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Restored state of Lithuania turns 100

Lithuania’s Centennial Song Festival

·         June 30 – Kaunas  Song Day in Valley of Songs (Dainų Slėnis)

·         July 1 – Vilnius  Opening Concert of the Song Festival at Vilnius Town Hall square and   Vingis Park

·         July 2 – Vilnius –

o   Children’s Traditional Crafts Town at the Palace of the Grand Dukes

o   Folk Arts Exhibition at Catholic Church (Savičiaus g. 13)

·        July 3  - Vilnius –

o   Folklore Day in Bernardinai Garden and the Castles Territory

o   Kanklės’ Concert at the St. Johns’ Church

o   Vocal Ensembles’ Concert in the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Hall

·         July 4 – Vilnius –

o   Theatre Day in Bernardinai Garden, in the Old Town and in the Cathedral Square

o   Ensembles' Evening in Kalnai Park

·         July 5 – Vilnius –

  o   Wind Instruments Orchestras’ Concert at the Siemens Arena

  o    Dance Day in Stadium of the Lithuanian Football Federation

·         July 6 – Vilnius –

o   Procession of Celebration’s Participants from the Cathedral Square to Vingis Park

o   Song Day on the stage of Vingis Park 

 

 Top events in Vilnius

·         March 2 to 4 – Kaziukas Fair – one of the biggest fairs in the Baltic States.

·         March 14 to 17 – International Baltic Jewelery Show “Amber Trip”

·         April 1  Day of Independence of the Užupis Republic  on April Fools Day, Užupis celebrates its independence day.

·     May 22 to 27  Skamba skamba kankliai  one of the very few authentic festivals of folk   music in Europe. 

·         July 1 to 6  Lithuania's Centennial Song Festival (see details above)

·         August 31 to September 2  Vilnius City Fiesta  hundreds of events and exhibitions   taking place in open air spaces of Vilnius

 

Events in Kaunas

·         June 30 – Opening of the Centennial Song Festival

Top event in Zarasai region:   Mėnuo Juodaragis – (Last weekend of August) – One of the most unique cultural events in Europe, this 4-day independent festival is dedicated to the native traditions and music, and presentation of contemporary Baltic culture.  Diverse attendees (hippie-types to conservative young families with children) often camp on sections of festival grounds attuned to their interests.

Top events in Klaipėda 

·         Klaipėdos Jūros šventė (Klaipeda Sea Festival) held late July – early August

·         Parbėg laivelis 2018 (International folklore festival): July 19-22 in Klaipėda old town

·         Nida Jazz marathon: final weekend of July in Nida (Curonian Spit)

·         Autumn equinox: September 20th – 22nd in Juodkrantė (Curonian Spit)

 

Top events in Palanga

·         Saint George's Day (a weekend after the 23rd of April) ...

·         Amber Weekend (first weekend of May) ...

·         Resort Celebration (around mid-May) ...

·         Street Music Day (usually a penultimate Saturday of May) ...

·         Line Dances Festival (1st Saturday of June)

 

Top Druskininkai attractions:

·         Grūtas Park  A museum of Soviet-era statues.

·         Merkinė – Piliakalnis. (Defensive fortification mound or hillfort).  Lithuania has about 980 piliakalniai.  Merkinė is one of the more beautiful ones.

    

Other important cities:

·         Šiauliai – fourth largest city in Lithuania.

o   Hill of Crosses is a pilgrimage site 12 km. north of the city of Šiauliai.

·         Panevėžys  fifth largest city in Lithuania

·         Druskininkai  spa town on the Nemunas river

·         Birštonas  resort and spa town

·         Trakai  historic city and castle

·         Kernavė – archeological site

·         Curonian Spit – prehistoric sand dune peninsula

 

Important dates that cities in Lithuania celebrate:

·         Lithuania’s Independence Day – February 16, 1918

·         St. Casimir’s Day – March 4

·         Lithuania free from Soviet Union – March 11, 1990

·         Joninės (Rasų šventė) – Saint John’s Eve – June 23

·         Mindaugo karūnavimo diena (King Mindaugas coronation day) – July 6, 1253 

·         Autumn equinox: September 22