Positivus Festival is an annual, three-day summer music and culture festival that was held in Salacgrīva, Latvia from 2007 to 2019. After two cancelled editions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival moved to the capital city of Riga from 2022.[1]
First held in 2007, Positivus combines a variety of genres, including indie, pop, folk, electronic and more styles in between. The festival is organized by Positivus Music. The festival always takes place during an extended weekend — from Thursday afternoon until Sunday morning of the third week of July. Positivus Festival is the largest music and arts festival in the Baltic States that takes place every year in the middle of July. Every year Positivus Festival is becoming more and more popular in Europe. It is a festival with international chart toppers and underground emerging talent set in an idyllic holiday location. Positivus Festival has been awarded the title "Best European Festival" and is mentioned in many shortlists as one of the top music festivals to visit in Europe.
Positivus festival has a vibe of Bohemian, friends, and family-oriented sort which weighs over the loud party vibe more common at music festivals. Positivus attendance has been around 30000 people for the last few years.
Over the years there have been up to six live stages featuring around 60–70 artists every year on average, most notably including Pixies, Alt-J, Ellie Goulding (multiple years), The Lumineers, Hot Chip, John Newman, Placebo, M83, Air, Iggy Pop, Tom Odell (multiple years), Elbow, Daughter, Kraftwerk, Bastille, The Kooks, Sigur Rós, Imagine Dragons, The XX, Hurts, OK Go, Muse and many others. The festival line-up usually consists of a number of chart topping artists as well as new and exciting performers from all over the world, with Latvian and Estonian artists having a strong presence. At its Salacgriva location, the festival took place only 12 km from the Estonian-Latvian border and therefore saw a strong attendance of Estonian visitors, musicians, caterers, and marketers as well as festival personnel, rendering Positivus an unofficial yearly meeting of the two neighbour countries. Estonians called it "Estonia's biggest music festival in Latvia".
From 2007 through 2019, Positivus was held in the Latvian coastal town of Salacgrīva located between the A1 Via Baltica highway and the beach of the Riga Bay. The festival offered access to meadows, forests, the beach, as well as the local town of Salacgrīva.
From 2007 through 2019, the festival camping site was located on the other side of the A1 Via Baltica road, directly across from the festival venue, and it was sponsored by Merrild Coffee, which provided complementary coffee refills for campers during the entire festival. The camping grounds also had catering services. The car parking was located within a short distance from the camping site. As of 2016, there was a separated area for caravans and trailer houses.
The 2023 festival was held on July 14 and 15 in Lucavsala Park, Riga, Latvia. It was headlined by Sam Smith and Metro Boomin.[2]
| LMT Stage | Lāčplēsis Stage | Evolution Stage | |
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| July 14, 2023 | |||
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| July 15, 2023 | |||
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The 2022 festival was held for the first time in Lucavsala Park in the capital city of Riga on July 15 and 16.[3] [4] It was headlined by ASAP Rocky, Megan Thee Stallion, and Jamie xx.[5]
| LMT Stage | Lāčplēsis Stage | Narvesen Stage | |
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| July 15, 2022 | |||
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| July 16, 2022 | |||
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The festival was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The festival took place on July 26–27, 2019.[6] [7]
| Main stage | Lāčplēsis stage | ||
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| Friday, July 26 | |||
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| July 27 | |||
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The festival took place on July 20–22, 2018.
| Main stage | Other stage | Piena svētki stage | Arts And Nature Stage | |
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| Friday, July 20 | ||||
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| Saturday, July 21 | ||||
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| Sunday, July 22 | ||||
The festival took place on July 14–16, 2017.
| Lattelecom Stage | Nordea Stage | Electric Room Stage | Palladium Stage | Arts And Nature Stage | |
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| July 14 | |||||
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| July 15 | |||||
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| July 16 | |||||
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The festival took place on July 15–17, 2016.
