This past year has been filled with memorable events and excitement. We celebrated 8 beautiful weddings—some large, with up to 100 guests, and some small, just within the family. We also hosted 3 lively open-air dances (zaļumballe) featuring well-known Latvian bands Dakota, Apvedceļš, and Sestā Jūdze, as well as our traditional Cecilia Day with performances by the P!K!V!K! male choir of the Presidium Konvents and the wonderful Lorija Vuda choir.
Over 4,000 visitors joined our tours, many eager to see the rooms from the captivating TV series “Pansija Pilī”—we have both the Virca Room and the Anšlavs/Viktors Room, where guests can even re-enact scenes from the film. We are proud to have maintained our SuperHost status on Airbnb, which highlights the satisfaction of our overnight guests with the facilities and service at the manor.
Our traditional Legend Night took on a dramatic twist as we investigated the Balfour murder case, giving each visitor a chance to step into the role of a historical detective.
We are also excited about our crowdfunding campaign with Crowdehero. On our first attempt, we raised around EUR 54,000 but had promised to gather EUR 100,000 in the prospectus—hence we returned all funds to investors. Now we’ve set a more modest goal, with a minimum sum of EUR 34,920. So far, the campaign is going well despite the busy and expensive Christmas season.
Our restoration efforts continue. At the start of the year, we upgraded our restrooms—now the manor boasts three beautiful, modern, and comfortable toilets and a fantastic shower area. Thanks to funding from VKKF, we restored a dining room window, as well as one restroom window with our own resources and financing.
Heading into the New Year, we hope to keep up the momentum and delight you with a variety of events. On August 23, we held our Sestā Jūdze open-air dance, the eighth in a row. You can already purchase tickets at a discounted price via BilesuServiss.lv or its physical outlets. We have more events in mind, but we’ll share news about them later. In general, we plan fewer public events to leave room for those wishing to celebrate weddings, birthdays, or simply family reunions.
Of course, we will press on with manor restoration so that more and more historical details can return to their original splendor. Our big dream is not only to restore this unique cultural heritage but to make it more widely accessible. As you might know, we want to transform Padure Manor into a gourmet hotel, attracting both foreign and local tourists and contributing significantly to the development of Kuldīga, Kurzeme, and Latvia.
Therefore, we invite you to become co-owners of Padure Manor by purchasing AS Padures muiža shares—an opportunity for everyone to take part in the manor’s revival, profit alongside us, and create new jobs. A single share costs only EUR 388 and can be a wonderful gift. Even actor Gundars Āboliņš has become a co-owner of Padure Manor!
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported us this year—your interest, participation in events, and inspiring conversations shape the story of Padure Manor. May the New Year bring you health, love, and the courage to fulfill your dreams! We look forward to seeing you at future weddings, dances, concerts, and all the special moments that make life beautiful and meaningful.
Happy and prosperous New Year from the Padure Manor team!