When the shortest nights of the year become fragrant with herbs and bonfires, and the wind from the dunes carries the echoes of ancient songs, the Midsummer celebration and the folklore festival “Tek saulužė ant maračių” returns to Neringa.
In 2026, the festival takes on a special dedication as we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Martynas Liudvikas Rėza, a prominent cultural figure of Lithuania Minor, folklorist, poet, and thinker.
“A folk song is the purest pearl of a nation’s soul; when a nation perishes, it often continues to live in its songs,” said Martynas Liudvikas Rėza.
The songs he preserved still resonate today as living testimony that, despite changing times and human destinies, folk music continues to offer a pure and revitalizing experience.
Therefore, from 20 to 24 June, we invite you to Neringa, where music, stories, and the legacy of Martynas Liudvikas Rėza will fill the landscape. Songs will be heard aboard traditional Curonian Lagoon sailing boats, beside Midsummer bonfires, along dune paths, and during evening gatherings under the open sky.
Festive “Duokim garo!” Concert and Live Broadcast by LRT from Nida Harbour – 23 June at 9:00 PM
FESTIVAL PROGRAMME
20–24 June
Folk Art and Crafts Fair
Naglių Street, Nida
20 June
2:00 PM
Opening of the exhibition “Stopping the Drifting Sand” by artist Eglė Gelažiūtė-Petrauskienė.
Exhibition Hall of the Nida Cultural and Tourism Information Centre “Agila”
4 Taikos St., Neringa
3:00 PM
Afternoon Event “Where Is That Quiet Village, Where Are Those Blooming Orchards?” (Martynas Liudvikas Rėza, The Buried Village)
Lecture by Gytis Vaškelis (Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore)
Presentation by cartographer Remigijus Sereika:
“In Search of the Buried Village of Karvaičiai” (Analysis of Historical Maps)
Coffee and cake will be served.
Preila Library
27 Preilos St., Neringa
Following the lectures, participants are invited on a guided walk (approximately 3 km) accompanied by stories and songs performed by the folklore ensembles Gadula, Giedružė, Aušrinė, and the singers of the Vydūnas Society. The walk will lead to the unveiling of a restored wayside shrine dedicated to Martynas Liudvikas Rėza and the sand-buried village of Karvaičiai (created by Algimantas Sakalauskas).
8:00 PM
“Jazz Dune” – Live Music Evening
Free admission.
Square next to the Neringa Municipal Administration Building
2 Taikos St., Neringa
10:00 PM
“The Singing Kurėnas” – An hour in the realm of sky and water, accompanied by traditional songs of the Curonian Lagoon region. A sailing trip aboard a traditional Curonian Lagoon boat together with the folklore ensemble Gadula.
Price: €15 per person.
Registration with skipper Aurelijus Armonavičius:
+370 686 65242
21 June
6:00 PM
“Dainos, or Litthauische Volkslieder” – the title of the first collection of Lithuanian folk songs published by Martynas Liudvikas Rėza in 1825.
Songs born by the lagoon and preserved through centuries, performed by the folklore ensemble Gadula of the Kaunas Cultural Centre (director Andrius Morkūnas).
Free event.
Nida Fisherman’s Ethnographic Homestead
4 Naglių St., Neringa
From 8:00 PM
Songs Around the Bonfire
Featuring the folklore ensemble Virvytė (director Loreta Sungailienė), Julija Jaudžemė (vocals), Romualdas Kastravickas (guitar), and other performers.
The programme will include songs collected by Martynas Liudvikas Rėza, their contemporary interpretations, and other music for an evening gathering. Guests can enjoy a cosy bonfire and picnic refreshments.
Free event.
Bulvikis Bay Recreation Area, accessible on foot along the scenic lagoon shore (4 km) or by bicycle via the cycle path (5 km).
For those wishing to walk as part of an organised group:
Meeting at 7:30 PM at 14 Purvynės St., Neringa.
Registration: +370 698 88585
22 June
11:00 AM
Guided Bicycle Tour from Nida
Stops at the Preila Dune, Preila village, and Pervalka by the monument to Martynas Liudvikas Rėza, followed by a walk to the edge of the Nagliai Nature Reserve, offering the most spectacular panorama of the reserve’s dunes.
On the return journey, fisherman Zolenas Lubys will treat participants to smoked fish.
Route length: approximately 32 km.
Meeting point:
By the Vytautas Kernagis sculpture in Nida.
For participants arriving by car:
Meeting at 12:30 PM at the Pervalka bus stop.
From there, a walk of approximately 7 km.
Registration required:
preila@visitneringa.lt
+370 672 98438
6:00 PM
“The Singing Kurėnas” – An hour on the lagoon aboard a traditional sailing boat together with the folklore ensemble Virvytė, featuring songs collected by Martynas Liudvikas Rėza and stories from the region.
Price: €15 per person.
Registration: +370 686 65242
7:00 PM
The folklore ensemble Gadula performs at Café Sakutis.
14 Naglių St., Neringa
8:00 PM
Concert by the band Atika
Rooftop Terrace of the Nida Cultural and Tourism Information Centre “Agila”
4 Taikos St., Neringa
Tickets:
€20
€10 for school pupils, students, seniors, and people with disabilities.
Tickets available through Paysera Tickets and at the Nida Tourism Information Centre.
10:00 PM
“The Singing Kurėnas”
The traditional wooden sailing boat cruises along the lagoon shoreline while the melodies of local coastal songs drift across the promenade.
Nida, Neringa
23 June
4:00 PM
Midsummer Eve Workshops
Flower-crown weaving and traditional coastal hairstyles for girls (participants are encouraged to bring their own combs).
Nida Fisherman’s Ethnographic Homestead
4 Naglių St., Neringa
6:00 PM
“The Singing Kurėnas” departs from Nida Harbour for the Valley of Silence, carrying songs across the lagoon. Passengers may disembark near the pier to join the Midsummer procession.
Tickets and registration:
+370 686 65242
6:00 PM
Midsummer Herb-Gathering Traditions, Flower-Crown Weaving, and Fortune-Telling in the Valley of Silence, Nida.
7:00 PM
Midsummer Bonfire and Music at Preila Beach near the Lifeguard Station.
Featuring Julija Jaudžemė and Romualdas Kastravickas.
8:30 PM
Midsummer Procession from the Valley of Silence to the stage by Nida Harbour.
9:00 PM
Midsummer Night in Nida – LRT “Duokim garo!” life broadcast.
24 June
8:00 AM
Greeting the Sunrise with Gongs on Parnidis Dune
Performed by Linas Švirinas.
8:00 PM
Concert by the group Baltos Varnos
Rooftop Terrace of the Nida Cultural and Tourism Information Centre “Agila”
4 Taikos St., Neringa
The organisers reserve the right to modify the festival programme.
Please note that events will be filmed and photographed, and the material may be published.
Organisers
Nida Cultural and Tourism Information Centre “Agila”
Neringa Municipality
Sponsors
Maxima
Hotels:
Nidos Skalva
SPA Nida
Cafés:
Sakutis
Agila
Nidos Kuršis
Smiltynė Ferry
Partners
Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore
State Forest Enterprise
V. Miliūnas Public Library of Neringa Municipality
Neringa Museums
Paslaugos Neringai
Neringos Energija
Neringa Art School
Public Institution “Curonian Legends”
Media Partners
LRT
Delfi