Riga City Festival 2012

Riga is this year celebrating its 811th birthday for three days running, from 17 to 18 August. The event programme is rich, and the weather is holding reasonably warm. This time we only managed to walk through the central celebration venues - we simply didn't have the energy to reach Spilve airfield, Kalnciema Quarter, or Pārdaugava. But a great deal was seen and heard.

The Hanseatic Market on Dome Square was a pleasant surprise. It is not often that you see so many, such varied, and such high-quality artisan creations all in one place.

Below is a photo glimpse of the festivities at the Esplanāde, Bastejkalns, Vērmaņdārzs, Dome Square, Līvu Square, and Town Hall Square.