Folk art, song, dance, and festivals all play an important role in Latvian life. Some festivals celebrated in Latvia have their roots in the pre-Christian era including Ziemas Svetki, held at winter solstice and St. John's Day, the largest festival, held on the summer solstice. The Latvian Song Festival in Riga, held every four years, has been a tradition for more than 125 years. Tens of thousands of people come from all over Latvia and abroad to attend. The festival has become a political event of great importance, symbolizing the reawakening and unity of the nation. Under Soviet Rule, this festival was one of the few ways in which national feeling could be legally displayed, although several of the more patriotic songs were banned. Today Latvian cultural life is rich with festivals and other cultural events. One of the popular Latvian traditions today is the Dance Festival held along with the Song Festival. A more recent international folklore festival is Baltica, which moves between all three Baltic nations.