On July 5, the Garden Festival took place in the Dobele Castle garden, bringing together local residents and visitors to enjoy a summery, educational, and creative atmosphere.
Paths, lighting, benches, and other amenities have been installed on the site, creating an organized and accessible environment for visitors. Various medicinal plants from the early 17th-century collection of Duchess Elisabeth Magdalene Kettler of Courland and Semigallia have been incorporated into the grounds.
The Dobele Castle garden is a place where history intertwines with the present; the festival offered an opportunity to appreciate—in a relaxed atmosphere—the garden’s development into a significant cultural and tourism site where history, nature, and people come together.
Project partners from Naujoji Akmenė (Lithuania) also attended the event, and both guests and local visitors provided feedback via a survey, assessing the site’s significance in a cross-border context and sharing their views on its functionality and potential improvements for future festivals. This is particularly important given that the event is intended to become an annual tradition. During the festivities, visitors explored the diversity and uses of medicinal plants with expert Baiba Lāce, took part in tastings of herbal teas and Duchess Elizabeth Magdalene’s special hazelnut and almond liqueur, participated in creative workshops and masterclasses, and enjoyed products offered by local artisans.
The digital solution created as part of the project—www.dobele.rdev.lv—also sparked particular interest, allowing visitors to learn about the plants found in the garden and their history. By scanning an on-site QR code, visitors can listen to or read information about 100 of the palace garden’s plants in four languages.
The event concluded with a special atmosphere created by the concert “12 Stories for a Summer Evening” featuring Aija Andrejeva and Jānis Aišpurs, bringing the festive day to a close in a heartwarming and emotional setting.