Midsummer
The summer solstice, or the night from 23 to 24 June, is the time when the day is longest and the night is shortest. In fact, it hardly gets dark that night: when the glow of sunset finally fades in the west, the east begins to glow with the first rays of dawn. This is when Midsummer is celebrated – a festival of lush greenery, ripening crops and the blossoming of all the vital forces of nature. It is the great summer festival, also known as Rasos or Kupolė.
Rejoice. Love. Be at one with nature. Summer solstice!
PROGRAM
June 23-24 | Vilniaus al.
11:00 Crafts and culinary fair
23 June | Entertainment Square green zone
20:00
- Herbalist spells | Exhibition of wooden sculptures by folk artists A. Česnulis and G. Akstinas
- Ethno laboratory: We will gather nine herbs · We will mould our wishes into a wax candle · We will prick and cut a fern flower · We will talk to a bird · We will decorate Kupolė with a wreath
Participating folk ensembles: Žemynėłė and Stadalėłėłė
21:00 Nighttime Midsummer orienteering with Galva ant pečių. https://bit.ly/Naktines_orientacines
21:00 | Entertainment Square
Greeting of the name day celebrants | Experimental traditional dance music group Robaksai | Mystery of the shortest night Saulei žengiant
Participants: contemporary dance studio Opus · Morta Elžbieta Bieliukaitė (vocals) · Indraya (vocals) · Aušrinė Amšiejūtė (vocals) · Tomas Čiukauskas (saxophone)
- Procession to Lake Druskonis - Fire and pyrotechnics show ‘Liepsnų valdovai’ | Druskonis Amphitheatre
23:30–4:00 Night-time 13 km hike to Švendubrė with the Druskininkai Public Health Office. A light source is required | Start at Druskonis Amphitheatre
Organiser DKCPartners Druskininkai Health Office, ‘Galva ant pečių’ The event will be filmed, photographed and publicised.
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The project ‘Druskininkai – Lithuanian Capital of Culture 2025. Touched by Čiurlionis’ is partly funded by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania. Information partner: LRTMecenatas ‘Eglės sanatorija’ General sponsor: Druskininkai Water Park Sponsors: UAB Akvavita, UAB Drusta, Rotary Club Sūrutis, UAB Malonės turtas, UAB Dzūkas, Hotel Simpatija, UAB Stikloporas, Restaurant-Pizzeria Sicilia, Hotel Goda, UAB Transeta