The idea behind Trådi Rīga was to do more than just entertain children, but instead help them discover what they could become. The free public experience festvial in Riga transformed an abandoned park into an experience festival for more than 20,000 children and thus earned a Unicorn Award for the Best Festival in 2026.
Rather than explaining careers, STEM, sport or financial literacy, Trādi Rīga let children experience them. Visitors could step into the roles of firefighters, police officers, paramedics and radio hosts, generate electricity, explore space, learn to code, mix music and even play basketball alongside Latvia’s top athletes. More than 40 public institutions, businesses, NGOs and community organisations contributed their expertise to create the programme.
Technology was used to deepen participation: a custom AI-powered platform allowed children to send moderated messages, greetings, wishes and photos to the main stage, while live voting gave visitors a say in the music and programme. Across the STEM zone, digital tools supported practical exploration of coding, electricity and space.
The free format removed financial barriers to participation, making more than 60 experiences accessible to families regardless of income or background
