There’s a feeling you might remember…
Of stepping into something new and not needing to understand it just yet.A world that invites you to slow down, look a little closer and stay a moment longer.
Where imagination unfolds on its own and is inspired by movement, light and small fleeting details.This is an invitation to reconnect with what’s already there and to feel that magic of stepping Into The Wonder.
The festival was born from the idea that the world is already brimming with wonder.Join us at a place where we do not have to picture how things could be, but rather we let our imagination become the reality that is.Remember those childhood memories when everything around you was alive in magical ways?
The forest whispered with hidden fairies, the wind carried secret messages, and the stars seemed to watch over you like curious companions.
Into The Wonder is a space to bring back these magical sensations, to let the awe and the tiny sparkles that once lit our eyes flare back into life.
We invite you to explore, look around and let yourself be surprised by all the small wonders you can discover. Every corner of the site hides a spell of delight. Come and wander through the magical stations. Discover how words lift off the surface and dance, colors pulse with heartbeat and creativity that hangs in the air like scented mist.Together we form a collective presence that turns the festival into a living universe, asking:
“what version of ourselves can we recognize by present wonder awakening?”As you move from one magical station to the next, you join a collective presence that transforms the festival into a living universe. In this space the present itself is the miracle, and the question becomes: what version of ourselves can we recognize when we surrender to wonder?
The answers will be written in laughter, the glittering eyes and the moving bodies of everyone who steps inside. Join us and find out for yourself!
We invite you to step into this two-day festival and explore a space shaped by the local queer community through art, conversation, and shared experience.The programme includes a range of activities across both days - interactive stations, performances, pop-up workshops, a live podcast, and crafted creations made by local community members. Together, these elements bring different artistic practices into one shared environment, creating space for gathering, participation, reflection, and imagination.
Saturday 02.05.
| Time | Activity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 13:00 | Opening the festival and magical stations | Launching the first day of Into The Wonder, we warmly welcome everyone into the space. As the opening unfolds, you are invited to wander among a series of hands-on stations and creative activities. |
| 14:30 | ''It's great but how is it?'' - writing workshop by Katerina Dementeva | A creative writing workshop for everyone, any skill level—you only need to be curious about exploring the world with words. We will go through a series of exercises and experiments, focusing on the delightful experiences and exciting things. We'll try out various ways to describe them, and we create complete pieces out of these descriptions. |
| 16:30 | Drag make-up workshop by Simona | Introducing the basics of masculine and feminine drag makeup with a live model. |
| 17:00 | Wrapping up the magical stations | Slowly but surely, the creative stations will fade into the night sky until sunrise on the next day. But there is no hurry in the wonder, take the time to finish what you began, revisit your favorite spot, or simply take one last look around. |
| 18:30 | ''Stray cats'' performance by Ivo Krieviņš and Madara Anna Baltiņa | As spring hits, everything starts blooming and so do our emotions. If you open a window you might hear stray cats screaming for love (that is honestly relatable). For stray cats the dating pool can feel more like a tiny puddle. Finding someone to share your litter tray with is a challenge. But what if you do? |
| 19:00 | - ? - | Surprise performance - join in and experience something unexpected together. |
| 20:00 | Closing of the first day | After a day full of exploration and creativity, we invite you to come together and share a moment of celebration for everything that has unfolded throughout the day. |
Sunday 03.05.
| Time | Activity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 13:00 | Open doors | After restful night and sweet dreams, we welcome you back for the second day. A day filled with little wonders everywhere. Look around, ease your mind and surrender into the magic that is already unfolding in all the creative stations. |
| 13:15 | Queerators: Live - recorded Podcast by Cathy Manousaki and Rachel Ganio Mego | Join us in exploring the intersections of queer art, identity, self and collective expression and youth participation. In this podcast, we will reflect on the power of creating safer and tender spaces where queer youth can express themselves freely, experiment with different forms of art, and shape their own narratives and stories. Over a year and a half, our young queer crew hosted a series of community gatherings, workshops and events, where local communities got to release their creativity, express, grow and connect through hands-on crafty, theater, audio-visual and artistic experiences and explorations. |
| 15:00 | ''Whimsical Atelier'' - Upcycling workshop by Rachel Ganio Mego | What armour do you wear in your dreams? What fabrics flow on your body as you run through the meadow? What symbols ornate your crown? Let’s fabricate the clothes for our adventures: we’ll decorate our old clothes with embroidery, paint and patches to create new, whimsical pieces. All skill levels are welcome, we’ll work with basic stitches, patterns, stamps and whatever your creativity suggests! Clothes and materials will be provided, but feel free to bring your own. |
| 17:00 | Closing the festival | The festival may come to an end, but its wonder will endure. Let us gather, reflect and bid farewell to the space and to one another, knowing that the magic will be carried outward into the world by each and everyone of us. |
CODE OF CONDUCT:This festival is a space for creativity, care, and collective advocacy.
