As Latvians started leaving refugee camps, the first English Latvian Song Days were held in June 1949 in London, which were followed by the Northern England Song Days in Leeds the same year and the Song Days in Leicester a year later. Until 1986, English Latvian Song Days were regularly held in various cities, and in later years, smaller-scale song days were held at Straumēni (Catthorpe Manor), the countryside estate of the Daugavas Vanagi Foundation.

         

   

  

Fourth European Latvian Song Festival, London. Massed choir concert. 31 July 1977. “Sun, go soon to God”. Soloists Lilija Zobens and Ksenija Bidiņa, conductor Alberts Jērums. (Record. Recorded at the Royal Albert Hall, London)

Fourth European Latvian Song Festival, London. Massed choir concert. 31 July 1977. “Let the song bend forest tree tops!” Conductor Marks Opeskins. (Record. Recorded at the Royal Albert Hall, London)

Fourth European Latvian Song Festival, London. Massed choir concert. 31 July 1977. “I was the son of a rider”. Soloist Jāna Grīnberga. (Record. Recorded at the Royal Albert Hall, London)

Fourth European Latvian Song Festival, London. Massed choir concert. 31 July 1977. A. Jurjāns. “For the Fatherland”. Soloist Ileana Pētersone. (Record. Recorded at the Royal Albert Hall, London)

  

Fourth European Latvian Song Festival, London. Young people’s concert, 28 July 1977. “I was my mother’s only little girl”. Soloists Lilija Zobens and Annele Zvejniece. (Record)

Fourth European Latvian Song Festival, London. Young people’s concert, 28 July 1977. “I’m a little girl like a flower”. London Latvian School Esemble. Conducted by Lilija Zobens. (Record)

Fourth European Latvian Song Festival, London. Young people’s concert, 28 July 1977. Girls’ dance from Latgale. Choreographed by Mārtiņš and Raimonds Dāle (1958). (Record)

Fourth European Latvian Song Festival, London. Young people’s concert. 28 July 1977. “Bloom, bloom ear of rye!”. Arranged and conducted by Andra Vītoliņa. Sopranino pipe solo by Indra Sinka. (Record)

The most significant were the 1951 London Song Days, which were included in the Festival of Britain programme and saw the joint choir consisting of about 400 singers from mixed and men’s choirs performing at the Royal Albert Hall in front of an audience of 5000 people. In preparation for the event, the action committee announced a competition of new choir and solo songs, in which pieces by Tālivaldis Ķeniņš, Jānis Norvilis and Alberts Jērums were awarded and chosen to be performed at the festival. The Song Days featured celebratory services, an exhibition of Valdemārs Tone’s paintings at the Kensington Art Gallery, two theatre plays, folk costume competition, basketball games between French and English Latvians, etc.