Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, carries its summer entertainment over to the fall. Vilnius Capital Days Festival, Loftas Fest, and Culture Night will invite residents and visitors to live concerts, international artistic performances, and breathtaking audiovisual installations.
This summer Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, has demonstrated ingenuity by turning a century-old prison into a full-on cultural hub “Lukiškės Prison 2.0,” and offering its residents and visitors an exclusive cultural experience. Now, as summer comes to an end, the capital suggests new opportunities to meet up and immerse into artistic activities in three of the most awaited events in September: Vilnius Capital Days Festival, Loftas Fest, and Culture Night.
In terms of travelling restrictions, Lithuania has been added to the UK’s green list. Therefore, Vilnius with its vibrant cultural scene and autumnal colors might be a perfect getaway this fall.
Vilnius Capital Days Festival—celebration of music, fashion, and art
One of the most awaited events, the annual Vilnius Capital Days Festival will shake up the city streets on September 3rd-5th. Organised from 1993, the Festival sets the tone for the following fall events. The event will be opened by internationally-recognized Beissoul & Einius, an electro-pop duo known for energetic sounds, unique voice, lights, and fashion, who will perform at the grand concert in the Cathedral Square.
The main city street, Gediminas Avenue, will be turned into a music, style, and art hub with artisan stalls, creative workshops, and Lithuanian fashion displays. Foodies will be able to try out gourmet creations from food trucks situated along the quay of Neris River. Visitors will also be entertained by a stunning 3D audiovisual project—the water of Neris River will be raised to up to 18 metres, becoming a screen for visual art installations.
Loftas Fest—one-of-a-kind urban music and art festival
Residents and visitors of the city, hungry for more entertainment, will be welcome to join the only urban music and arts festival in the Baltic States—the tenth Loftas Fest held in the New Town on September 9th-12th. First organised in 2012, the Loftas Fest has become an annual event for new music, artistic performances, open-air nighttime cinema, and street food.
Lithuanian and foreign musicians will entertain rock, indie rock, alternative rock, and punk rock fans at six different stages set up in a former tape recorder and gramophone plant “Elfa.” One of the highlights of the event, an international project “People Power Partnership,” involves 14 partners, 14 performances, and 11 participating European countries, and will have its first and only performance in Vilnius during the opening night of the Fest.
A night dedicated for creative explorations—Culture Night
While the September nights still retain the summer warmth, Vilnius morphs into a cultural venue to accommodate artists for the Culture Night. This year, September 24th night will be dedicated to over 150 installations covering music, dance, theatre, cinema, photography, modern art, and more. As an annual event since 2007, the Culture Night is an extension of similar events in other European capitals, such as Copenhagen or Ireland, and attracts approximately 150K of spectators each year.
After the summertime cultural rush, the Lithuanian capital will be welcoming autumn with more fun diversions as well as the tourism marketing campaign “Sensational Vilnius.” The campaign aims to inspire the neighboring countries to rediscover the most sensational attractions of the city, such as the tiny bohemian district Užupis, fine dining 180 metres above the ground in TV Tower terrace, and many open-air cafes and restaurants all over the city.
