Just over a week before the lighting of the Vilnius Christmas tree, the official programme of festive events to be held in the city has been unveiled. The traditional winter festival Christmas in the Capital 2024 will start on the 29th of November and continue until the Three Kings’ Day.
“As we look forward to Christmas, we invite Vilnius residents and visitors to enjoy this magical time by drawing on family, community and city traditions, and at the same time create new and delightful experiences by choosing from the many ideas offered by the festival. Decorating the Christmas tree is one of the most special moments, and to remind us of the importance of this tradition, this year we have chosen the motif of a bauble as a symbol for the Vilnius Christmas tree and for the decoration of various spaces in the city,” says Simona Bieliūnė, Deputy Mayor of Vilnius.
The beginning of the most beautiful holidays of the year in Vilnius will be heralded by the festive lighting of the Christmas tree in the Cathedral square on the evening of Friday, the 29th of November. The decorated tree in the Cathedral Square can be viewed until the 6th of January (inclusive).
The holiday tree lighting concert and the moment when the lights on the live tree will shine will be broadcast live on LRT TV. The celebration and the broadcast start at 7:00 p.m.
This year, “Lumidėja” is taking care of the appearance of the Vilnius Christmas tree, with a public procurement contract value of almost EUR 119,000 (including VAT).
Festive lighting throughout the city
Vilnius, which demonstrates its creative approach to creating festive spaces in the city every year, is ready to light up various streets, garden squares, and buildings. Bridges and traffic circles are also being decorated to help spread the Christmas spirit throughout the city.
This year, the Bernardine Garden and the Japanese Garden, the Pamėnkalnio, Reformatų, Amatų, Žemaitės, S. Moniuškos, K. Sirvydo garden squares, the Lukiškės Square as well as the approaches to the Cathedral Square will be decorated with various holiday ornaments and lights.
The traffic circles of A. Goštauto Street, T. Narbuto Street and Konstitucijos Avenue, Olandų Street, T. Kosciuškos Street and Antakalnio Street, Tuskulėnų Street, Šeimyniškių Street and Žirmūnų Street have also been decorated with holiday ornaments. Various bridges, such as the Žvėrynas Bridge, the Iron Wolf Bridge, the Green Bridge, the Mindaugas Bridge, the Žirmūnai Bridge, the Šilas Bridge and the O. Milašius Bridge, as well as viaducts — Kaklaraiščių over the Western Bypass and Kabančių sodų over Geležinio Vilko Street — will also be decorated throughout the Christmas period.
“Švenčių studija”, which won a public tender, continues to decorate the capital’s main streets. The contract signed last year provides for EUR 205,000 (including VAT) for the decoration of Vilnius streets over three years.
Traditional events and new highlights
Every year, not only Vilnius residents, but also visitors come to enjoy the festive mood and entertainment in the capital. During the Christmas period, Vilnius is worth a visit not only for the Christmas tree that charms Europe and the world every year, but also for the events taking place in the city.
“We hope that all visitors who come to Vilnius to look forward to the upcoming winter holidays will feel welcome and uplifted by the Christmas spirit. In preparing the programme of events, our aim is not only to turn the capital into a centre of festive mood, but also to involve the public in this creative process, and to show that Christmas is more than just a celebration — it is about upholding traditions, fostering community, and strengthening the values that have been passed down from one generation to the next,” says Paulius Jurgutis, Director of the Vilnius Culture Centre, which organises the Christmas in the Capital festival.
This year’s Christmas in the Capital 2024 festival programme is packed with both traditional and new highlights. There will be a Christmas town and skating rink, a design garden square, a Christmas train ride and a run, as well as charity and kindness campaigns, community initiatives, a spectacular New Year’s Eve party at the Bell Tower, and the Procession of the Three Kings to conclude the festive season.
One of the most welcome innovations for Vilnius residents and visitors is the interactive Christmas map, which will include festive fairs, unique decorations, art installations, gastronomic experiences and more. The map, which features more than 60 different locations, will be launched next week and be available in Lithuanian, English, German and Polish.
For more information about the events of the Christmas in the Capital 2024 festival, check the programme.
