Page 214 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Estonia Latvia & Lithuania

212  INTRODUCING LITHU ANIA
LITHUANIA THROUGH

THE YEAR

Lithuanians celebrate a host of festivals of the country’s events, and it ranges from
where traditional events and folk culture classical, jazz and blues to electronic and
blend with ancient pagan and Catholic contemporary. Christmas is usually white
rituals. Most of the year’s events take place but the thick snows fail to thwart the
in summer, when after months of wintry merrymaking, which culminates in
gloom the country comes alive with music, New Year’s Eve celebrations. A number
dance, cinema, folk culture, handicraft and of commemorative days are observed in
food festivals. Music is at the centre of most addition to the traditional annual events.

Summer
The sultry Lithuanian summer
initiates great festivities. Classical
music takes prece dence in the
warm eve nings, along with jazz
and blues.
June
Cow-Swimming Festival,
Aukštaitija National Park.
A quirky custom where locals
dress in folk costumes and
watch as cows wearing
wreaths are led into a lake
to swim to the other side.
Kaziuko Crafts Fair, held every year to mark St Casimir’s Day Medieval Festival, Trakai.
Knights’ fights with swords
May and battleaxes are the
Spring
New Baltic Dance (early May), festival’s highlight.
Lithuanians welcome spring Vilnius and Klaipėda. This Joninės (24 Jun). The summer
with joyful celebrations. The eclectic event celebrates modern solstice is celebrated all over
warmer weather wakes the dance and theatre. Lithuania on St John’s Day.
country up to a new season Poetry Spring, Vilnius. An It is also known as Rasos,
of fairs and festivals. international poetry festival and meaning “of the dew”, for
the most outstanding annual dew’s healing pro perties.
March literary event in Lithuania. Pažaislis Music Festival (Jun–
Kaziuko Crafts Fair (4 Mar), Kaunas City Day (late May). A Aug), Kaunas. Hosted at the
Vilnius. A feast of traditional folk art fair with concerts, fun- Baroque Pažaislis Monastery, it
arts and crafts marking fairs and fireworks. stages music performances.
St Casimir’s Day, with stalls
selling all manner of curios. July
Cinema Spring (late Mar– Christopher Summer Festival
early Apr), Vilnius. One of the (Jul–Aug), Vilnius. A hugely
largest international film enjoyable musical fiesta with
festivals in the Baltic region, it performances at different
showcases the best foreign- venues all over the city.
language films of the year, most Statehood Day (6 Jul). Pomp and
with English subtitles. ceremony are the hall marks of this
national holiday dedicated to the
April coronation of King Mindaugas.
Garso Galerija, Vilnius. Varniai Blues Nights features
A festival of new electronic blues and jazz performers with
music, often featuring radical the isolated Lake Lukštas as
international songwriters. the backdrop.
Kaunas Jazz (late Apr). One of Sea Festival (late Jul), Klaipėda.
the best international jazz Local folk dressed in traditional costume, The freedom of the seas
festivals in the country. Kaunas City Day festival expressed in a carnival.

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