Since 1999, Ventspils has celebrated the New Year according to local time – exactly 33 minutes and 44 seconds later than elsewhere in Latvia. The time difference is not imaginary. Ventspils time was calculated by the International Radio Astronomy Center, taking into account that several meridians cross Latvia.
The tradition of welcoming the New Year according to Ventspils time began in 1999, when the Ventspils City Council considered the issue of the astronomical arrival of the year 2000 in Ventspils.
The Ventspils Market Square clock plays the melody of the song "By the Amber Sea" on the hour, but at 12:33 and 00:33, it announces the special Ventspils time with the accompaniment of Uldis Marhilēvičs' song „Uz priekšu, Kurzeme” (Forward, Kurzeme).
The idea of Ventspils being in a specific time zone reportedly came to the Mayor of Ventspils City Council Aivars Lembergs while he was near Greenwich during a visit to London.