Join us for Mārtiņvakars, an ancient Latvian winter-welcoming celebration!

🎶 Traditional songs & dances
🎭 Latvian mummers (budēļi)
🥨 Delicious snacks & refreshments
🎟️ $30 | Children under 18 free

A search for family roots becomes a discovery of Latvia. Author Charles Maddaus shares the remarkable journey behind The Crossing - from old family photographs and Baltic German ancestry to an exploration of Latvian history, culture and identity. 

Event will be in English.

Voting will take place from 8am-8pm at the Latvian Society of Philadelphia.

To vote, you must bring a valid identity document — a Latvian citizen’s passport or an identity card (eID card). Voting is not possible without a valid document. You may vote from the age of 18.

Philadelphia's Folk Dance Group “Dzirkstele” will be performing dances from the 2026 Grand Rapids Song and Dance Festival! Come join us in a joyous and celebratory afternoon!

Entrance Fee: $35 / Kids 3-12: $20 / Under 3: Free

Includes the show and light appetizers afterwards

Come hear an update on our archival project, building repairs, and upcoming programs.

All are invited to bring photographs of BLB events that can be scanned and added to our archives.

A young criminal police investigator, Roman Skulte, starts working as a police officer in Riga in the mid-1990s. Skulte is full of enthusiasm and a desire to change the world, cleaning it of the crime and corruption that bothers him.

Tumšzilais Evaņģēlijs is in Latvian with English subtitles.

$10 admission

Happy Hour to follow

Come lend a hand as we spruce up the Latvian Society! Jobs for all ages and skill levels! Leave with a sense of accomplishment and a fun morning with friends! Lunch will be provided at 1pm.

Experience one day with dozens of cultures and endless experiences - stop by the Latvian Society’s booth to learn more about Latvia!

Music filling the air / Global flavors at every turn / Unique artisan and cultural vendors / International drinks to sip and savor / Amazing sponsors supporting our community

Bring the whole family and experience a celebration of culture, connection, and community!

Rain date: Sunday, June 7th

Enjoy refreshing drinks, friendly novuss matches, and a fun evening as we toast to longer days and warmer nights. Come relax, play, and mingle before summer arrives!  

Latvian Society President, Jānis Čakars, and The Lugers’ Olafs Alversons perform at Latvian Punk Night with their respective punk groups! Laris Krēsliņš will DJ!

Mudcutter - featuring Olafs Alversons

Grey C.E.L.L. - featuring Jānis Čakars

DJ Laris Krēsliņš

Plus special guests Dove Collector

Doors 7pm / Show 8pm

$10 or more if you feel generous

Novuss has become a favorite game at Latvian Society happy hours, and we’re excited to offer a Novuss Workshop for players of all levels. Whether you already play and want to sharpen your skills, or you’ve never picked up a cue before, this workshop is for you!

The workshop will be led by Vairis Dravinieks, an experienced Novuss player, who has organized Novuss tournaments and competed in national Novuss tournaments in Latvia. He brings both deep knowledge of the game and real enthusiasm for sharing it.

Date: Saturday, April 11
Cost: $10    [Lunch will be available for $10] 

Come play, learn, and bring your friends! All ages and all skill levels are welcome. The workshop will be conducted in both Latvian and English.

Cheer on the Philadelphia Flyers with fellow Latvians and friends as they take on the Dallas Stars!

Join us for a special afternoon with Nancy Schwarzkopf Jarmin, author of Still the Caretaker. Nancy will discuss her book and engage in conversation with readers, sharing insights behind the story and answering your questions.

We will also mark a remarkable milestone — the 500th anniversary of books published in Latvia — with a few special surprises to celebrate this historic achievement.

Learn more at nancyjarmin.com

The Philadelphia Society of Free Letts invites you to the Annual Meeting on Saturday, February 21st at 2pm.

Discussion led by Kaspars Germanis, visiting scholar at the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia

Suggested donation: $10

Lekciju vadīs Kaspars Ģērmanis, viespētnieks Ārpolitikas pētniecības institūtā Filadelfijā.

Lūdzam $10 ziedojumu pie durvīm.

24. janvārī, sākot plkst. 4os, varēsiet skatīties Filadelfijas Dzirksteles un Vašingtonas Nameja atklāto mēģinājumu kopā ar Latvijas horeogrāfi un Zelta Sietiņa vadītāju, Daci Adviljonu!
Sekos Saviesīga Stunda bārā - visi aicināti!

Amazing vendors, delicious food, silent auction, raffles, door prize, children’s corner, social evening with live music, and so much more!

Latvijas Neatkarības Atcere

Latvia’s Independence Day Celebration

Fall Ball

Let's have fun together on October 4th!

Cocktail Hour / Dinner / Ballroom dance performance / Music and Dancing

All proceeds from this evening will go towards improving the Society's HVAC system. Please register by September 28th.

Come test your novuss skills (or master a new favorite game) and enjoy the company of friends!

And because every game night deserves a tasty twist... Pickle tasting!

Crunchy! tangy! Try a variety of pickles! Which will be the favorite?

Join us at the Latvian Society this Friday, July 25th at 7pm for a showing of The Foundation of Criminal Excellence. Film starts at 7:30pm.

Television Screenwriter starts to believe he can become a gangsta dude character he’s writing about in his own script. As preparing for his new assignment - to write a crime-story - TV Screenwriter engages in a number of con-art activities trying out his fictional cons in real life - only as a research for his script, of course! But con scheme crimes soon becomes an attraction and then - personal agenda. The deeper in the crime world the Screenwriter goes, the bigger the crimes and darker it gets! And he should know better - at the end of all good stories characters do get what they really deserve! Watch out, mister Screenwriter!

Film is in Latvian with English subtitles
Action, crime, comedy
2h 6min
PG-16 (strong language)

Admission: $10 donation

Join us for our monthly meeting at 3pm on Saturday, May 10th. All are welcome!

Latvia’s Youth Dance Group “Rits” alongside Philadelphia’s “Dzirkstele” in a combined folk dancing show!

Dinner to follow

RSVP to phillydzirkstele@gmail.com

This documentary is the story of the journey of the Canadian Latvian folk dance group “Daugaviņa” to the 150th anniversary of the “Song and Dance Festival” in Riga. The film highlights the stories of the participants - their diversity, the importance of preserving traditions and origins in their lives, and learning the language. An important question for many Latvians living outside of Latvia- where is my home, and what is it that “draws” people to Latvia and Latvians.

The film will be in both English and Latvian, with subtitles throughout.

An evening of celebrating winter birthdays and the board after the annual meeting!

The Philadelphia Society of Free Letts invites you to the Annual Meeting on Saturday, March 1st at 2pm.

First Friday at the Latvian Society! Come join us on February 7th at 7pm for a happy hour meet and greet with members and friends of the Latvian Society!

>>> III <<<

Laipni lūdzam visus uz biedrību 7. februārī plkst. 7os uz pirmās piektdienas saviesīgo stundu!

Spreading holiday cheer since the 1960s! Come one, come all!

Amazing vendors, delicious food, silent auction, raffles, door prize, children’s corner, live music, social evening, and so much more!