedule
Key venues / zones:
Some of the central sites expected to host installations include Brīvības laukums (Freedom Square), Latviešu strēlnieku laukums, the National Library, Arkādijas Park, and various squares and streets in the Old Town (Vecrīga).
Hours: The festival typically runs in the evening, from dusk into late evening (for example, in past editions from about 17:00 to 23:00).
Accessibility & setup: Outdoor installations are mostly along pedestrian routes. Some park or garden areas may have uneven terrain; many of the central squares and streets are more accessible.
Special Features & Highlights
“Circles of Time” installation: This is a notable light art installation in 2025. Located near the city canal (between the Opera pedestrian bridge and Bastion Hill), it references the flow of time and Latvia’s historical relationship with airships.
Staro Rīga
Voting / Audience Participation (“Gaismaspils”): From November 18 onward, visitors can vote for their favorite light object in the festival via SMS or online platforms.
Staro Rīga
Artistic & experimental approach: The festival emphasizes innovation beyond flat video projections, favoring spatial and environmental light art that engages with the architectural and natural context.