| Lattelecom stage | Nordea stage | Palladium stage | I Love You stage | Red Bull Music Academy stage | Arts and Nature stage | |
| July 15 | ||||||
| San Fermin Years & Years Hot Chip Ellie Goulding | Rīgas Modes Sofi Tukker Ho99o9 Arthur Beatrice Minor Victories Richard Hawley Mark Ronson | Grässhopas Estrada Orchestra Milk Singapūras Satīns Laika Suns 20syl & Mr. J. Medeiros present AllttA Mielavs un Pārcēlāji | Kristaps Bedrītis The Boondocks Chomsky Chess Club Tehnikums The Pink Elephant NOËP JoyCut DJ Kārlis Dagilis | MakeMake Mr. Nestor Avoid Dave Chloe Martini Kashuks DJ Craze DJ Slow Two | Kikit ImproZoo Elizabeta Lāce Ezeri Starmetis 7Synths | |
| July 16 | ||||||
| Baio Joss Stone Latvian Radio Big Band & Ralfs Eilands John Newman M83 | Super Besse Alise Joste Dzelzs Vilks C Duncan Seinabo Sey Mercury Rev | Ouu I Wear* Experiment Bandmaster Postaal Liima Satellites LV Skyforger Ozols | Mionia Kasetes Blue House Howling Owl Irving Ark Židrūns Pienvedēja Piedzīvojumi DJ Pēteris Bajārs | Smthing Smthing Mario Moretti NiklāvZ Dave Storm & Stee Downes Fingalick & Vaiper Mike Skinner & MURKAGE present TONGA Branko Cartoon MHKL & Quest | I-DEJAS MĀJA morning workout Prieka Ministrija Art-i-šok Comedy Latvia Riga Improvisation Theatre Anneli Arro Vladislavs Nastavševs Coals Colin Johnco Northern C MMMM Gas Of Latvia Tonik Ensemble Indriķis Ģelzis | |
| July 17 | ||||||
| Carnival Youth Hælos Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires Wolf Alice Air Iggy Pop | Choir of Young Believers The Japanese House The Very Best Oh Wonder Grimes | Frankie Animal Lexsoul Dancemachine Kali Briis Band Daddy Was A Milkman Cigarettes After Sex Reiks DaGamba | THE ROOP Kashuks Markas Palubenka Brothers Water Erki Pärnoja: Himmelbjerget | Kaminsky Alaska KAMP! Sander Mölder | I-DEJAS MĀJA morning workout Comedy Estonia Orbīta - Slow Show FM Reinis Jaunais Levīti HANA Anna Pluto Regīna Sūdi | |
The event took place on July 17–19, 2015.
| Lattelecom stage | Nordea stage | Palladium stage | I Love You stage | Red Bull Music academy | Dabas stage | |
| July 17 | ||||||
| Eugene "Hideaway" Bridges & Coolmans Report Everything Everything Jungle Tom Odell Placebo | DJ Ai-Va Without Letters Dorian Concept Trio Break Da Funk Camo & Krooked DJ Sliink DJ Quest & Paul Oja | |||||
| July 18 | ||||||
| Dagamba+Sinfonietta Rīga+Juventus King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard Ewert and the Two Dragons Warpaint Kasabian | Mr. Nestor Niklāvz Formacja Avoid Dave Dave Storm Egyptian Lover Breach Grind Live | |||||
| July 19 | ||||||
| Basement Jaxx St. Vincent Fenech-Soler Robert Plant & the Sensational Space Shifters | Elliphant | Münzpauzn Bandmaster Mr. Krime Smthing Smthing | ||||
The event took place on July 18–20, 2014.
| Lattelecom stage | Nordea stage | Palladium stage | I Love You stage | Red Bull Music academy | |
| July 18 | |||||
| FM Belfast The Horrors You Me At Six Phantogram Elbow | Birth of Joy Junip Laura Mvula Future Islands Audience Killers | Cherub K.Remonts Pompeya The Sound Poets Daniel Levi Freaks on Floor | The Citizens Pyro Trees Tallinn Daggers Big Wave Riders Get Your Gun Carnival Youth Kārlis Dagilis | Just Blaze Rebeka Oriole Napo Temper Temple Dave Storm Nick Hook MHKL & K-Sein Vaiper Despotin | |
| July 19 | |||||
| And So I Watch You From Afar Daughter Anna Calvi Ellie Goulding Kraftwerk | Tricky Pharoah Sanders Quartet Dzelzs Vilks Jauno Jāņu orķestris Kid Karate King Charles Carnival Youth | Audience Killers The Dumplings Sons of Noel and Adrian Trad.Attack! Wilhelm Marten Kuningas | Stefan Rausch Garbanotas Bosistas Starmetis Junk Riot Super Besse Rubenis, Eihmanis & Helmss Pēteris Bajārs Martas asinis | Niklavz DJ All-viss Leslie Da Bass Avoid Dave Full Crate X Mar DJ Quest Paul Oja A-Trak | |
| July 20 | |||||
| MØ Aluna George The 1975 Bastille The Kooks | Junk Riot Justina Lee Brown Latvian Blues Band NONONO Of Montreal Chet Faker Temples | Argo Vals Kali Briis Three Leg Dog The Velvet Supernova Pikaso Rīgas modes Manta | Nē Vincent Long The Sinclair Sinclair Das Sonntags Legion Laika suns Frankie Animal | Margaret Sander Mölder DFRNT Mr Nestor | |
In 2013 for the first time ever the festival lasted for three days, taking place on July 19–21, 2013.
