Smiltene is celebrating a city holiday
At eight o’clock on Saturday morning, the North Latvian town of Smilteni was woken up by the local brass band, following the long-standing tradition of the town’s festivities, taking a turn around the streets in a car trailer. The craft market and street music continued throughout the day as always, but several other events were unique to this holiday. The most noticeable – military equipment and people in camouflage uniforms in the square of the Smiltene Evangelical Lutheran Church built at the end of the 19th century. I talked with Jānis, the national guard of the 22nd battle support battalion in Valmiera.
“This is the armored vehicle “Patria”, co-produced by Latvia and Finland, it carries 10 people, it also has the ability to swim,” says Jānis.
The “Patria” armored vehicle has already visited Smiltene, going to the army parade in Alūksne, the national guard said, and the reactions of the residents were very different – from excitement to panic.
Even though a Russian tank destroyed in Ukraine was brought to Smilteni from Riga for inspection already last winter, such sights are not everyday in the quiet town. The most ardent admirers of Patria were little boys, such as seven-year-old Roland, who came with his mother.
“I have seen many times, but this is the first time a car like this,” admits Roland.
“We had an old tank that was transported from one town to another – it was not the most necessary thing to scare the inhabitants. But this is for our safety, we can only be glad that we have such equipment and guys,” adds Roland’s mother.
Jānis Slaidiņš at the Smiltene city festival
Photo: Ieva Puke
One of the central events of the city’s festivities was the unplanned arrival of the National Guard staff officer, Major Jānis Slaidin, the book signed by him about Ukraine could be obtained by the people of Smilten in exchange for donations to the soldiers at the front, and the response was so great that people waited in a long line until additional cargo was brought from Riga.
But in the meantime, the entire county leadership had come to the Smiltene City Council for the first time during the city festival to meet with the residents. Two issues were most actively discussed – the recent Dziesmusvätki, which was organized by 695 participants from the Smiltene region, and, of course, the optimization of the school network – Bilska, Launkalne, Trapene and Drustu schools are being reorganized.
Meeting with the county management at the Smiltene city festival
Photo: Ieva Puke
The chairman of the municipal council of Smiltene region, Edgars Avotiņš, promised the gathered to fight for each of the remaining schools, stressing that after the territorial reform, the executive power has geographically moved away from the population, but that is why it is important to hold regular population meetings in all parishes, and also to organize population forums on city holidays.
“This year was like a trial year for us, and Mr. Slaidiņa took one part of the participants to him with the presentation of the book, but next year, such a discussion should definitely be held again at the city festival,” emphasizes Avotiņ.
One of the most active critics of the local government in the discussion was Vilis Strazdiņš, a 73-year-old resident of Smilten.
“The biggest problem is with the Jāņukalnas stage, I repaired it myself,” says Strazdiņš.
However, Smiltene is indeed one of the most prosperous towns in Vidzeme and is developing step by step, says Edgars Raginskis, the cultural life organizer of Smiltene, who himself moved to live in this region only three years ago, when he met him in the territory of the former Smiltene household equipment factory right there by Vidusezer.
Edgars Raginskis in Smiltenės
Photo: Ieva Puke
Currently, the people of Smilten are gathering for the funeral, but even today at the new stage of Old Park from three to five in the afternoon you can attend a concert and a sketching workshop “Farewell to late celebrants”, but the old stage of Jāņukalns is also in the city’s upcoming development plans.
On the third weekend of July, the Smiltene city festival can be entered in the calendar again next year.
Typo?
Highlight the text and press Ctrl+Enter to send the corrected text fragment to the editor!
Highlight the text and press the Report an error button to send the corrected text fragment to the editor!
Report a bug
2023-07-16 15:14:28
#Reportage #Smiltene #celebrating #city #holiday
