"Gauja" Christmas Concert

Today in the local cultural centre there was a concert and dancing event for waving Christmas. This time, most of the dances were performed by kids. But also there was the dancing group "Gaujas" as well. This event was more familiar, as we could imagine. And several dances and songs I already saw were perfomanced. Still cool, however. Let´s start commenting some of the moments. The dances are not "only for Christmas" because they are just the folk typical ones:

The first to act: the children group. They acted as good as the older persons!

Each photo is a dance performance. Except these three wich are the same performance. Notice the typical clothes and...that female hat!

I can assure that the male clothes have close relationship with some spanish folk clothes, those from Madrid. I will explain in another performance which is very, very similar.

The kids again, doing movements more synchronized, right to be easier for them to remember.

Youngster group.

Here it is! The male clothes remembers me the "madroño" style from one of Madrid´s folk! probably due the urban background.

These were two of the presenters. The "squirrel" (left one) was the main presenter in the event. Remind that it was a familiar event. I didn´t understand them very clearly due I know almost nothing of latvian but people laughed sometimes so something funny they said, at times. This directs me to the idea that in this land people have an affair for nature and common animals.

Here´s a sheep joining in the show...

...and then! after the dances here comes the child time! Several other animals such a cow made different games and songs for the children in the place.

And at the end Santa Claus came! sadly I don´t have pictures avaliable for the moment but Santa Claus came with sweets for the children! and well, Christmas came. Yes.

Isn´t that curious that in a folk dancing event later Santa Claus comes as the closing act? yes, dancing and singing in Valmiera is something very loved.

Christmas Chorus evening

Today (too) there were two concerts in Valmiera. Both related about the Christmas (I remind that during this month the city will sing a lot, as I say) and with human voices as protagonists.
Valmiera´s Catholic Church was the first place which hosted chorus concerts where the groups "Valmiera" and "Latgale" sang several songs about...Christmas. Yes, I think I said it already:

First the group "Valmiera" sang the songs and then "Laipa" group:

I got to mention again but the music and particulary the chorus are a very part for welcoming Christmas here. This is the most notorious fact you will find if you come to Vidzeme, at least.

And later, at the lutheran church (St.Simon´s) the chorus groups "Ausma", "Dzīne" and "Imanta" sang several popular Christmas songs too:

Here´s the program, to keep everything clear.

The first chorus group had the aid of a small organ.

Tirgus Valmierā

Today there was a curious traditional market on the Old Walls of Valmiera, with several posts offering the very variated things they could offer, from food to winter clothes and "things"...but the main product was the honey as I saw here.
Anyway, there are markets which are common too in Spain, where you can see them in many villages at least each day per week...althought not offering traditional or hand-made elements, however.

Well, I leave some photos again. As said, the main protagonist was the honey and bee product:

A background reference.

Material with particular forms.

Food

I wonder the meaning of the witches in this land. Since there weren´t many "witches" here actually.

Bee products. There were a lot.