Valmiera City Festival 2026 - Valmiera, July 23-26, 2026

Valmiera City Festival 2026 - Valmiera, July 23-26, 2026

Valmiera City Festival 2026 marks Valmiera's 743rd birthday celebrations, taking place in Valmiera from July 23 to 26. The festival week begins already on July 21 and 22 with warm-up activities around the city. At the center of the program are concerts, the festive parade, and evening events on the main stage and in Vecpuišu Park. The main stage will host the official opening of the festival with an address by Jānis Baiks, Chair of the Valmiera Municipality Council, and concerts featuring Katrīna Dimanta and “Zeltrači”, “Citi Zēni”, and DJ Alexx Rea. In Vecpuišu Park, the evening series “Harmony in the Open Air” will feature the Valmiera Theatre actors' “Tarakānu ansamblis”, “Rīgas Modes”, and “Quickstrike”. On Saturday evening, Ivo Fomins, Finķis, and Bujāns will perform on the main stage, while Vecpuišu Park will host an open-air dance party with the group “Vēja radītie”. During the festival days, there will also be a market on Rīgas Street, a design market on Ziloņu Street, and family activities in various parts of the city. A special Sunday atmosphere will be created by the concert of the 10th Historic Organ Festival at Valmiera St. Simon's Church. For more active visitors, the program includes a festival rogaining event starting at Jānis Daliņš Stadium. This festival is a reason to come to Valmiera and experience concerts, city energy, and summer togetherness over one weekend.

Festival Program and Times

Tuesday, July 21

• 18:30 - Warm-up for the festival - yoga/pilates, Vecpuišu Park.

Wednesday, July 22

• 17:00 - Educational walk “Stories of Krāču kakts”, Krāču kakts “Šķūnis”.
• 18:00 - Unveiling of the sculpture “Kaza”, rowing base “Krāces”.
• 18:30 - Active warm-up for the festival - fitness aerobics, Vecpuišu Park.

Thursday, July 23

• 18:00 - Open microphone (18:00-21:00), Vecpuišu Park.
• 19:00 - Open dance class “Everyone Dances” with ballroom dance club (BDK) “Valmiera”, Ziloņu Street.
• 21:00 - “ZiMinU Quiz”, Vecpuišu Park (in case of bad weather, Valmiera Secondary School No. 5 sports hall). Paid event.

Friday, July 24

• 17:00 - Water activities (17:00-21:00), Dzirnavu Lake. Paid event.
• 19:00 - Festival parade, Rīgas Street.
• 20:30 - Address by Jānis Baiks, Chair of the Valmiera Municipality Council (around 20:30), main stage.
• 20:45 - Katrīna Dimanta and “Zeltrači” (around 20:45), main stage.
• 21:00 - Valmiera Theatre actors' “Tarakānu ansamblis”, Vecpuišu Park.
• 22:30 - “Citi Zēni” (around 22:30), main stage.
• 22:30 - “Rīgas Modes”, Vecpuišu Park.
• 23:30 - DJ Alexx Rea (around 23:30), main stage.
• 00:00 - “Quickstrike”, Vecpuišu Park.

