Lubāna was called the “singing district” by Krišjānis Barons (1835-1923), because Barons was collecting Latvian folk songs and Lubāna had sent the second most folk songs of all. From all the folk songs sent to K.Barons (13 093) folklorist Mārtiņš Celmiņš had collected and submitted 10 617.
The cultural life is mostly organized by two cultural institutions: Lubāna Cultural House and Meirāni Community Centre.
The Aiviekste Festival
The River Aiviekste quietly flows through the municipalities of Rēzekne, Balvi, Rugāji, Lubāna, Madona, Krustpils and Pļaviņas. During the Aiviekste Festival we are glad to meet all the people living along this river in Lubāna.
The first festival took place on July 10th, 1999. 13 parishes and two towns were invited to come to Lubāna. The festival was a success and a pleasant surprise to everybody. Every summer, on the first Saturday of July we invite you to celebrate the Aiviekste Festival in Lubāna!
Thanks to the Aiviekste Festival, local poets, composers and choreographers have created new artworks dedicated to Aiviekste, Lubāna and this festival. Moreover many couples have met during the festivity and new families have been founded.
The festival has some traditional events – a concert in Lubāna Evangelical Lutheran church, performances of amateur folk art collectives, handicrafts fair, and degustation of Latvian folk dishes and drinks, as well as joint singing of folklore groups, performances from folk musicians, and boating competition in Aiviekste. There is always a festive march that ends on the open-air stage with a gala concert, an open-air dance till the morning and floating candle lights in the Aiviekste in midnight.
Lubāna Cultural House
Lubāna can be proud of various cultural events – the international festival of amateur artists “The Aiviekste Festival”, which takes place every other year in early July; in February friends meet in the amateur theater festival “The Sketch Parade” where each team has to show one sketch, while the directors have the chance to provide each other with scenarios of other sketches; in March the new literates meet in Lubāna in order to honor the memory of the poet Broņislava Martuževa; in October the inhabitants of Lubāna district are gladdened by a concert of the singing municipality leaders; in early November a folk dance festival named “6x6”, which brings together several dance groups and dances for extra-small stages, is organized.
Lubāna Cultural House is the home of nine amateur artist collectives: folklore group “Lubāna”, amateur drama society “Priekšspēle” (“The Prelude”), women’s senior choir “Noskaņa” (“The Mood”), vocal ensemble “Naktsputni” (“The Night-birds”), youth folkdance collective “Žuburi” (“The Prongs”), folkdance ensemble “Lubāna”, country band “Meldiņš” (“The Melody”), European senior dance ensemble “Varavīksne” (“The Rainbow”) and a line dance collective.
Address: Oskara Kalpaka iela 6, Lubāna, Lubānas novads, Latvia, LV-4830
Phone: +371 64894016
E-mail: lubanakn@inbox.lv
Meirāni Community Centre
Some of the most popular events in Meirāni Community Centre are the Humor evening in early April and the Day of Mārtiņš in early November. These events bring together different collectives in order to make friends, exchange mutual experience and delight the viewers.
There are 4 active amateur collectives in the Community Centre: union of traditions “Strainer” (“Sietiņš”), middle-aged folk dance group “Meirāni”, amateur drama society “Gold Diggers” (“Zeltrači”) and women’s vocal ensemble.
Address: “Tautas nams”, Meirānu ciems, Indrānu pagasts, Lubānas novads, Latvia, LV-4830
Phone: +371 28307998
E-mail: ingaaizsilniece@inbox.lv