“After the event, we received many thanks – people were happy to have another extra opportunity during the year to meet with their loved ones, spend time together, live. We really wanted to give everyone who came not only a day full of entertainment, good emotions, but also the chance to capture what is most important for memory – being together. That’s how the idea arose to offer people a free photo session with a professional photographer at the celebration,” say the Gimininės organizers.
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High-quality photos from this photo session will soon be available for anyone interested to download from the radio station “Lietus” website.
The Gimininės held for the first time in Kėdainiai was a huge success – preliminary estimates show that nearly 10,000 people visited the largest open-air picnic in half a day.
People started flocking to the park area even before the celebration began. The free event featured star concerts on a huge stage, and nearby there were entertainment zones for visitors of all ages: from rodeo bulls to a special area for family photo sessions. Those unable to come to Gimininės had the opportunity to watch it live online on the Lietus.fm website.
“Once again, we confirmed how powerful radio is – the central park of Kėdainiai was full of people. They didn’t hesitate to come from the capital, the seaside, other big cities, Mažeikiai, Pasvalys, Telšiai… When naming cities and towns on stage, we asked the crowd to respond, and hands went up, cheers echoed. Although it looked cloudy in the morning, the sun came out by midday and we only got rain in the evening, as the celebration was ending. But what kind of “Lietus” event would it be without rain?” the organizers rejoiced in the success of Gimininės.
The main action took place near the big stage. Concerts were held here by Donata Gutauskienė-Laisva, singer Simona Čėsnaitė, famous from the reality show “Kelias į žvaigždes,” “Group 2. Karolis and Donatas,” and the concert marathon was powerfully closed by Justinas Jarutis. Later, a disco began. The event was hosted by well-known and beloved radio station “Lietus” show hosts Marius Berenis, Vilija Dailydaitė, Simona Čėsnaitė, Aurimas Šeštokas. Several performers who took the stage admitted that they had brought their relatives with them to Kėdainiai.
During breaks between performances, Gimininės visitors could spin the “Lietus” prize wheel and win valuable prizes not only from the radio station but also from sponsors.
Still, the longest line of people was not at the prizes or, as often happens, at the bar – most people patiently waited at the impressive-sized šakotis table.
“Another highlight of Gimininės, to our surprise, was the opportunity to enjoy a free slice of šakotis one meter high. At first, people took many photos with it, and later the longest line formed, which did not shorten for several hours. During the celebration, we offered visitors many free entertainments, but this was by far the most popular. Overall, the behavior of the event participants was very surprising – the vast majority were friendly, respectful to each other, kind, and although thousands gathered in one place, no major incidents occurred,” the Gimininės organizers revealed.
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They even flew in from abroad
“When we heard on the radio that such a celebration was being organized, we shared this news with family members, and the next day relatives had already bought plane tickets from Ireland to Lithuania. We have more opportunities to meet, but there are never too many,” said the Bužaičiai family who came to Gimininės.
“Our family is scattered not only across Lithuania but also in the farthest corners of the world; gathering everyone in one place is practically impossible. But we are glad that at least those of us living in Lithuania managed to come here today. The mood is wonderful. We are waiting for a few more relatives and then we will go dance,” said the Jonaičiai family who came from the Klaipėda region to Kėdainiai park.
Other areas of the park offered more entertainment for both children and adults. In the children’s zone, there was a soap bubble machine, cotton candy was available, and temporary tattoo workshops were held.
The idea of Gimininės was born at the radio station “Lietus” back in 2020, when it was decided to take on the mission of initiating a nationwide family gathering once a year. At that time, listeners were invited to gather with their closest and dearest people on the last Friday of July and celebrate Gimininės. Proverbs say – you don’t choose your family, so nurturing family ties is essential – there must be a day when the whole family, often scattered around the world, comes together and embraces each other wholeheartedly.
Over five years, this beautiful initiative not only took root but also grew strong – every year Gimininės attracted more and more attention from “Lietus” listeners.
In 2025, Gimininės crossed the “walls” of the radio station “Lietus” airwaves – one of Lithuania’s families celebrating Gimininės was gifted a private concert by the group “Žemaitukai” in their homestead yard. A draw decided that one of the country’s most popular groups would perform at the Judzinskai family gathering in Rūtelių village, Šilalė district. Judzinskai were one of nearly 2,000 families registered in a special contest held on the Lietus.fm website.
It was clear that Gimininės had become a phenomenon and outgrown the airwaves. Therefore, this year the celebration turned for the first time into the largest family picnic under the open sky – a free event in the park of Kėdainiai city.
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