Tanks on the embankment at lunch, a torch river down Raiņa bulvāris after dark, a giant tree glowing on Freedom Square by night. Latvia turns 108 on Wednesday, and 18 November in Riga is packed from breakfast to midnight.
Riga marks the 108th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Latvia on Wednesday, 18 November 2026, with a military parade on the 11. novembra krastmala at 1:30 PM and an evening concert and light show on Freedom Square, according to Riga Council’s holiday programme. Public transport is free on the day.
Key facts
- 1:30 PM: military parade on the 11. novembra krastmala, scheduled to wrap at 2:45 PM; dress rehearsal Tuesday at 6:00 PM
- 6:00 PM: torchlight march from the Kārlis Ulmanis monument
- 7:00 PM: free concert Brīvības ainavas (Landscapes of Freedom) on Freedom Square; President’s address and anthem at 8:00 PM; light show 8:10 PM to 11:00 PM
- Transport: free public transport on the day, with extra trams, trolleybuses and buses from 5:00 PM until about midnight
- Roads: Old Riga shuts to cars from 1:00 PM to midnight
What’s on in Riga on 18 November, hour by hour?
7:30 AM to 11:00 AM. The student corporations march from the University of Latvia’s main building at Raiņa bulvāris 19 out to the Brothers’ Cemetery, via Brīvības iela, Miera iela and the Brasa overpass. Expect short traffic holds on the route.
11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Military kit on show at Riga Passenger Port. Five Latvian Navy vessels and the Lithuanian Navy ship Skalvis will be open to visitors, the National Armed Forces say, along with mine-hunting underwater drones and diving gear.
1:30 PM. The parade. President Edgars Rinkēvičs reviews it and Navy commander Captain Gvido Ļaudups commands it. Flag parties from 18 allied countries march behind the Latvian colour guard, and 50 Italian Bersaglieri, famous for their fast march, close the marching column. The new 155 mm Morana wheeled artillery system rolls for the first time. Weather permitting, there’s a flypast that includes an airBaltic Airbus A220-300 in its Latvian flag livery and two Belgian fighter jets from NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission. After the embankment, the troops march up Kaļķu iela, past the Freedom Monument and along Brīvības iela and Bruņinieku iela to Skanstes iela. Can’t make it? Latvian Television and Latvian Radio carry it live.
Afternoon. Free concerts at Ziemeļblāzma, Imanta, VEF Kultūras pils and the Riga Latvian Society, with invitations from Biļešu paradīze box offices. The National History Museum at Riga Castle runs a holiday programme from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
6:00 PM to 7:45 PM. The torchlight march leaves the Kārlis Ulmanis monument and loops along Raiņa bulvāris, Krišjāņa Barona iela, Aspazijas bulvāris, Meierovica bulvāris and Krišjāņa Valdemāra iela back to Raiņa bulvāris. A week earlier, Riga walked its Lāčplēsis Day torchlight procession from the Brothers’ Cemetery.
6:00 PM on Freedom Square. Folklore and old-combat group Vilkači warm things up until 6:45 PM. At 7:00 PM, Brīvības ainavas starts: a giant tree, built as the stage, morphs through the eight landscapes of the Latvian Cultural Canon with light and video. On stage: Aija Andrejeva, Asnate Rancāne, Dagnis Roziņš, Rihards Mačanovskis, vocal group Neaizmirstulītes and trio Oranžās, hosted by actors Līga Zeļģe and Mārtiņš Brūveris.
8:00 PM. President’s address and the national anthem. From 8:10 PM to 11:00 PM, a four-to-five-minute light show repeats every 10 minutes, the council says. The programme lists no fireworks.
All evening, Staro Rīga’s 52 light works glow on both banks of the Daugava from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM.
Is public transport free in Riga on 18 November?
Yes. Riga Council says public transport is free on the holiday, with extra tram, trolleybus and bus runs from 5:00 PM until about midnight to get everyone home. Buses 12, 22 and 34 change routes during the closures, and anything running on Raiņa bulvāris during the torch march is sent via Elizabetes iela and Satekles iela. Check Rīgas satiksme before you go.
Which roads are closed?
From the council’s traffic notice:
- The 11. novembra krastmala, from Akmens (Stone) Bridge to Muitas iela, is closed from 3:00 PM on Tuesday until 6:00 PM on Wednesday, along with Kaļķu iela from the embankment to Rātslaukums.
- Old Riga is closed to cars from 1:00 PM to midnight on the 18th, except vehicles with special access.
- Akmens Bridge, Uzvaras bulvāris and 13. janvāra iela may shut during Tuesday’s 6:00 PM rehearsal and from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM on the day.
- AB dambis is closed to cars and pedestrians from 7:00 AM until the parade ends.
- Aspazijas bulvāris and Meierovica bulvāris close from 6:00 PM to midnight, public transport excepted.
Our earlier guide to Riga’s November holiday road closures has the parking bans. For a taste of the night, here’s how Riga celebrated Latvia’s 107th birthday last year.
Leave the car, grab a tram, wear your red-white-red. Happy 108th, Latvia.
Photo: National Armed Forces parade on the 11. novembra krastmala, 18 November 2015, Ernests Dinka / Saeima, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