To keep it safer and open for everyone, we have a zero-tolerance policy toward:- Hate speech or discriminatory language- Racism, sexism, queerphobia, transphobia, ableism, or any other form of oppression- Harassment, intimidation, or unwanted behavior of any kind- Violence (verbal & physical), threats, or actions that put others at riskWe stand in support of all human rights causes and affirm the dignity, safety, and freedom of every individual.
Our gathering is built on respect, solidarity, and mutual care.We ask all participants to engage with respect, empathy, and curiosity.Everyone has the right to express themselves freely, as long as it does not harm or silence others.If you experience or witness behavior that goes against this code, please reach out to one of the organizers immediately.
Together, we will ensure this festival remains a safer, braver and welcoming space for all.The organizers reserve the right to deny entry or remove anyone who does not respect this Code of Conduct.
FOOD/DRINKS:To be updated.LANGUAGEActivities are going to be mainly in English with Latvian assistance available when needed from our Latvian team membersDOCUMENTATIONThis is a public event. It will be photographed and video graphed for visibility and promotional purposes.At the entrance, there will be a consent form for guests to fill in.
ACCESSIBILITY:We are also mindful of sensory accessibility: lighting and sound levels are considered with care to create an environment that is welcoming and comfortable for a wide range of needs.If you have specific access needs, feel free to contact us in advance so we can do our best to support you.If any updates on accessibility, we will share here.
Youth Queerators is a long-term project dedicated to empowering young people to express themselves, share their perspectives, and advocate for the causes that matter to them through artistic practice. At its core, the project creates space for exploration, experimentation, and self-definition - encouraging participants to use creativity as a tool for both personal and collective voice.Through a series of workshops, collaborations, and public outcomes, such as this festival, participants are introduced to a wide range of artistic approaches, including audiovisual media, theatre-based methods, zine-making, crafts, and other accessible forms of expression. These tools are not only used to develop creative skills, but also to build confidence, critical thinking, and the ability to communicate ideas in meaningful ways.At the same time, Youth Queerators works closely with the organisations involved, strengthening their capacity to integrate artistic methods into youth work. By doing so, the project supports the development of more inclusive, responsive, and creative environments for young people across different contexts.The festival marks both a culmination and a continuation of this process, a moment where ideas, experiments, and voices come together in a shared space, while also opening pathways for future initiatives and collaborations.
The festival is taking place at Skapis - a queer cultural space, bar and club in Riga, created by and for the queer community. As a space rooted in self-expression, safety, and connection, Skapis provides a fitting environment for gathering, experimenting, and sharing experiences throughout the festival.The event is a learning and growing journey for our Active Rainbow young crew, who is behind the organization of the festival, supported by local volunteers and artists, performers, and community members who contribute in various ways, through performances, workshops, exhibition, and informal exchanges. Each participant brings their own perspective, helping shape the festival into a collective and evolving experience.We are grateful to everyone who takes part in this process and contributes their time, energy, and ideas to make both the project and the festival possible.
The project is co-funded by European Unions Erasmus+ educational programme, which is administered in Latvia by Jaunatnes starptautisko programmu aģentūra (Agency for International Programs for Youth). It is a small-scale partnership program, coming out of the collaboration between Active Rainbow and Fundacja Po Prostu Da Się.Disclaimer: Funded by the European Union. However, the views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the National Agency. Neither the European Union nor the National Agency can be held liable for them.
