The summer season in Vilnius opened with a bang: during the second Vilnius šaltibarščių festival, participants traditionally went down the ice rink from the Bastėja mountain, took part in the pursuit of šaltibarščių records, dressed up in the most original costumes and welcomed summer by becoming part of the pink festival.
A whole bouquet of entertainment: from unique records to a skating rink
The highlight of the festival was the 362-meter-long table set up in the Tymos market, where 1 participants gathered to enjoy the cold soup together and set the records for the longest cold soup table and the largest number of people eating pink cold soup at the same time.
Dovilė Aleksandravičienė, head of Go Vilnius, is happy that a huge group of 200 partners helped to create both the record-breaking achievement and the day-long festival program. Many famous places in Vilnius - Stiklių street, city bridges and the TV tower - were decorated in pink, bright pink chairs of the festival partners decorated the city landscape, and the record-breaking cold soup table was covered by a Lithuanian retail chain.Maxima".
"Vilnius cold soup festival is the unofficial start of the summer season, where the best spirit of our city is revealed: from inventive dishes inspired by pink cold soup to cheerful entertainment and unexpected works of art. We are glad that a large community of cooks, artists, businessmen, musicians and other active and creative townspeople who love the cold weather and Vilnius came together during the organization of the festival, thanks to which a wonderful celebration covering the whole city was born", says D. Aleksandravičienė.
The participants of the festival descended from the Bastėja mountain into the artificial ice skunk bowl, the children enjoyed the ice skunk slide specially adapted for them, and the teenagers spent time in the special space of the Kūdrai Park. The performance "Roots" by the artist Monika Dirsytė, which began in this park, invited us to join the community of traditions passed down from generation to generation.
The celebration did not pass without Lithuanian pink cold soup and other dishes, drinks and desserts inspired by them: two dozen food vans were buzzing in Tymos Market. Guests got into the festival spirit by dressing up in frosty-inspired clothing and accessories.
Attracted the attention of foreigners
Vilnius šaltibarščių festival impressed not only participants from the capital or other Lithuanian cities, but also attracted foreign media, gastronomy enthusiasts and curious travelers from various countries.
"Many foreign guests shared their joy after tasting šaltiborščių for the first time, often describing the experience as a wonderful discovery of flavors. The festival not only presented Lithuanian culinary heritage, but also provided an opportunity for cultural exchange. Foreign guests interacted with local residents, learned about the history of pink cold soup and its preparation. This made it possible to get to know Vilnius as a vibrant place on the world gastronomic map", says D. Aleksandravičienė.
We invite you to admire the moments of the event in the photo gallery.
