Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, celebrated its 701st birthday on July 25th with the traditional As Young as Vilnius festival.
„The festival, organized for the third year in a row, attracted thousands of residents of the capital and guests of the city to Vingis Park this year. Such events are extremely important for our city – they not only create the spirit of the city and a celebration for its residents but also help attract the attention of foreign visitors, encouraging them to visit Vilnius”, said Vilnius City Mayor Valdas Benkunskas.
The festival offered a diverse program featuring unique duets of contemporary Lithuanian pop, rock, and electronic musicians with the National Lithuanian Opera and Ballet Theatre’s symphonic orchestra, rhythm group, and the “Vilnius JJ Ensemble” wind band. This year’s Lithuanian Eurovision representative, Silvester Belt, presented a surprising new performance.
Other duets included Jazzu and Giedrė, Garbanotas and Monika Pundziūtė-Monique, Nombeko Augustė and Vaidotas Valiukevičius of The Roop, Džiugas Širvys of jautì and Inga Jankauskaitė, Aistė Smilgevičiūtė and Giedrius Širka of Golden Parazyth, Jurga Šeduikytė and Gamka, and Maksas Melmanas of Biplan with Rokas Yan.
The main stage featured classical performances by the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre Symphony Orchestra with internationally acclaimed soloists, including Gabrielė Kupšytė, a performer at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Lina Dambrauskaitė, a recent graduate of the International Opera Studio in Opernhaus Zurich, and Merūnas Vitulskis, known for performances in „Madame Butterfly” at France’s Opera Lille and in „La Traviata” at Bilbao’s Royal Opera.
All festivities, including the concert by British pop sensation Rita Ora, were free. Rita Ora’s concert was one of her few performances after she came back from her three-year hiatus. Known for her energetic solo shows and collaborations with top-tier artists, Rita Ora engaged the audience with hits from her chart-topping albums.
The As Young As Vilnius Festival is the second birthday celebration this year, as the city previously marked its 701st birthday with the Vilnius Light Festival in January.
„Vilnius stands out by celebrating its birthday twice a year, capturing the city’s youthful energy and diverse community spirit. This festival brings together people from various backgrounds to experience a lively and enjoyable atmosphere. Seeing families, couples, and people of all ages dancing together and friends sharing laughter under the summer sky, I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of pride for our city. Such moments resonate long after the music fades,” said Dovilė Aleksandravičienė, CEO of Go Vilnius.
A new festival addition was introduced as well – the Youth Stage – aimed at showcasing the independent Lithuanian music scene and emerging talents. Acts like duos Baltos varnos, Kyla vėjas!, Superkoloritas, and performers Lukas Pilkauskas, Pijus Opera, Kabloonak, DJ Nevykele, and bands like Katarsis and Shower brought new sounds to the stage. This platform provided a stage for young artists and highlighted Lithuania’s growing independent music scene.
The festival organizers offered a range of non-musical activities as well. A 7 km As Young As Vilniushike from Vingis Park to the TV tower in Žvėrynas provided attendees with exercise opportunities and a chance to share sustainable ideas. Additionally, while waiting for musical performances, festival-goers could discover new books in a mobile library, promoting community engagement and environmental awareness.
Launched in 2022 in anticipation of Vilnius’ 700th anniversary, the festival initially attracted 45,000 attendees from Lithuania and neighboring countries. Last year, attendance surged to a record-breaking 73,000.
