Good to know
Good to Know
- Most major festivals offer free admission, though some ticketed performances within larger events require advance booking via kakava.lt or tiketa.lt
- Kaziukas Fair and Capital Days are the two busiest periods drawing tens of thousands of locals and international visitors; book accommodations well in advance
- Many vendors at open-air events prefer cash over cards; plan accordingly, especially at Kaziukas Fair
- Summer months (June-September) feature nearly daily free concerts in Bernardine Garden (5-7 PM) and ongoing outdoor festivals throughout the city
- Photography is generally permitted at outdoor festivals and public events, but discretion is advised inside active religious venues during services
- The city's event calendar emphasizes year-round cultural programming across all seasons; use govilnius.lt for up-to-date English event listings
- December's Christmas markets and New Year celebration beneath Gediminas Tower are iconic but very crowded; arrive early for prime viewing spots
Events
Vilnius Light Festival
- Dates
- 23-25, 2026
- Month
- January
- Admission
- Free
- Location Type
- City-wide, Old Town center
- Description
- Winter festival transforming the city with glowing light installations and artistic displays throughout the city center.
Kaziukas Fair (St. Casimir Fair)
- Dates
- 6-8, 2026
- Month
- March
- Admission
- Free
- Location Type
- Old Town (Gediminas Avenue, Cathedral Square, multiple streets)
- Description
- Over 400-year-old craft fair with more than 1,200 artisans, traditional folk music, food producers, and cultural performances stretching across five kilometres of historic streets.
Cinema Spring (Kino Pavasaris)
- Dates
- Late March to early April, 2026
- Month
- March-April
- Admission
- Ticketed (student/under-26 discounts available)
- Location Type
- Multiple cinemas, Old Town area
- Description
- Baltic region's largest film festival featuring over 200 films, art-house features, retrospectives, documentaries, and Lithuanian premieres with director Q&As.
Culture Night (Kultūros Naktis)
- Dates
- 12, 2026
- Month
- June
- Admission
- Free
- Location Type
- City-wide (Cathedral Square, Neris River banks, multiple venues)
- Description
- City-wide 24-hour cultural celebration with 100+ free events including contemporary dance, poetry, art installations, concerts, and performances in courtyards, gardens, and public spaces.
Pink Soup Fest
- Dates
- May 30, 2026
- Month
- May-June
- Admission
- Free
- Location Type
- Public park venue
- Description
- Celebration of šaltibarščiai (Lithuanian cold beetroot soup) with food vendors, cultural activities, and creative presentations transforming public parks into pink-themed wonderland.
Street Music Day
- Dates
- 16, 2026
- Month
- May
- Admission
- Free
- Location Type
- City-wide, streets and public spaces
- Description
- City-wide musical celebration where professional and amateur musicians perform in streets throughout Vilnius.
Užgavėnės (Shrove Tuesday)
- Dates
- Varies annually (before Lent)
- Month
- February-March
- Admission
- Free
- Location Type
- Old Town and city streets
- Description
- Ancient festival celebrating the end of winter with traditional folk costumes, masks, ritual burning of winter effigy named Morė, and pancake eating.
Vilnius Gastronomy Week (Lithuanian Gastronomy Week)
- Dates
- 2026 (dates vary)
- Month
- November
- Admission
- Ticketed (restaurant-dependent)
- Location Type
- Multiple restaurants city-wide
- Description
- Top restaurants across the city offer special tasting menus at exceptional prices, showcasing modern Lithuanian cuisine.
Capital Days (Sostinės Dienos)
- Dates
- First weekend, 2026
- Month
- September
- Admission
- Free
- Location Type
- Gediminas Avenue, Cathedral Square, city-wide
- Description
- Vilnius's largest city festival featuring multiple stages with Lithuanian and international musicians, food trucks, design pop-ups, book stalls, and 3D projection shows on Cathedral facade.
Christmas in the Capital
- Dates
- Late November to early January, 2026
- Month
- November-December
- Admission
- Free (market entry); food/goods purchased separately
- Location Type
- Cathedral Square, Town Hall Square, Old Town
- Description
- Festival season featuring stunning Christmas markets at Cathedral Square and Town Hall Square, festive Christmas tree, magical Christmas train, Old Town draped in lights.
Kristupas Festival
- Dates
- Two months, 2026
- Month
- June-July
- Admission
- Ticketed (varies by performance)
- Location Type
- Concert halls, Neris River, city parks
- Description
- Summer festival featuring over 40 classical, jazz, and experimental music events in concert halls, on boats by the Neris River, and across city parks.
Vilnius Jazz Festival
- Dates
- 2026 (dates vary)
- Month
- October
- Admission
- Ticketed
- Location Type
- Multiple venues, city-wide
- Description
- Festival known for contemporary and avant-garde jazz performances by musicians from Lithuania and around the world.
New Baltic Dance
- Dates
- 23-25, 2026
- Month
- April
- Admission
- Ticketed
- Location Type
- Multiple venues, city-wide
- Description
- Festival bringing together dance creators and audiences from across the Baltic region with contemporary dance performances.
International Folklore Festival (Skamba Skamba Kankliai)
- Dates
- 2026 (dates vary)
- Month
- May
- Admission
- Ticketed or free events (varies)
- Location Type
- Multiple venues, city-wide
- Description
- Authentic folk music festival running since 1973, one of Europe's few genuine folk festivals featuring musicians from Lithuania and internationally.
Vilnius Book Fair
- Dates
- 26 February - 1 March, 2026
- Month
- February-March
- Admission
- Ticketed
- Location Type
- Central venue, Old Town area
- Description
- Largest literary event in the Baltics attracting around 50,000 visitors annually to discover new authors, latest titles, and engage in discussions.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this signature annual events research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Vilnius
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.