 Since 1960, a distinct Latvian School Youth Song and Dance Festival () is held in an alternate five-year cycle, on a matching scale.The tradition of song festivals originated in the first half of the 19th century in many European countries and later was also organized by the Baltic Germans.The first steps taken in Latvian environment was during the song days in Dikļi in 1864, which led to the resounding of a full-scale song festival in Riga during the summer of 1873.