At the Žirmūnai Bridge approaches, the city of Vilnius will open up to visitors of the River Festival from very different perspectives. On one bank, there will be literary activities, city exploration games, creative workshops, and nature education – from stories about the unique banks of the Neris River to practical experiences encouraging curiosity and a responsible relationship with the environment.
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The city shaped by the river and stories
“Every city primarily lives in the stories of its people,” emphasizes the team of “Vilnius, UNESCO City of Literature,” who will be hosting on the Neris riverbank next Saturday together with the Vilnius Central Library and partners.
The day full of literary experiences by the river will begin with a literary tour along the Neris called “The city created by the flow of water,” led by translator and guide Zita Baranauskaitė-Danielienė. During the walk, participants will travel along the banks of the Neris, stopping at historic manors and churches, and through texts by various creators, they will feel the river as an inseparable part of Vilnius’s identity and human existence.
In an unexpected place, Vilnius residents and city guests will be able to “ride” the book bus – a unique traveling library on wheels around Vilnius.
The book bus will host literary bag exchanges, creative blackout poetry workshops, book presentations, meetings with authors and illustrators, and the book club community will be gathered and expanded by the “Clubbers” initiative. Poetry and prose readings will take place on the evening riverbank, and the day will end with poetic performances organized by the Jonas Mekas Visual Arts Center.
Carefree city explorations through play
On the Olympians Street riverbank near the Žirmūnai Bridge, a lively “Invisible Vilnius” space will be set up, where city stories will turn into interactive games and creative activities for the whole family.
Festival visitors of all ages will be able to float wooden boats, assemble symbols of Vilnius, cycle to the most famous city landmarks, color a huge city map, and more. Throughout the day, the city hero “Invisible One” will await the little ones, inviting them to play together, take photos, decorate themselves with temporary tattoos, and embark on a city exploration adventure together.
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“Our space will be full of curiosity, creative discoveries, and adventures. We especially look forward to young explorers who will not only play but also meet their favorite hero, the Invisible One,” says Sonata Griškienė, head of “Invisible Vilnius.”
The green city will come alive by the river
During the River Festival, in the “Vilnius – European Green Capital 2025” space, everyone will be able to better understand nature and discover simple ways to live more sustainably.
Scouts will teach knot tying and introduce responsible leisure in nature, nature educator Anželika Oleksina along with ecologists will invite participants to explore forest objects with digital microscopes, and specialists from the State Forest Enterprise will reveal the secrets of Lithuanian forests to festival participants.
In creative workshops, sustainability ideas will turn into practical works. Visitors will create from recycled materials, make and decorate kites and fans with nature motifs, and “Augalyn” will invite tasting of plant-based products and discovering more sustainable everyday food choices.
Four banks – four experiences
The approaches to the Žirmūnai Bridge are just one of the four spaces of the River Festival, held for the first time.
The organizers promise that each will reveal a different face of the Neris to city residents and capital guests – from active entertainment near the White Bridge, wellness and cultural experiences near the bridge to Vingis Park in Žvėrynas, to concerts of different music styles and free dance lessons on the riverbank near the King Mindaugas Bridge.
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The full River Festival program can be found on the website.
