From 29 October to 8 November, the autumn light trail “Veļi” will shine once again at the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum. More than twenty installations will tell stories through sound, light and projections, inviting visitors to explore the mythical world of Latvian rural life. Discover who the veļi are, how our ancestors observed veļu laiks—the season of ancestral spirits—and the beliefs and traditions associated with it. The trail is being created in collaboration with the creative team Gaismas stāsti.
In the traditional Latvian rural calendar, autumn is a time to remember those who have passed on and to feel close to them once more. It is a time to reflect on the order of the world, the cycle of life and the generations that follow; to prepare a feast for ancestral spirits; and to enter the world of riddles and legends on dark evenings. Known by many names—iļģi, dievaiņi, ķauķi, vecīši, gariņi, urguči, paurīši and veļi—the spirits of our ancestors are believed to visit us at this time: unseen helpers, quiet guides and loved ones who remain close.
The 2024 autumn light trail “Veļi at the Open-Air Museum” received two Excellence Awards from the Latvian Event Forum: Outstanding Light Event of 2024 and Outstanding Event Scenography of 2024. It was also nominated in the Surprise category in the winter public vote for Latvian Public Media’s annual culture award, Kilograms kultūras 2024.