Just hours after going on sale, tickets all but sold out to the most popular concerts of the 2008 Song and Dance Festival in Latvia, the LETA news service reported March 10.

Late that night, fewer than 10 of the least expensive tickets remained for the July 12 closing concert at the Mežaparks open-air stage in Rīga, according to a check by Latvians Online of the Web site of the Biļešu Paradīze ticket agent.

The same was true for the grand folk dance performances scheduled July 10 and 11.

Tickets for less popular or well known events were more available. For example, the July 12 kokle concert still had a fair selection of tickets available at LVL 3 and LVL 5, but fewer than 10 tickets remained at LVL 7.

In an effort to keep ticket prices low, the Latvian government granted LVL 3.7 million to the festival, while organizers also have received support from three major businesses. Several free events also are scheduled.

The song festival is scheduled July 5-12 at various venues around Rīga. For further information about the festival, visit www.dziesmusvetki2008.lv.

Meanwhile, tickets also are being sold for the 15th West Coast Latvian Song Festival, scheduled Aug. 28-Sept. 1 in Ventura, Calif. While the West Coast festival’s Web site offers no indication that tickets are getting scarce, the festival hotel—the Crown Plaza Hotel in Ventura—is already sold out. For further information about the West Coast festival, visit www.westcoastlatviansongfest.org.