Crowd-Favorite Light Festival Comes Back with Illuminated Route Across Vilnius

One of the most-awaited events of the year, the Light Festival, finally comes back after a year-long pandemic-induced break to light up Vilnius, Lithuania, on August 13-15th. Artists from Lithuania and other countries will present almost 20 light art pieces and other light art solutions throughout the city: rainbow aluminium cubes, a technologically-challenging illuminated wall, and a variety of other complex light art designs.

July 28, 2021. After the year-long break due to the global pandemic, a crowd-favorite Light Festival will once again illuminate the streets of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, on August 13-15th. Last year, almost 200K visitors attended the festival, making it one of the most highly-anticipated events of this summer. 

This time Lithuanian and well-known European light artists from five other countries—the UK, the Netherlands, Romania, Germany, and France—will be presenting their year-long work, covering almost 20 extraordinary light installations and other creative illumination solutions in city streets, squares, on cultural and historical objects, and even the greenery. 

For example, Hypar Collective from the Netherlands will be demonstrating their light installation “Hypar”—illuminated aluminium cubes, representing the synergy between technologies and nature, at the same time flashing in rainbow colors to indicate the respect for everyone’ rights and choices. One of the most well-known Lithuanian light art creators, Vėjas Aliukas, whose endless art piece “Knot” was among the most popular installations last year, this summer will charm the visitors with a complex installation “Connection,” portraying the ability to connect, renew, and adapt to any circumstances. 

All the installations will be easily located through a mobile app, designed specifically to allow visitors to experience the fusion between nature and the urban landmarks, touring the old and the new parts of the city, squares, and green spaces. For instance, the newly-renovated Reformers’ Garden—a 400-year-old symbol of Lithuanian reformation movement and a link between the Old and the New Town—will display an installation “Jacob’s Wall,” designed by an English artist Parker Heyl. The art piece has been created with analogue electronics and unpredictable mechanical systems.

The Festival originated in 2019 as a way to celebrate Vilnius’ birthday on January 25th, when Gediminas, the Grand Duke of Lithuania, mentioned the city in one of his letters, pinning Vilnius to the European map in 1323. Although primarily this was a wintertime event, the pandemic has forced the organisers to postpone it till summer. The new date, August 15th, also marks the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary—Lithuanian celebration combining both pagan and Christian traditions, and a symbolic enlightening of the two religions. Since the event has been pushed to August, it is set to be brighter and more colorful this time of the year, focusing on the summer color palette. 

Last year the event attracted national attention with unexpected illuminated art—giant light-emitting face masks, a light-filled maze, rainbow lights in the narrow streets, and light beams shooting over the Gediminas Tower, the 15th century castle and the symbol of Vilnius. 

Visitors of the Light Festival will be asked to adhere to safety recommendations, maintain proper distances, and wear face masks.