At the International Mushroom Festival on September 12, mushroom pickers and their families will be welcomed by the magical, mystery-filled world of the “Forest Tale,” according to a press release.
The festival, which annually attracts tens of thousands of people from Lithuania and abroad, has long surpassed the boundaries of entertainment. Today it is a true and very vibrant phenomenon of Dzūkija’s cultural identity.
The excitement of mushroom pickers will be ignited early in the morning by one of the most beautiful corners of Dzūkija – the village of Žiūrai, located by the Ūla River and surrounded by pine forests. This is where the Lithuanian mushroom picking championship will start. This year it is being held for the twenty-third time. The village, surrounded by pine forests and almost completely hidden by woods, is famous for its unique landscape, Dzūkija spirit, and ancient traditions.
Participant registration in Žiūrai will begin at 6:30 AM. After traditional breakfast, participant registration and traditional breakfast with “Meškaragis” will take place. Mushroom picking teams will head to the forests at eight in the morning. The teams’ goal is not only to collect the largest catch but also to win the main championship trophy – the “Mushroom Picker” prize established by the mayor of Varėna district municipality, Algis Kašėta.
However, in this championship, not only the kilograms of mushrooms collected and full baskets matter, but also respect for nature, creativity, responsible behavior in the forest, and Dzūkija community spirit.
Teams can register for the 23rd Lithuanian Mushroom Picking Championship until September 9. The participant registration form can be found on the Varėna Cultural Center website.
One of the event organizers, Jurgita Keršienė, director of the Varėna Cultural Center, says that the forest has always been more than just a source of livelihood for a Dzūkija resident. It is home, preserving legends about fairies, mythical creatures, and unexplained events to this day. “This year, that mysterious forest spirit will move to the town of Varėna,” says J. Keršienė.
The festive bustle will spread from 10 AM along the main streets of Varėna and stretch all the way to the Legends and Tales Park. Vytautas, J. Basanavičius, and M. K. Čiurlionis streets will host the Grand Mushroom Festival fair. There, visitors will find crafts, plants, traditional local products, and Dzūkija delicacies.
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From 10 AM to 2 PM, Vasario 16-osios Street will become the “Alley of Knowledge and Entertainment.” Educational workshops, interactive games, a children’s entertainment area will be available, and visitors will have the chance to get closer to the forest world, mushrooms, and plants.
The courtyards of the local elderships located in the heart of the Legends and Tales Park will compete to best reveal this year’s theme – “I tell, I tell forest tales!” Each courtyard will open a new chapter of the tale with authentic decor details, Dzūkija hospitality, and warmth. The climax of gastronomic discoveries and the tastiest moment of the festival is scheduled for 1 PM, when the winner of the most delicious and fragrant mushroom soup will be announced.
The Varėna region farmers’ market “In the Rhythm of Nature” will operate in the park; in the craftsmen’s courtyard, visitors can watch masters at work and try old crafts themselves. The mushroom exhibition will feature meetings with Lithuanian and Latvian mycologists; nearby, works from the photography contest “When it rains mushrooms” will be displayed.
Several screenings of the 3D film “Mushrooms: The Web of Life” will take place in the Varėna Cultural Center cinema hall, and the exhibition hall will showcase the phenomenal mushroom drawings by K. Prošinskis.
Music will play all day on the Grand Mushroom Festival stage – performances by art groups from Varėna district, participants of the international instrumental folklore festival “Griežynė,” and guests from Ukraine – the “Kalyna” ensemble.
Traditional melodies will be replaced by popular music in the evening – from 7 PM, performers Petunija, the band “Sisters On Wire,” “Žemaitukai,” and the festival concert will conclude with a performance by Jovani.
