The festival has been held since 1873 - over 150 years of unbroken tradition. It usually takes place in Riga and lasts several days, featuring choirs, orchestras and folk dance groups as well as the grand final concert where everyone sings together. Up to 40,000 performers can be on the stage or field at the same time.
UNESCO has recognised the Latvian Song and Dance Festival as an important piece of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity - meaning it is not a building or an object, but a tradition and a practice that is so valuable to human culture it must be passed on and protected.
The songs performed are mostly traditional Latvian folk songs called dainas. Dainas are short, often very old poems set to music that describe nature, the seasons, daily life and the relationship between people and the land. There are thought to be over a million daina texts, collected from Latvian communities over centuries.
Children participate in their own section of the festival. Schools across Latvia spend years preparing choirs and folk dance groups that travel to Riga to perform. For many Latvian children, taking part in the festival is one of the most memorable experiences of their lives - a chance to be part of something enormous and meaningful together.