Organising Latvian Culture Day: The Side Nobody Sees

When people come to Latvian Culture Day, they see a celebration.

They see the stage, the performances, the market, the parade through Leicester and hundreds of people coming together to celebrate being Latvian.

What they don't see is everything that happened before that moment.

When Rokraksts was asked to organise the 10th Latvian Culture Day in the UK, we don't think any of us truly understood what we were saying yes to.

Of course we were excited. How often do you get the opportunity to organise one of the biggest Latvian events in the UK?

But if we're honest, excitement quickly turned into fear.

Suddenly we weren't just planning a day out. We were responsible for an event that meant so much to so many people. Hundreds of performers, volunteers, market traders, suppliers, funding applications, risk assessments, council meetings, stage schedules, accommodation, transport, marketing, technical plans... the list seemed endless.

Every time we ticked one thing off, three more appeared.

There were days when everything felt under control, and there were days when we wondered why we had ever agreed to do it.

The closer we got, the scarier it became.

Have we remembered every detail?

Will people enjoy it?

What if something goes wrong?

Will all these months of work actually come together?

The truth is, organising an event like this doesn't stop when you leave your desk.

You think about it while making dinner.

You wake up in the middle of the night because you've remembered something that needs doing.

Your phone is full of reminders, emails and messages, and your mind is constantly running through the next task.

It becomes part of everyday life.

But somewhere along the way, something really special happened.

Our dance teacher's house slowly turned into a little factory.

Tables disappeared under piles of paper, signs waiting to be cut out, decorations to glue together and boxes ready to be packed. There was always something to do, but there was always someone willing to help. We spent evenings printing, cutting, gluing and preparing everything together. There was plenty of tea, lots of laughter and, of course, pizzas to keep everyone going.

Looking back, those evenings became some of our favourite memories.

They reminded us that the real strength of our community isn't just what people see on stage. It's what happens behind the scenes, when everyone gives up their time, brings their skills and simply asks, "What can we do to help?"

That was the moment we realised just how powerful our community really is.

Then, before we knew it, the day arrived.

Volunteers were already hard at work before most people were awake. Performers arrived from every corner of the UK. The market came to life and months of planning suddenly became reality.

For one day, Leicester became a little piece of Latvia.

Jubilee Square echoed with Latvian songs, music and folk dancing. Everywhere you looked you could hear the Latvian language, see beautiful folk costumes and feel an incredible sense of pride.

At St Peter's Square, visitors entering the city were welcomed by Latvian songs and dances, creating the very first glimpse of our culture before they even reached the main celebration.

The Guildhall Museum became home to an exhibition celebrating Latvian folk traditions and the story of the Latvian diaspora, while children enjoyed creative workshops throughout the day.

Just around the corner, Sue Townsend Theatre hosted five wonderful theatre performances, showing another side of Latvian culture and creativity.

Seeing our home city transformed like this was something we'll never forget.

For one day, Leicester didn't just host Latvian Culture Day.

Leicester became Latvia.

Looking back, was it stressful?

Absolutely.

There were moments when it felt overwhelming. Moments when we questioned whether we could really pull it off.

But those moments are completely outweighed by what came afterwards.

Seeing hundreds of people celebrating together.

Watching performers take to the stage after travelling from all over the country.

Hearing Latvian songs echo through the streets.

Watching old friends reunite and new friendships begin.

Seeing our community come together to create something much bigger than any one of us could have achieved alone.

That's what made every late night, every spreadsheet, every meeting and every stressful moment worth it.

We feel incredibly proud that we were able to turn our home, Leicester, into the place where Latvians from across the UK came together.

What an honour that was.

To everyone who volunteered, performed, sponsored, supported and believed in this event, thank you. This day belonged to all of us.

Now it's time to hand the “yarn ball” over.

We'll see you all in Edinburgh next year.