Vilnius is already preparing for one of the year's biggest celebrations. From September 4-6, the capital will host the 34th 'Vilnius Days' festival, which will fill the city center with concerts, art, literature, sports, gastronomy, and various entertainment during the first weekend of autumn.
The festival, like in previous years, will be free and open to all. The majority of events will take place in the very center of Vilnius, transforming Cathedral Square, Gediminas Avenue, Vincas Kudirka Square, Lukiškės Square, the White Bridge approaches, and the Neris embankment into one large city festival area for three days.
Gediminas Avenue will traditionally become one of the main arteries of the festival. Together with Vincas Kudirka Square, it will transform into the Avenue of Discoveries, hosting spaces for art, folk art, design, style, and gastronomy.
In Cathedral Square, next to the Palace of the Grand Dukes, the Book Square will return. Here, visitors can expect publishers, new books, author meetings, discussions, and educational activities.
Music will constitute a significant part of the festival. This year, live performances will be heard on no fewer than four stages. Concerts can be enjoyed in Vincas Kudirka Square, by the White Bridge, and on the main stage in Cathedral Square.
Another novelty is the 'Heavy Terrace'. The 'Summer Terrace' located on Vilniaus Street will become the new music center of the festival, featuring a separate program for heavier music.
For the first time in the history of 'Vilnius Days', the festival will also be complemented by 'Vilnius Nights'. On the evening and night of Saturday, September 5th, visitors will be invited to explore a different side of the city's cultural life and discover Vilnius' vibrant nightlife scene.
For active leisure enthusiasts, the renewed Vilnius Sports Festival will take place in Lukiškės Square and at the sports grounds near the White Bridge. Here, visitors can get acquainted with various sports, try them out, and participate in educational activities and entertainment for the whole family.
On Saturday, another festival space will emerge in Bernardine Garden. Here, the international community celebration 'Vilnius Is My City' will take place, where communities from various countries around the world, for whom Vilnius has become home, will present their culture and activities.
The organizers emphasize that 'Vilnius Days' is not just a concert festival. The idea of the celebration is to allow different people to discover their own Vilnius: some through music, others through books, sports, food, art, or simply the festive atmosphere pervading the city streets.
The festival annually attracts tens of thousands of Vilnius residents and city guests, and the first weekend of September has already become the traditional time for one of the capital's biggest celebrations.
The full program for this year's 'Vilnius Days' has not yet been revealed. The organizers promise to announce the performing artists, specific events, their times, and a more detailed plan of all festival areas in the near future.
It is already clear that from September 4-6, the celebration will encompass a large area of central Vilnius, and this year's program will include entirely new highlights. So, for those who want to experience Vilnius during one of the year's liveliest weekends, it's worth marking these three September days on their calendar now.