The Pakruojis region has been famous for several years not only for the Pakruojis Manor, blooming flowers, and synagogue, but also for one of the most unique cultural phenomena in Lithuania – the exceptional concert “Mars Canyons,” held in the operating AB “Dolomitas” quarry. For the fifth time, on the occasion of the Pakruojis festival, this quarry turns into a concert venue for one evening, and the machinery working here becomes part of the show.
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Viewers can also expect other unique experiences – for example, an impressive dolomite dust explosion, after which the ground beneath your feet shakes as it usually only does in the heart of industry.
“On August 28, the ‘Dolomitas’ quarry will open to visitors from 5 p.m., and the event will start at 8 p.m. However, guests are invited to arrive earlier: to walk around the quarry, feel the unusual environment, and see sculptures made from local raw materials,” says Mindaugas Gudas, General Director of “Dolomitas.”
According to Renata Budrienė, head of the Culture Department of Pakruojis District Municipality, this year, while preparing for the concert, the stone is coming to life again in the quarry – well-known Lithuanian and foreign sculptors are working here, and the symposium “Stone Dialogues 5. Expanding Boundaries” is taking place.
According to M. Gudas, the concert venue is far from the public eye, a fenced and protected area where gravel extraction works run around the clock. Blasting, grinding, crushing, washing – gravel from this quarry travels to various corners of Lithuania and Europe.
“For five years now, the organizers of the ‘Mars Canyons’ concert have managed to combine this industrial routine with music, light, and art, creating an unusual, almost cosmic atmosphere,” says M. Gudas.
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According to M. Gudas, even across Europe, this is a unique concert. Performances in similar places take place only in Sweden, Austria, Italy, and Germany, but there concerts are held in non-operating quarries. Therefore, the concert in the operating quarry in Pakruojis is a surprising exception, which is also free of charge.
Even across Europe, this is a unique concert.
To make the quarry a safe and impressive event venue for one evening, enormous preparation is required: the area is blasted, safe paths for visitors are built, electrical cables are laid, and many unseen tasks are performed. Special machinery that works only in the quarry is prepared for the show part and falls silent that evening. A stage is set up, and special lighting of the dolomite slopes and terrain creates the feeling that you have arrived somewhere you have never been before.
This year, on the main stage, viewers will see the famous conductor Vytautas Lukočius and his orchestra “Vilnius Sinfonietta,” opera soloists Ona Kolobovaitė and Egidijus Bavikinas. Liepa Mondeikaitė and Martynas Kavaliauskas will invite you to dance, and their performances will be complemented by live bands and dancers.
The quarry lighting is handled by one of the most famous lighting architects in Lithuania, Arvydas Buinauskas, and his AB LIGHT team. Viewers will also enjoy an impressive dolomite dust demonstration explosion organized by AB “Detonas,” and a fireworks show created by “Blikas.”
The concert is organized by the Pakruojis District Municipality and AB “Dolomitas” team.
The Pakruojis Festival 2026 “You Invite to a Date” events invite visitors to the Pakruojis region from August 24 – the festive program will invite you to dates with art, culture, sports events, traditions, and new performances.
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