Contemporary Circus and Street Art Festival RE RIGA! Showcases Diverse Talents and Cultural Fusion

This week, the “Re Riga!” festival in Latvia will bring together artists from over ten countries, showcasing a wide array of circus disciplines, including object manipulation, clowning, juggling, and acrobatics.

The festival kicks off with a juggling performance by the French group Defracto in the Riga Circus courtyard. On subsequent days, performances will also take place in Vērmanes Garden. The opening act is a 30-minute site-specific performance filled with unpredictable juggling and physical humor, promising a captivating start to the festivities.

Mārtiņš Ķibers, founder of “Re Riga!” and creative director of Riga Circus, emphasized the festival’s international reach this year.

“This year, we are proud to represent a particularly diverse group of countries, including New Zealand, Argentina, Colombia, Belgium, France, Italy, Switzerland, Lithuania, and Latvia. Each performance is unique, reflecting the distinct cultural traits of the artists’ home countries, yet all share the common goal of inspiring awe and wonder in the audience,” he said.

The Vērmanes Garden will host additional performances, including the Riga Circus School’s stage and the show “Red Trousers,” as well as a comical knife-throwing act in the Riga Circus courtyard.

The festival will also feature several premieres. Argentine clown Cronopio will perform a buffoonery comedy for adults, infused with Latin American rhythms, which will explore the darker sides of society. Another Argentine act will cater to the youngest audience members, with a performance specially designed for children up to three years old.

Baltic circus artists will also take center stage, alongside several local and international acts that are still in development. Among these is the Lithuanian company Taigi Cirkas, which blends visual arts, aerial acrobatics, and opera into a unique spectacle.

The International Contemporary Circus and Street Art Festival “Re Riga!” will run from August 13 to 17. The festival’s schedule is designed to allow audiences to attend multiple performances each day, with opportunities to engage directly with the artists through post-show discussions.

When:  13–17 August, 2024
Where: Rīgas cirks (Merķeļa Street 4) and its surroundings
For whom: Performances for families, teenagers, and adult audiences
Tickets: The program includes both paid and free performances

Main image source: Re Riga! website

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