| TELE2 stage | Nordea stage | I Love You stage | Palladium stage | Red Bull Music academy | Dabas stage | |
| July 19 | ||||||
| Crystal Castles Noah and the Whale Iiris Elektro Guzzi | Twenty One Pilots Zodiaks Palma Violets Rasabasa Elephants From Neptune | Colours of Bubbles Franco Franco Andis Grīva Deeper Upper Parára Laika suns | Mikus Frišfelds Milk Luministic Very Cool People Elephants From Neptune Satellites LV | DJ RAPA Oogle Vision Kwazar OYT Mr. Nestor Jesse & Jimi Tenor Eltron John Jack Beats Riton DJ Quest & Paul Oja | Kristaps Bedrītis Treeeye Du Duo Pyro Trees Alise Ģelze | |
| July 20 | ||||||
| Sigur Rós Imagine Dragons Jauns mēness Willy Moon Latvian Blues Band | C2C Charli XCX John Grant Pienvedēja piedzīvojumi | Zebra Island Momend Carnival Youth Sibyl Vane Alise Joste Markas Palubenka Them Lemons | Jagaspace Paabel I Wear* Experiment Wolfredt Galvanic Elephants Candy Empire Faun Racket Outloudz | Halfbrother Fingalick Elvi/Dunian Shotman Kamp! Firejose B. Bravo MJ Cole Artwork Superskankers | Samba De Riga Sus Dungo Martas asinis Audience Killers Y Silent | |
| July 21 | ||||||
| The xx Two Door Cinema Club Michael Kiwanuka Tom Odell Team Ghost French Films | Darwin Deez Suuns !!! Efterklang No Ceremony Laime pilnīga | Without Letters Anete Kozlovska Bernības milicija Odd Hugo Stūrī zēvele Tribes of the City | The Stanleys Age of Stones Komjaunatne Kurak Oranžās brīvdienas The Sound Poets Laime pilnīga | Kaktiņš un Stūrītis Indygo The Coco'Nuts Elizabete Balčus | ||
The event took place on 20 and 21 July 2012.
| TELE2 stage | Nordea stage | Palladium stage | I Love You stage | Red Bull Music academy | |
| July 20 | |||||
| Friendly Fires Housse de Racket Instrumenti Keane Niki & the Dove | King Charles Lucy Rose Vondelpark Iļģi | The Wow Black Apple Market Laime Pilnīga Rīga Metro Triānas parks Astro'n'out Baložu pilni pagalmi Galaxy Bosons Talbot The Big Bluff Freaks on Floor | Alise Joste Markas Palubenka Mimicry Rasabasa Tramplīni Audience Killers Mācītājs on Acid Tenfold Rabbit Zig Zag Momend | Brockenchord DJ Quest Downtown Party Network Dave Storm Kienra & ЯVRS DJ Rapa Full Crate & Mar DJ Zinc | |
| July 21 | |||||
| Ewert and The Two Dragons Givers Manic Street Preachers SBTRKT Skyforger The Vaccines | Damien Rice Cashier No. 9 Jamie N Commons Wild Beasts Brodka Kuchenbeat Fanfarlo | Abraham's Cafe Elephants From Neptune Animal Drama | ESKIMO Sibyl Vane The Sound Poets Zebra Island Elizabete Balčus | Toms Grēviņš Jesse Boykins III Sander Molder Tiger Milk Mr. Nestor Oyt Tiger&Woods Tom Middleton Hudson Mohawke Lunice ELVI/DUNIAN | |
The event took place on 15 and 16 July 2011.
