In February and March this year, the Panevėžys Cultural Centre invited the citizens of Panevėžys to a marathon of celebrations. Over the course of a few weeks, Panevėžys hosted a series of events that intertwined Lithuanian traditions, the most important dates in the country’s history and contemporary stage projects. From the noisy Užgavėnės to the events dedicated to Lithuania’s independence, the city has once again shown that culture can unite a community and make sense of key historical moments.
The festive period started on 15 February with a colourful and unique Užgavėnas (Midsummer) celebration at the Panevėžys Cultural Centre. The end of the Meat Market was held there, with traditional Lithuanian flavours such as cakes, cheese, ham, honey and other treats. Folk music added to the hustle and bustle of the fair, and a theatrical carnival at the legendary nobleman Čičinskas’ house took place in the event hall. This Midsummer celebration is distinctive in its form, not only for its traditional fun, but also for its historical carnival, which combines theatre, music, dance and interactive activities for the spectators.
The programme featured medieval music by the Hansanova ensemble, dances by the Festa Cortese school of historical dance, workshops and the chance to choose the most beautiful carnival costume. The author of the idea of this unique Midsummer celebration is Gintaras Kerbedis, whose idea created a unique form of celebrating Midsummer in Panevėžys, rarely seen elsewhere.
The very next day, the cycle of events “Spring of Freedom” started in Panevėžys to commemorate the Lithuanian State Restoration Day. On 16 February, the city hosted a celebration of the Lithuanian Independence Day. On February 16th, February 16th, on the anniversary of the Independence Day of Lithuania, a Mass for Lithuania, exhibitions, educational programmes, a flag-raising ceremony in front of the Municipality and a festive procession through the streets of the city.
The culmination of the celebration was a concert at the Kalnapilio Arena, featuring the legendary hip-hop group G&G Sindikatas. The energetic concert attracted a large crowd of Panevėžys residents and guests and became a highlight of the Freedom Festival. The organisation of this celebration was handled by Nijolė Kubiliūnienė, the event organiser of the Panevėžys Culture Centre, whose professional coordination ensured a smooth and solemn course of the celebration.
The marathon of celebrations continued in March, when Lithuania celebrated its Independence Day. One of the highlights of the celebrations was the dance performance “What Remains When Names Are Silent”, presented at the Kalnapilas Arena, featuring singer Liepa Mondeikaitė and Panevėžys city dance groups. Through dance, music and stage dramaturgy, the audience was treated to a sensitive story about history, memory and the value of freedom.
This is the second year in a row that this artistic project has been presented in Panevėžys. Last year, on the occasion of the 11th of March, the audience saw the dance performance “Do You Love Her?”, which told the history of Lithuania through dance – from the first mention of Lithuania’s name to the Baltic Way and the restoration of independence.
Both performances are directed and conceived by Jurgita Rimšė. Her creative vision allows the story to be presented in a contemporary way, using dance, music and stage dramaturgy. The performances bring together dance collectives from different generations in Panevėžys and become a joint creative project of the city, which attracts a large number of spectators every year.
Such events require not only creativity, but also a great deal of organisational work, professionalism and team responsibility. The intensive festive period – from the exceptional Užgavėņi (Midsummer) to large-scale national celebrations and stage projects – once again showed that the Panevėžys Cultural Centre has a strong, creative and professional team.
Panevėžys Cultural Centre is proud to organise events of this scale and to develop projects that become an important part of the city’s cultural life. High level of preparation, responsibility and teamwork allow us to implement ideas that delight the citizens and strengthen the cultural identity of Panevėžys. Seeing full halls, an active community and families gathering for events is the biggest proof that culture is alive and necessary in Panevėžys.
