“This festival of Vilnius city is more than just a fiesta of culture, art and crafts. Sostinės dienos is primarily a celebration of Vilnius identity. The Capital (sostinė in Lithuanian) is, after all, the seat of the Lord’s Throne (sostas in Lithuania). And the inhabitants of the Capital are exceptional by their lordly bearing. So, we have something to celebrate: our royal Vilnius identity! Let’s experience it together in a festive affinity. Let’s share this truth with each other, let’s experience the affinity of Vilnius and let’s enjoy our dignified royal city”, the Mayor of Vilnius Remigijus Šimašius says.
This year Sostinės dienos is extraordinary – it is not only the 25th, but it also coincides with the 100th anniversary of the restoration of Lithuania, therefore the program of the festival has been supplemented with exceptional projects created for this date. One of them is the concert of orchestras of the three Baltic States “The Sounds of the Centenary” on 2 September, at 19:30, inviting everyone to the Cathedral Square to listen to the joint performance of Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn orchestras. On 1-2 September, the event “The Chess of the Centenary” will take place in Lukiškės Square with even 100 chessboards and our chess grandmaster Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen will host a simultaneous game for one hundred chess players willing to take part. Another surprise is 3D audiovisual projection “We are strong, Lithuania!” in the grand courtyard of the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, where on 1 September from 23:00 to 00:30 every half an hour impressive video projections telling the history of Lithuania will be shown.
As every year, the main axis of Sostinės dienos is the “humming” Gedimino Avenue. Walking along the avenue from the Cathedral Square to Lukiškės Square, you will discover the Arts and Music Street, the Design Square, the Books Alley, the Road of Delicious Treats. The Greetings Mail will operate in the stand of Vilnius on the Tourism Street located in Gedimino Avenue. Participants of the event will have an opportunity to write and send postcards with wonderful pictures of Vilnius to their friends and relatives and invite them to come to visit the capital. Residents of Vilnius and city guests will be able to listen to such performers as Baltasis kiras, Mesijus: Vilniaus energija, Junior A, Jurga Šeduikytė, Keymono, Migloko, The Roop, Kabloonak, Deeper Upper, Arbata, Jaka Teka and many others performing on the stages by V. Kudirkos Square and the National Drama Theatre.
On the occasion of the Pope’s arrival to Lithuania, on 1 September, Saturday, at 16:00, there will be a concert “Pope Francis awaiting: Rejoice in Hope” on the stage at V. Kudirkos Square. The event will be hosted by priest Ričardas Doveika, during which the most famous Lithuanian performers will sing their songs – Jazzu, Donatas Montvydas, Merūnas, Samas and Bix.
And, of course, the Grand Stage at the Cathedral Square, attracting most visitors during Sostinės dienos, will not leave you indifferent – on Friday, 31 August, the famous British group Everything Everything and Lithuanian alternative rock leaders ba. will perform here, and on Saturday, 1 September, the vivacious and theatrical Antikvariniai Kašpirovskio dantys and one of the most prominent hip hop groups of today Lilas ir Innomine will give their concert.
Last year, the new installed space on the Neris embankment during Sostinės dienos exceeded the expectations of the participants of the festival, therefore this year the embankment section between the Green Bridge and the King Mindaugas’ Bridge will host even more food wagons than last year, while prominent performers will perform on the stage Atspindžiai erected on the Neris embankment, their music reflecting the sounds of various world cultures in a contemporary way. Mood Sellers, Whalesounds, Vėjopatis, Saulius Petreikis, Baltic Balkan, Žalvarinis, Girių dvasios, Ministry of Echology and others will perform on this stage.
One of the most impressive accents of Sostinės dienos is the 3D visual project “Dancing in the Neris”. The water of the Neris river raised to a great height will become the screen of the project. The viewers will see the artistic expression of the synergy of video projections, lights and lasers in the largest water screen in Lithuania, with dance characters in the centre. With the help of special filming equipment, special make-up and different dance styles, the creative group managed to reveal new subtleties of the water projection and tell a new story of the Neris. On Friday and Saturday nights from 23:00 these 12-14 minute sessions will be shown 4-5 times per evening so that as many residents of Vilnius and city guests as possible could enjoy a spectacular sound and music performance.
People will be able to enjoy other exceptional events of the festival – there will be a project “Dialogue in the dark” in the yard of the monastery of St. Peter and Paul’s Church, an educational event Vienybės tiltas on the grass by the White Bridge, Vox Oblivionis ensemble will perform at St. Virgin Mary Pacifier’s church, the traditional festival of people with disabilities “For you, Vilnius” will take place in the Cathedral Square. The renovated Lukiškės Square, already amply visited by Vilnius citizens, will become the Games and Amusement Park during Sostinės dienos – families with children will have lots of entertainment and games here.
Sostinės dienos 2018 will take place from 31 August to 2 September. All festival events are for free. For more information, please see www.sostinesdienos.lt
