Student Song Festival opens in Vilnius

The competition aims to promote the history and traditions of Lithuanian song festivals, educate the civil spirit and cultural self-awareness, foster artistic capacities of students from secondary schools, informal education and other education institutions. Some 726 painting, graphic, drawing, sculpture, ceramic, textile, photography and other works have been received.

The events will last until Sunday.

Thursday features a parade of wind orchestras from the Town Hall Square and along Gedimino Avenue to the Mindaugas Monument.

On the Statehood Day on Friday, Vilnius will enjoy one of the key events of the Student Song Festival – the Day of Songs in the Vingio Park.

Folk groups will hold performances in different locations in the Lithuanian capital, along with a parade of municipal flags, parades of wind instruments from the Cathedral Square to the White Bridge.

On Saturday evening, a festival of folk, classical and modern dance will take place at Siemens Arena, with an Ensemble Evening scheduled to take place at the Kalnų Park on Sunday.

The Education and Science Ministry the festival would bring together more than 800 groups: 225 choirs, 225 dance groups, 198 groups of the ensemble night, 55 wind orchestras and 29 choreographic groups from Lithuania, Latvia and Poland. The event will be attended by thousands of guests including delegations from Latvia and Estonia.

Student song festivals have been held separately from the Lithuanian Song Festival since 1964.