| TELE2 stage | Cēsu Alus stage | I Love You stage | Red Bull Music academy | Tallinn Music Week Stage | |
| July 15 | |||||
| Yoav Gustavo Hurts Editors | Freak Owls Dry the River Alina Orlova Pulled Apart by Horses Frankie & Heartstrings Tunng | Frekvence Kārlis Kazāks HMP? Parara ZRYA Das Sonntags Legion Goran Gora and The Yrs Malcolm Lincoln | The Gaslamp Killer Mondo in Stereo Bassline Riga Mr. Nestor BrassBastardz Mad Mats | Mimicry Aides Nevesis Junk Riot Kreatiivmootor Badass Yuki | |
| July 16 | |||||
| Satellites LV King Charles OK Go Mark Ronson & The Business Intl. James Röyksopp | Auļi Dzelzs Vilks Iiris Ewert and the Two Dragons Alcoholic Faith Mission Chapel Club Glasser Beach House | Aparāts Momend Bērnības milicija Starmetis Acid rain Andis Grīva Colours of Bubbles Lie Lie Sister Black Apple Market The Mundane | Scratch Perverts Crystal Sound System Kaur Kareda Renegades of Bump Oyt Big Sensation Innocent Sorcerers | ||
The festival was held on 16 and 17 July 2010.
| TELE2 stage | Cēsu Alus stage | I Love You stage | |
| July 16 | |||
| The Climbers Ten Bears Happy Mondays Unkle | Triānas parks Shoreline Happyendless The Gin Riots Lady Daisey Popidiot Astro'n'out | Soundarcade Zizzou Lie Lie Sister Bad Apples Alise Joste Mona De Bo | |
| July 17 | |||
| Autumn Owls ASIWYFA Scissor Sisters Muse | Svjata Vatra Prince and Crosby The Miserable Rich EIMIC Goran Gora Giullia y Los Tellarini Kira Kira Stornoway | Martin Confused 100 White Souls El Mars S.P.B. Sons of Noel and Adrian Tramplīni Ewert and the Two Dragons | |
The festival was held on 17 and 18 July 2009.
| TELE2 stage | Cēsu Alus stage | I Love You stage | Space Dog tent | |
| July 17 | ||||
| Sons of Noel and Adrian The Tiger Lillies Prāta vētra Reigani | Bedwetters Laime pilnīga The Happy Endings Two Door Cinema Club Pete Doherty Pop Beats Poetry | Voiceks Voiska S.P.B. Gaujarts Hospitāļu iela Mona De Bo Kārlis Kazāks | Čipsis un Dullais All Day Long Septiņi pieauguši vīrieši | |
| July 18 | ||||
| Instrumenti Ebony Bones The Whip Moby | Dahling Dun Dun The Mundane Zig Zag The Hobos Dzeltenie Pastnieki Jurga The Leisure Society Sinéad O'Connor | Acid Rain Them Lemons Maripossa Martin Confused El Mars Satellites LV | Sound Religion Striķis Kuchenbeat | |
The festival was held from 18 to 19 July 2008. It was attended by approximately 18,000 people.
| AB Stage | TELE2 Stage | Shark dance tent | |
| July 18 | |||
| I'm From Barcelona Travis Manic Street Preachers | Živile Astro'n'out The Briefing Mitsoura Satellites LV Iļģi | Timo Maas | |
| July 19 | |||
| Voiceks Voiska Gorbachov Mofo Gustavo Fatboy Slim | Land Mild Livingstones Kuchenbeat Mona De Bo Nohow Inokentijs Mārpls Pienvedēja piedzīvojumi My Federation British Sea Power | ||
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It was the first PositivusAB festival. The festival was held from 27 to 28 July 2007.
| AB stage | BBC stage | |
| July 27 | ||
| Sigma Goran Gora Brett Anderson Mumiy Troll | Otra Puse Backflow Malcolm McLaren Badly Drawn Boy | |
| July 28 | ||
| Mofo DJ Lethal The Concretes Stereophonics James | Martin Confused S.P.B. R.A.P. Satellites LV Tribes of the City Hospitāļu iela The Sun | |