Kaunas announces a summer program for recreation on weekends and awaits Latvians in the villages

The hot season in Kaunas officially opens in May – the month chosen to celebrate the city’s birthday. The beautiful city, which was born out of love between the Nemunas and Neris rivers, which is already a museum history, whose modernist architecture is protected by UNESCO, where there is no shortage of lush greenery, bicycles, fountains, festivals, art and culture – turns 616 this year!

It is no coincidence that the European Neighbors Day is also celebrated in May. It’s the perfect time to put work aside for a while and visit those who live nearby. So, if not on May 31, then on any other day throughout the summer, Kaunas eagerly awaits guests from neighboring countries and announces a summer program that is perfect for weekend relaxation.

You can come to Kaunas as you like. It takes about three hours by car or bus, and about four hours by train.

Birthday program

The courtyard festival is one of the most beautiful modern traditions of Kaunas, which was held for the first time almost ten years ago. It celebrates the European Neighbors Day, where for one evening the city’s central pedestrian boulevard – Laisvės (Freedom) alley – becomes one big and long dining hall. Everyone brings their own tables, prepares food and enjoys the company, as well as the cultural events taking place right there at the tables throughout the evening. It never rains! This year’s Pagalma Festival will be celebrated on May 24, ringing in the celebration of the city’s 616th birthday.

The birthday celebration will take place on the weekend of May 24-26. The surroundings of Kaunas Castle, built in the 14th century, will be transformed into a historical Hanseatic city with markets and workshops. Visitors will be greeted by medieval music and will even be able to learn the dances of that time. Various activities and educational opportunities will be offered to the little visitors in colorful tents. As darkness falls, the world-famous British DJ Sigala will announce the start of the summer season with an impressive laser show and various Lithuanian musicians.

On May 25, there will also be events dedicated to the two largest rivers. Nemuna and Neri will be full of homemade boats and kayaks, but along their banks there will be a row of cultural stations that will be open to everyone. On the other hand, on Sunday, May 26, in the city center, on the very photogenic V.Putvinskio street, the neighborliness will be celebrated with a party right there on the street.

More fun and parties this summer

The Pažaisle classical music festival will start on May 31, which will visit the most wonderful places throughout the summer. As part of the 29th festival, significant concerts will be held in the impressive baroque monastery on the shore of the Kaunas lagoon.

Fans of electronic music from all over Europe will flood Kaunas on June 5-9, visiting the Audra festival, where the best DJs will perform. In fact, the May 8th festival day party will take place in Ozolu Audze – a forest park almost in the very center of Kaunas!

A unique event of the summer of 2024 is the Song Festival, which is a tradition protected by UNESCO. This year, the song festival will be 100 years old. The main concerts will be held in Vilnius, but the opening ceremony will be held in Kaunas, where this national tradition began in 1924.

Fans of arena and stadium concerts have long included Kaunas in their holiday itineraries. Artists like Dua Lipa and Robbie Williams know that the Žalgiris Arena is unrivaled in the region. On June 9, Sting will be able to see for himself!

On the other hand, Ed Sheeran will perform at the recently renovated centenary Darius and Girena Stadium at the end of the summer. There are still some tickets left for the additional concert of the “+-=÷× 2024” tour on August 4.

Contemporary performing arts in Kaunas are an essential part of a good summer. On May 30, the international contemporary circus festival Cirkuliacija will start, which surprises every year with finely crafted performances by young and promising artists from all over the world. The international performing arts festival ConTempo will bring the most exciting artists and their premieres to Kaunas and the Kaunas region from August 5 to 11.

Summer will also continue in autumn – at least according to the calendar of events. The city will open a unique museum for promoting the science of excellent architecture, or Science Island, and will start preparing for the Fluxus festival. The highlight of this event will be the climb of Mount Parodos, which will be closed to traffic but open to dress-up enthusiasts.

A little later – already in autumn, in October – Kaunas will host the International Photography and Media Arts Festival, CityTelling Festival and Kaunas Blues Blues Music Festival.

If you’ve marked a weekend in Kaunas in your calendar, don’t forget to plan an exploration of the Kaunas Fortress, a visit to the Kaunas Zoo, a visit to the Atomic Bunker, Art Deco and Amsterdam School museums, and much more. More information on the website visit.kaunas.lt.

The information was prepared by Raimonda Patapavičienė.