Blondes brighten the Baltics
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Several hundred blondes marched through Riga on Sunday in a bid to cheer up the crisis-hit Baltic nation. Led by an orchestra composed entirely of light-haired women, the parade featured a bevy of blondes dressed in pink and white, who took part to raise money for charity.
The event, dubbed the Blonde Weekend, was organised by Latvia's Blondes' Association which said it hoped to bring positive energy and optimism to the country, which is expected to see its economy contract by 16% in 2009.
"Finally something different, something positive because I'm tired of hearing about the crisis," said one of the participants in an interview with AFP.
The celebrations also featured a blonde golf tournament and fashion show and attracted both locals and puzzled tourists.
"It's a great time to spend in the parade and contribute to a charity," said another blonde spectator.
Following the parade, the blondes climbed into open-topped cars and drove to the local shopping centre to go shopping.
Organisers have said that the money collected during the event will be donated to children's charities across Latvia. They hope to hold a similar event next year and declare May 31 as the official Blondes' Day in Latvia.
Listen to a report from Artjoms Konahovs:
