Michaelmas Festival

We love the Michaelmas Fall Festival in Riga!  It's a pagan holiday of worshiping the harvest, but they added in the Christian name of Michael the archangel.  I think the festival fits the typical characteristics of a Latvian festival, except that it's fall, my favorite season.  So, the festival seems "cozy," for lack of a better word. :)

 Held in the Dome Cathedral Square, vendors of all kinds from all over, make their way there to sell their wares.  Yummy breads, honey, gingerbread cookies, handicrafts, and more.

And of course there are always performers.  We were able to watch three brothers on xylophones and drums perform together.  Very fun to watch!Briant was with us for about a half hour before he had to head to work, entertaining an ambassador in town.  So he bought the kids (and himself) a snack and gingerbread cookies before he left.

And in true Latvian style, they had dancers in traditional dress.

 Riga, and outlying areas, have been decorated all year in Latvian flags and "100" signs as this is the 100th year of independence.  Fun that we get to be here during such a monumental year!

 So everything went well except for the part when I was accused of stealing some handcraft felt fruit at one of the booths, just as I was getting ready to buy one.  One lady was convinced I put a few of the felted fruits in my pockets that looked bulky and told two other workers about it in Latvian. I emptied my pockets to show my gloves, phone and money and the lady that accused me was still bent over close to me watching me because she couldn't get past it.  I was so turned off by her continued suspicion and accusation, that I walked away without buying anything.  Apparently they weren't too convinced that I stole anything because they didn't come after me.  ;)  Anyway, after I cooled off, ;) we moved on and ran into some friends and enjoyed more festival celebration!  It was fun to visit, play, and shop with Kendra and her kids Zara, Mellow, and Misho.  Thomas snuck 10 euros out of my pocket to buy everyone another gingerbread cookie. ;)