Lithuania is the largest of the Baltic states, and its festival calendar reflects a country that has emerged from Soviet occupation with its cultural identity intact. The festivals are pagan, Catholic, musical, and deeply rooted in the seasons. These five are worth the journey.
In This Article
Uzgavenes: Lithuania’s Pagan Carnival
Uzgavenes, celebrated on Shrove Tuesday in February or March, is the Lithuanian equivalent of Mardi Gras, but its roots run deeper than any imported carnival tradition. The wooden masks, carved by folk artists into the characters of the devil, the witch, and the goat, are genuine works of folk art that have been passed down through generations. The central ritual involves the burning of More, an effigy of winter, at dusk, accompanied by the eating of pancakes known as blynai. The festival reaches its climax with the symbolic battle between Lasininis, the fat man representing the excesses of winter, and Kanapinis, the hemp man representing the coming spring and the promise of new growth. This pagan drama, enacted in villages and town squares across the country, is both joyful and deeply meaningful, marking the turning of the seasonal cycle. Traditional foods include not only pancakes but also herring, root vegetables, and hearty soups designed to fortify against the lingering cold. Children dress in colourful costumes, and the streets fill with music, dancing, and the sound of wooden rattles known as Bildenai, which are used to drive away evil spirits. Many towns host craft fairs alongside the celebrations, where visitors can purchase traditional wooden toys, woven textiles, and amber jewellery.
Jonines: The Magic of Midsummer
Jonines, celebrated on June 23-24, is Lithuania’s most important pagan festival, marking the summer solstice with traditions that predate Christianity by thousands of years. Also known as St John’s Day, the festival centers on the shortest night of the year, when the sun barely dips below the horizon in this northern latitude. Bonfires burn on hilltops across the entire country, their flames visible for miles across the darkening landscape. Couples search for the mythical fern flower, which according to legend blooms only on this one night and grants happiness and wisdom to whoever finds it. Young women float wreaths of flowers and herbs on rivers, their movements predicting future romance and marriage prospects. The night is filled with singing, dancing, and the drinking of traditional herbal beers and meads. Many families gather at countryside homesteads, where tables groan under the weight of cold soups, smoked fish, fresh cheeses, and the first strawberries of the season. The festival represents a living connection to Lithuania’s pagan past, with the thin veneer of Christian observance barely covering the much older traditions that continue to thrive. As dawn breaks on June 24, the sun’s first rays are greeted with cheers, and exhausted celebrants finally make their way home, carrying bouquets of St John’s wort and oak leaves for good luck and protection throughout the coming year.
Vilnius Film Festival and Kaziuko Muge
The Vilnius International Film Festival, known locally as Kino Pavasaris or Cinema Spring, takes place each March and has grown into the largest film festival in the Baltic region. The programme spans approximately 150 films across 10 days, screening in historic venues throughout the Vilnius Old Town. The festival draws international directors and critics while maintaining an accessible, democratic atmosphere that encourages discussion and debate. Screenings range from Hollywood blockbusters to experimental documentaries, with a strong focus on Baltic and Eastern European cinema that provides a window into the region’s complex cultural identity. Later in March, Kaziuko Muge, or St Casimir’s Fair, transforms the streets of Vilnius into the largest folk art market in the Baltic states. Since the early 17th century, this fair has brought together artisans, farmers, and musicians from across Lithuania and neighbouring countries. The stalls overflow with wood carvings, pottery, woven textiles, and the famous verbos, dried-flower bouquets that are unique to Lithuanian folk tradition. These intricate arrangements, crafted from grasses, flowers, and herbs, are blessed in churches and hung in homes as symbols of health and prosperity. The fair also features traditional music performances, blacksmith demonstrations, and an astonishing variety of food stalls offering everything from smoked eel to poppy seed rolls.
Which festival, in Lithuania or anywhere, made you feel like you had glimpsed something ancient and still alive?
Explore all our Europe travel guides, discover the best of the continent.
Explore More
If you enjoyed this article, you might also like:
- Top Festivals of Europe – View all posts in Festivals
- A Guide to the Edinburgh Festival | United Kingdom – View all posts in Festivals
- The Nice Jazz Festival: Fun in the Sun | France – View all posts in Festivals
