Since 2012 Culture Association Alternate Reality is organizing annual culture project – multicultural festival “Count of May“.

Riga Spring Carnival “Count of May” is a unique spring festival for the whole family on the basis of the Riga medieval tradition.

• A holiday uniting the epochs from the day Riga was founded to present times.
  
• A holiday uniting the cultural traditions of Europe and Asia, as well as the cities of the Hansa Trade Union.
  
• A holiday uniting people regardless of ethnic, national, religious affiliation, social status, gender and age.
  
• A holiday celebrating the diversity of cultural traditions of residents and visitors of Latvia.
  
• A holiday created by Riga residents themselves – enthusiasts and volunteers in honor of spring, love, and valor.
  
• A holiday combining a fairy tale and a reality, imagination and creativity, inspiration and talents!

The Count of May holiday known since Celtic pre-Christian culture in the middle ages was celebrated in the Czech Republic and southern Germany, where he was elected the King of may, and in Italy, where took place under the auspices of the choice of the King of the Forest. He came to Latvia in the middle ages of Scandinavia, Germany, Gotland and England, where the holiday has long been celebrated as a Holiday of spring and fertility.
Todaya fectival Count of May grows and develops together with your beloved Riga.
It is a bright Riga spring carnival, which mixed all eras of the city, nation and culture, because Riga is a Hanseatic city, always friendly and met all kinds of people.
Colorful costumes of the participants, jousting tournaments for adults and children, medieval attractions and games, medieval fair, fire festival, clowns and mimes, stilts and theatre, the bright concert program on the stage throughout the day, a costume contest and, of course, preserved the main element of the medieval tradition of the holiday May Count the May Count tournament and the choice May Countess

SOCIAL GOALS
Festival “Count of May” always accomplishes its original social goal – a social project aimed at solidarity, support, personal development and volunteering.

VOLUNTEERING
Holiday “may Count” – for 9 years there as a social volunteer project. All the parts of the event will be active the residents, the joint organizer, cultural society “Alternate reality”.

In creating and preparing for the festival is attended by Riga schoolchildren, students, businessmen and scholars, and accountants, and managers of companies – caring people who share our goals and want to bring a benefit to society something of themselves.

All those whom you see as a staff in the square the day of the feast is a volunteer. The staff of the tournament and the info center, stage workers, leading holiday, security, leading rides, cleaning the area – it’s the people who prepare for you a feast from 6 in the morning clean the area after the holiday until 2am free of charge. Just because I believe in the idea of a holiday and want to support it on their own.

The may Count is the festival of solidarity and volunteerism, and we are proud that every year the festival collects about 50 volunteers with a passion to help you create a total tale.