Visit Staro Riga 2025 - Objects, Map, Events, Program - November 15th to 18th

Riga is preparing to become the brightest place in Latvia. From November 15 to 18, the city will be filled with light — during Staro Rīga 2025, streets, parks, and squares will turn into a colorful fairy tale of light. This year’s festival theme is “Messengers of Dawn” — a story about hope, new beginnings, and the first ray of light rising above the roofs of Riga.
Every evening from 17:00 to 23:00, more than 40 light objects will shine throughout the city — from the National Library of Latvia to Miera Street, from Old Riga to Esplanāde Park. It will be a moment when Riga breathes in light. Church walls will turn into colorful paintings, Doma Square will sparkle like the morning sun, and in Vērmanes Garden, light will flow like music. Children, families, and friends will be able to walk together through the city and experience a journey from darkness to dawn.
Artists from Latvia and abroad have prepared installations that surprise, inspire, and make you smile. Some of the works will be large and impressive, while others will be quiet and thoughtful, creating moments for reflection. Riga will become an open-air gallery, where every step reveals a new story.
Staro Rīga 2025 is not just a festival — it is an evening where light warms people and the city. Imagine how morning dew glimmers in beams of light, how house windows turn into paintings, and how every passerby becomes part of an artwork.
This year Riga will show that even November darkness can be beautiful. Come with your family, friends, or alone — here you will feel peace, inspiration, and pride in your city. Take a thermos of tea, put on a warm jacket, and set out for a light walk through Riga.

Staro Rīga 2025 – Objects and locations

National Library of Latvia and surroundings

1. Stikla kalns (Glass Mountain) – the library façade becomes a mountain of light, reflecting the power of knowledge.

2. Lielā gaismas josta (The Great Belt of Light) – the library’s entrance is adorned with a symbolic bridge between past and future.

3. Aiz apvāršņa (Beyond the Horizon) – a projection about the infinity of human creativity.

Vecrīga – the heart of history and dawn

4. Rītausma. Mirklis pirms. Krāsas. (Dawn. The Moment Before. Colors.) – at Strēlnieku Square, darkness turns into morning.

5. Rītausma. Mošanās. (Dawn. Awakening.) – Town Hall Square comes alive, symbolizing the beginning of a new day.

6. Rītausma. Atblāzma. (Dawn. Reflection.) – the Decorative Arts and Design Museum glows with shifting colors.

7. Rītausma. Rīta rasa. (Dawn. Morning Dew.) – light sparkles like drops in the Porcelain Museum windows.

8. Rītausma. Saules augšana. Bērni zīmē Latviju. (Dawn. Sunrise. Children Draw Latvia.) – the Small Guild becomes a wall of children’s dreams.

9. Nākotnes atmiņu ziedlapiņas (Petals of Future Memories) – Līvu Square turns into a garden of light.

10. Rītausma. Pirmais saules stars. (Dawn. The First Sunbeam.) – the tower of the Latvian War Museum reflects morning light.

11. Rītausma. Labrīt! (Dawn. Good Morning!) – Doma Square greets the city with a new day.

12. Cilvēks (Human) – an interactive object inviting visitors to see themselves in the light.

13. Peldošās zvaigznes (Floating Stars) – in Doma Garden, lights drift like dreams.

14. Pieskarties zvaigznei (Touch the Star) – in Bastejkalns you can literally “reach for a star.”

15. Gaismas rašanās kods (The Code of Light’s Birth) – the Opera building turns into a living light symphony.

Vērmanes Garden – the pixel world

16. Pikseļu dārzs. Auseklis (Pixel Garden. Auseklis) – a Latvian symbol reborn in digital form.

17. Pikseļu dārzs. Josta (Pixel Garden. Belt) – a light ribbon like a folk pattern.

18. Pikseļu dārzs. Mūžīgā dzīvojamā istaba (Pixel Garden. Eternal Living Room) – silhouettes of people within glowing light.

19. Pikseļu dārzs. Gaismas strūklaka (Pixel Garden. Fountain of Light) – a dance of light and water.

20. Pikseļu dārzs. Portāls uz rītausmu (Pixel Garden. Portal to Dawn) – a glowing gate to the future.

Esplanāde – tunnels of light and wonder

21. Gaismas tunelis (Tunnel of Light) – symbolizes a path through time and change.

22. Jāņtārpiņu lauks (Field of Fireflies) – tiny points of light create a moving carpet.

23. Les Lumineoles (Glowing Birds) – French light creatures soaring above the audience.

Latvijas Mākslas akadēmija (Latvian Academy of Arts)

24. Moodžeklis (Mood) – an installation about the transformation of emotions.

25. Stadija (Stage/Phase) – reflections on life’s stages and transitions.

26. Jāņtārpiņš (Little Firefly) – a small light toy for children.

27. Orientieris (Guidepost) – a light guide through the academy’s courtyards.

City center churches and theaters

28. Savijums (Intertwining) – in St. Gertrude’s Church, light and music merge like prayer.

29. Deviņas dzirksteles (Nine Sparks) – the façade of Dailes Theatre bursts into fiery motion.

Market and Miera Street area

30. Gaismas pulss (Pulse of Light) – at Vidzeme Market, light breathes together with people.

31. Pazudis un atrasts (Lost and Found) – at Miera Street, memory suitcases come to life.

32. Dārzs (Garden) – nature-inspired LED compositions.

33. Nelīdzsvars (Imbalance) – two metal mosquitoes remind us of the fragile balance between humans and nature.

34. Dzelteno lukturu iela (Street of Yellow Lanterns) – entrance to Tallinas Quarter becomes an alley of light.

35. Palīdzībaaaas (Heeelp) – an interactive cry of light symbolizing solidarity.

36. Baby Maker – the Riga Makerspace façade tells a story about creativity and new life.

37. Metamorfoze. Līdz ar ādu. (Metamorphosis. With the Skin.) – light reveals change and renewal at the Latvian Academy of Culture.

38. Rītausmu gaidot (Awaiting the Dawn) – a meditative installation about hope.

39. Oculucis (Eye of Light) – a glowing “eye” watching over the city and its people.

Visitor information

• Dates: from November 15 to 18, 17:00–23:00.

• Route: about 6 km — best enjoyed over two evenings.

• Entry: free of charge.

• Clothing: comfortable shoes, warm clothing, and a raincoat if needed.

• Photography spots: Doma Square, Vērmanes Garden, National Library, and Miera Street.

• For children: “Bērni zīmē Latviju”, “Jāņtārpiņš”, and “Peldošās zvaigznes”.

• For a quieter walk: visit objects along Miera Street and in the Tallinas Quarter.

• Social media: use hashtag #StaroRīga2025.

Conclusion

Staro Rīga 2025 is more than just a festival of light — it is the breath of Riga and the warmth of its people transformed into radiance.
Visit at least one circle of light, enjoy the moment, and feel the wonder, when the city glows and silence breaks into applause made of light.