On 7 November 2026, from 10:00 to 15:00, the Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia invites visitors to celebrate Mārtiņi, one of Latvia’s traditional autumn festivals marking the end of the farming season and the arrival of winter.
The celebration will feature a lively Mārtiņi masked procession, traditional singing, folk games, dancing, creative workshops, live blacksmithing demonstrations, and a market offering handmade crafts and locally produced food. Visitors are warmly encouraged to come wearing traditional masks, although there will also be an opportunity to make their own masks during the event.
In the Latvian seasonal calendar, Mārtiņi marks the halfway point between Miķeļi (the Autumn Harvest Festival) and Christmas. According to ancient farming traditions, it symbolises the completion of autumn agricultural work and the beginning of winter. By this time, the fields had been ploughed, the grazing season had ended, livestock was prepared for winter, and the harvested grain had been safely stored in the granaries.
Mārtiņi is a joyful celebration of gratitude for the year's harvest, bringing together ancient customs, traditional music, seasonal food and the rich cultural heritage of Latvia.