An autumn festival will take place throughout the day on 19 September at the Skrīveri Dendrological Park – a site with a history spanning over 130 years and unique exotic tree plantations – managed by AS “Latvijas valsts meži” (LVM).
From 11.00 to 15.00, the park grounds will host a market featuring local artisans and home producers, as well as various educational stations and activity points. The Aizkraukle Municipality tourism department “Visit Aizkraukle” will present local tourism offerings, while the Eco-Council of Andrejs Upīts Skrīveri Secondary School will host an educational activity stand. Young people from the Skrīveri parish of Aizkraukle Municipality will welcome visitors to their youth activity tent, and the LVM arboretum in Kalsnava will offer environmental games and educational workshops about both native and introduced trees.
The festival will begin at 11.00 with a tree-planting volunteer event, which everyone is invited to join to help restore the park's plantations.
The most active festival participants can join Zigrīda Sprukte at 12.00 for a Nordic walking tour of the park as part of the “BeActive 2026” campaign, while young nature lovers can complete tasks prepared by Cūkmens at 12.00.
At 13.00, the park will host a tour led by LVM plant breeding specialist Linda Strode, during which visitors can learn more about the unique collection of exotic trees and the dendrological treasures that have been preserved to this day. To conclude the festival, a musical concert prepared by the collectives of the Skrīveri Culture Centre will await visitors at 14.00.
Participation in the event is free of charge. Further information can be obtained by writing to arboretums@lvm.lv or calling +371 29126112.
The Skrīveri Dendrological Park, together with its exotic tree plantations, covers 392 ha and contains approximately 300 introduced tree and shrub species, which have survived from the 679 species that grew here before the First World War. 30 of these are significantly rare on a European scale.
The planting of exotic trees in the Skrīveri Dendrological Park began in 1891, when the owner of the Skrīveri Manor, Maximilian von Sivers, started to implement an ambitious plan to grow and study trees from different regions of the world in one place. This autumn, the park invites you to celebrate, serving as a meeting place for anyone who wishes to not only explore the park but also participate in its development.