Autumn in the ancient Latvian world is a time when we remember those who have passed away, meet with our loved ones, realise the order of the world and the laws of life, their acceptance and succession, lay out a feast for the dead, and in the dark evenings, we go into the world of riddles and fairy tales. The elves, gods, warblers, elders, spirits, souls of the dead - the spirits of the ancestors come to visit us at this time as invisible helpers, as inner, barely perceptible advisers, as one of our own.
The scent of autumn evenings, the colors of reddish dark leaves, foggy mists, riddles and fairy lights on the walking trail Viņsaule. Veļi (Afterlife. Spirits) will intertwine in a journey of light, accompanied by visitors - the Old Men in Autumn masks, who appeared every autumn in the dark autumn evenings in the Latvian homestead. With the help of light, sound, lasers, video, projections - a variety of technologies - the story of one family will be told - the story of coming and going, of birth and rebirth, of times and times past, of families and generations - the story of the life of an ancient Latvian - joys and sorrows, work and rest, the steps of home, love and above all - the ancient Latvian vision of the world.
This autumn, the trail of light will feature the music of the bagpipe and drum group Auļi and MM Orchestra and performances of the folk dance ensemble Līgo. Visitors will be able to taste dishes prepared by a real Latvian hostess - Ilze Briede, the owner of Branti Manor, as well as the Ethnographic Open Air Museum's Priedes Tavern - who on the autumn light trail will offer scones of the Veļi period, homemade bread, fried cereal cakes with honey or jam, sauerkraut soup, butternut squash and large barley porridge with oven-roasted meat or vegetables, as well as sweet porridge with berry cobbler and flatbread.
Lights will be on view for 10 evenings only. Entrance times are at 19:00, 20:00 and 21:00, and from October 26 also at 18:00.