The cultural website alkas.lt tells us that Lithuania is one of the most economical tourist destinations in the European Union, but this is not the only reason the Baltics are popular. In addition to its rich historic and cultural heritage, excellent cuisine and beautiful natural sites, Lithuania attracts tourists for its cultural events and festivals, such as the famous Song Festival, international film festivals and massive jazz and rock performances.
Naming the top five events for the best insights into Lithuanian culture is a difficult task, with so much to choose from: national holidays, traditional folkloric events and international festivals, and historic cities such as Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda offer endless and essential points of interest.
The Vilnius Mama Jazz Festival
For 19 years Vilnius has become one of the most prestigious venues for jazz performances. This famous festival takes place at the Modern Art Centre, with its three show stages. Last year performers included Django Bates’ Beloved, GoGo Penguin, Flat Earth Society, Andy Sheppard, the Espen Eriksen Trio, Gorilla Mask and the Lithuanian jazz ensemble – Domas Žeromkis Quintet. The Vilnius Mama Jazz Festival includes a conference program of discussions, meetings and art shows.
The Sea Festival in Klaipėda
This festival takes place in the third largest Lithuanian city, and has become a traditional event since 1934, held at the end of July-early August. The three-day event atracts over half a million visitors who enjoy free concerts and a carnival featuring mythical sea creatures. There is also a huge marketplace and a number of sailing and fishing competitions. The Curonian Lagoon, a UNESCO world heritage site, and a Sea Museum are also nearby and worth visiting.
Vilnius International Film Festival
Organized in the capital since 1995, this festival has the longest list of films and attracts the largest number of viewers. In 2019 about 126,000 visitors came to see its outstanding program. Films are also shown in Kaunas and five other Lithuanian cities. The highlight of the festival is the program of short films (up to 30 minutes in length), with about 60 films from European and other countries competing. A networking event called “Meeting Point – Vilnius“ allows professionals from around the world to mingle.
Galapagai Rock Festival
This is the biggest music festival in the Baltic region. The open-air festival brings in performers from Lithuania, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Belarus, Poland and other countries. In the beautiful Palūšė area, thousands of fans gather each year for the three-day event and camp out in designated areas. The festival includes other music genres and activities such as dog vs dog-owner races to promote the adoption of stray pets. Over the past several years, visitors saw performers such as Dub Fx, TOMMY CASH, Rusko, Jazzu, JP Cooper, Jose Gonzales, Tom Walker, Charli XCX, UNLE Live ir daug kitų.
The Song Festival
Song festivals, harking back to 1924, are one of the most amazing cultural events in Lithuania. Locals and Lithuanians from all over the world gather to perform songs and folk dances both old and new. The Day of Song, on the last day of the festival attracts an audience of up to 50,000 at the famous Vingis Park in Vilnius. Other massive performances include folk dancing, with up to 9,000 dancers performing at the same time. This festival is on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural properties, with the next hopefully taking place in 2022.
Other Events and Traditions
Many other events take place over the year in Lithuania, for example the Medieval Festival at Trakai, the iconic ancient seat of power. Mardi Gras events, Independence Day parades as well as Christmas and Easter festivals are all worth seeing for visitors to Lithuania.
With information from www.alkas.lt
