The inaugural Positivus Festival was held on June 27 and 28, 2007 as PositivusAB. It was named after the main sponsor, Latvia’s largest private bank ABLV Bank. The festival had two stages, AB Stage and BBC Stage, that hosted bands from from Latvia, Estonia, Russia, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and the United States. PositivusAB 2007 was headlined by Stereophonics (UK), James (UK), and Mumiy Troll (Russia). The event attracted around 2,000 attendees.
The first festival was a great success so it was decided to hold it annually. The second edition featured three big stages (AB Stage, TELE Stage and Shak Dance Tent) and a minor stage for theatrical and literary performances. Positivus AB 2008 was headlined by Travis (UK), Fatboy Slim (UK), Manic Street Preachers (UK) and Timo Maas (Germany).
Positivus Festival has been growing ever since. As of 2017, it had attendance of over 30,000 and featured more than 180 concerts on at least five stages. Over the years the festival has welcomed world-class performers including Ellie Goulding, Tom Odell, Brainstorm, Moby, Sinead O’Connor, Scissor Sisters, Imagine Dragons, Bastille, Kasabian, Iggy Pop, Basement Jaxx, and more. Alongside renowned performers, Positivus always showcases talented young musicians from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
Positivus is a multi-genre festival that embraces various music genres and styles including rock, pop, folk, indie, electronic dance music, and many more styles in between. Alongside music, it features dance, improvisational theater, literary readings, art performances, film screenings, and over exciting events and activities. With its amazing line-up, entertainment options and friendly atmosphere, Positivus is one of the best summer festivals in the Baltic Countries and arguably in Europe.
Photo: Līga Vītola