Saturday, July 25

• 08:30 - Waking up Valmiera residents (08:30-10:30), streets of Valmiera.
• 09:00 - Festival market (09:00-16:00), Rīgas Street.
• 10:00 - Valmiera Integrated Library activity tent (10:00-16:00), Vecpuišu Park.
• 10:00 - “URDA” textile upcycling workshops (10:00-16:00), Vecpuišu Park.
• 10:00 - Water activities (10:00-17:00), Dzirnavu Lake. Paid event.
• 10:00 - “Catch and Serve the Ball Valmiera Mayor's Cup” (10:00-18:00; registration from 09:00), Daliņi Beach.
• 11:00 - Educational walk “Stories of Krāču kakts” (11:00-12:00), Krāču kakts “Šķūnis”.
• 11:00 - Free children's activities by Valmiera Youth Center “Vinda” (11:00-15:00), “Vinda” courtyard.
• 11:00 - Design market (11:00-16:00), Ziloņu Street.
• 12:00 - “In the Sunlight” - concert by folk dance groups from the Baltic states, by the main stage.
• 12:00 - Krāču kakts Festival by Kazu Rapids (12:00-19:00), rowing base “Krāces”.
• 12:00 - Wheelbarrow races and other sports activities (12:00-16:00), rowing base “Krāces”.
• 12:00 - Flea market (12:00-19:00), rowing base “Krāces”.
• 15:00 - Alternative music mini-festival (15:00-19:00): band “Aptumsums”, Riga Rock School, Aptiekas Bēru Ansambils (ABA), rowing base “Krāces”.
• 17:00 - Valmiera city choirs with Maestro Raimonds Pauls' program “Visapkārt zeme zied”, Vecpuišu Park.
• 19:00 - Igauņu ģimene concert “Tu munā sirsneņā”, Vecpuišu Park.
• 20:00 - Ivo Fomins, main stage.
• 20:30 - Open-air dance party with the group “Vēja radītie”, Vecpuišu Park.
• 22:00 - Finķis, main stage.
• 23:30 - Bujāns, main stage.
• 00:30 - DJ Alexx- Rea, main stage.

Sunday, July 26

• 11:00 - Breakfast morning “Elephant's Appetite” (11:00-14:00), Ziloņu Street.
• 11:00 - Water activities (11:00-14:00), Dzirnavu Lake. Paid event.
• 11:00 - Festival rogaining, start at Jānis Daliņš Stadium.
• 14:00 - 10th Historic Organ Festival “Latvia - Land of Organs”. Concert “French Dreams and Maestro's Music. 140 Years of Friedrich Ladegast's Organ in Valmiera”, Valmiera St. Simon's Church.

Concerts and Artists

The festival concert program brings together different genres and moods across several stages. On Friday, July 24, after the festival parade, the main stage will host the official opening with an address by Jānis Baiks, Chair of the Valmiera Municipality Council, followed by concerts featuring Katrīna Dimanta and “Zeltrači”, “Citi Zēni”, and DJ Alexx Rea. That same evening in Vecpuišu Park, the “Harmony in the Open Air” series will feature the Valmiera Theatre actors' “Tarakānu ansamblis”, “Rīgas Modes”, and “Quickstrike”. On Saturday, July 25, Ivo Fomins, Finķis, and Bujāns will perform on the main stage, while Vecpuišu Park will host an open-air dance party with the group “Vēja radītie”. On Sunday, July 26, the festival will close with a concert of the 10th Historic Organ Festival at Valmiera St. Simon's Church, featuring Ilona Bagele and Ilona Birģele, with a program that also includes N. de Grigny, G. Fauré, C. Franck, L. Boëllmann, G. Bizet, and R. Pauls.

Venues and Practical Information

The festival venues are spread across Valmiera, allowing visitors to attend both concerts and city activities in one day. The program includes events in Vecpuišu Park, on the main stage, on Rīgas Street and Ziloņu Street, as well as by Dzirnavu Lake. Some activities take place at sports and recreation sites, such as Daliņi Beach and Jānis Daliņš Stadium, as well as at Krāču kakts “Šķūnis” and the rowing base “Krāces”. Water activities and the “ZiMinU Quiz” are listed in the program as paid events, so visitors should expect an admission or participation fee for these events. The “ZiMinU Quiz” is planned for Vecpuišu Park, but in case of bad weather the venue will change to the Valmiera Secondary School No. 5 sports hall. Since the festival program is being supplemented and updated, it is practical to follow the latest daily schedule on the official festival page.

Why Visit

Valmiera City Festival 2026 is an opportunity to experience the atmosphere of the city's birthday over one long weekend and encounter Valmiera in many different rhythms. The festival parade, market, and concerts come together to create a lively, moving city center. The evening programs on the main stage and in Vecpuišu Park let visitors choose the musical mood closest to them, from pop music to more alternative sounds and party formats. Families will find daytime activities, workshops, and urban events appealing, while more active visitors can take part in rogaining and competition formats. The concert at Valmiera St. Simon's Church adds special value, making the festival finale solemn and musically layered. If you are looking for a reason to go to Valmiera at the height of summer, this is a weekend when the city celebrates with a broad program and a vivid stage lineup.