On 3 May 2026, the XV Latvian Culture Festival in Ireland took place at Meeting House Square in the heart of Temple Bar, Dublin, marking the 15th anniversary of a tradition that has brought Latvian culture into the centre of Dublin since 2011.
Organised by the Latvian Society in Ireland, the festival has grown over the years from a Latvian community celebration into a vibrant multicultural event, creating a space where different communities living in Ireland can meet, perform, share their traditions and celebrate cultural diversity together.
This year’s five-hour programme brought together Latvian choirs, folk dance groups, children and young people, musicians and performers from Ireland and Latvia, alongside representatives of many other cultural communities living in Ireland.
The festival began with a colourful parade through Temple Bar, bringing traditional costumes, music and Latvian culture onto the streets of Dublin before arriving at Meeting House Square for the main programme.
Throughout the afternoon, the stage was filled with music and dance, while workshops, traditional costumes, crafts, food and opportunities for audience participation created an atmosphere where visitors were not simply watching the festival, but becoming part of it.
One of the most important elements of the Latvian Culture Festival is its multicultural dimension. Over the years, the festival has welcomed communities and performers representing Lithuania, Estonia, Georgia, Ukraine, Mongolia, China, Peru, Brazil, African communities and many others. The festival therefore provides an important opportunity for the Latvian community to share its own heritage while also learning about and celebrating the cultures of our neighbours and friends in Ireland.
The involvement and support of the Dublin City Public Participation Network and the Migrant Thematic Group has been especially meaningful in developing these connections. The MTG creates an important platform where migrant and minority communities can meet, exchange information and support one another’s initiatives. Through this cooperation, the Latvian Culture Festival has been able to reach beyond the Latvian community and strengthen relationships with other cultural organisations and communities across Dublin.
For us, this partnership represents exactly what integration can look like in practice: maintaining and proudly sharing our own language, music, traditions and identity while at the same time being an active part of Ireland’s diverse society.
The XV Latvian Culture Festival was therefore much more than one day of performances. It was a meeting place for cultures, generations and communities – a celebration of belonging both to our Latvian heritage and to the diverse Ireland we now call home.
We are very grateful to Dublin City PPN, the Migrant Thematic Group, all participating communities, volunteers, performers, families and supporters who helped make the 15th anniversary festival such a memorable celebration.