On the weekend before St. John's Day, Vilnius residents and guests of the city will be invited to the Žolynų turgus - a fair of plants, natural products and healthy products, where, in addition to trade, a rich cultural program will take place: concerts, lectures, games and other entertainment for children and adults.
Taking place for the 14th time event - since 2007, the Vilnius Ethnic Culture Center has revived the XNUMXth century. Ave. the old tradition of Vilnius. In midsummer, the Midsummer fair used to sell medicinal herbs, flowers and other products provided by nature, which at that time - as the shortest night of the year approaches - reveal their best qualities.
St. John's Day, like other calendar holidays, has been surrounded by various beliefs and superstitions since ancient times. There are especially many beliefs related to plants - it is said that they acquire special powers at this time. For example, the following superstition was common in Alsėdžiai: "On Midsummer night, two women need to sweep the dew from someone else's meadow with a rope. You need to shake that rope on your meadow - then the grass will grow a lot." Such miracles were also believed in: "On St. John's Day, at twelve o'clock, pick cornflowers and put them in a matchbox. You will find money in it the next morning. You'll spend that money, and the next morning you'll find it back in the box."
Although few people follow such beliefs these days, herbalists assure us that not all of them are far-fetched, because it is the herbs collected before Midsummer that have accumulated the most properties beneficial to health.
It is true that not only time is important for collecting medicinal herbs, but also weather. Giedrė Radzevičiūtė, who sells tea herbs at the herbal market, collects medicinal chamomiles only after several consecutive sunny days, during which they have time to produce essential oils. Such tea, according to the herbalist, will be effective and fragrant.
It will be possible to learn more about herbs and other plants during conversations with merchants, as well as in discussions with the guests of the Herb Market. One of them is an archaeologist, cultural historian, Vilnius University Dean of the Faculty of Communication, Professor of the Department of Digital Cultures and Communication dr. Rimvydas Laužikas, who will talk about wild plants and their place in the historical cuisine of Lithuania. According to him, the place of plants used for both food and medicine since ancient times in gastronomic culture differed in different periods: at one time they were avoided on the table, at other times they were fashionable, and today the fashion is back again - we are more and more interested in the natural benefits provided by nature.
After listening to interesting facts about the history of gastronomy and talking to herbalists, visitors to the Žolynai Market will be invited to test their knowledge in a quiz and win prizes from the Vilnius Ethnic Culture Center. Other entertainment will also await the participants - a Table Theater performance will be shown here and there will be a Game Corner where both children and adults can have fun.
Performances of musical groups will also help to create a festive mood at the Žolynų market Adam Mickevičius public library yard open air concert space. During the day, there will be a concert by the creative folklore group "Rana", which will perform their own interpretation of songs reflecting the St. John's period, and in the evening, the audience will be entertained by "Baltas varnos", which do not fit into the framework of the genre of singing poetry, and the "Rakija Klezmer Orkestar", a collective playing the music of Jewish and Balkan nations, will entertain the audience.
The event is free, but entry will be possible with an opportunity passport.
Location: The courtyard of Adam Mickevičius public library
HERB MARKET PROGRAM
- 11.00–21.00 Trade of medicinal herbs, healthy products and folk art
- 12.00 Folklore group "Rana" concert
- 13.00 About drying plants (Rasa Buslavičienė, "Žolyný namai")
- 14.00 "Tales of things from the pot" (Table Theater)
- 15.00 "Wild plants in the historical cuisine of Lithuania" (Rimvydas Laužikas)
- 16.00 Conversations with merchants
- 17.30 Concert of the group "Baltas varnas".
- 18.30 Quiz
- 20.00 Concert of the group "Rakija Klezmer Orkestar".
The Game Corner will be open during the entire event - there will be entertainment for both young and old: block towers, corn football, blossoms and other fun.
Photo: Gabrielius Jauniškis 
