The Rasos Midsummer Celebration in Kernavė 2026

When the sun reaches its zenith and the meadows are brimming with life, we invite you to the Rasos (Kupolės) celebration in Kernavė (Širvintos District)—a Midsummer celebration breathing with our most ancient traditions.

Kernavė is a place where, since 1967, the Rasos celebration has been held according to archaic Baltic customs, drawing upon historical, ethnographic, and folkloric sources. It was precisely here that the symbol of the Lithuanian national renaissance was born—a celebration that sparked the folklore movement, awakened national self-awareness, and inspired spiritual resistance.

Rituals, spells, ancient songs, dances, and games come alive here not as mere echoes of the past, but as a living, shared experience. The Rasos celebration invites you not just to observe, but to become a part of it—to feel, to discover, and to find yourself in the light of old customs, alongside folklore ensembles and traditional folk bands.

This is the living magic of Midsummer, uniting nature and humanity. Let us celebrate Rasos together—right where it all began!

PROGRAMME

12:00 Craft, folk art, and culinary heritage fair / Kernavė town avenue Photography exhibition "The Secret of the Shortest Night" by Vytautas Daraškevičius / Kernavė wooden chapel

At the hill forts of the Kernavė Archaeological Site and in the Pajauta Valley by the River Neris:

17:00 Gathering of Midsummer herbs (Kupoliavimas) with a herbalist in the Pajauta Valley
19:00 Wreath-weaving, herb magic, and tea on the Castle Hill (Pilies kalnas) hill fort
19:45 Festive procession of folklore ensembles along the Kernavė town avenue
20:00 Ceremonial gates at the foot of Castle Hill
20:20 Ritual circle dances, games, and folklore ensemble performances on Castle Hill
21:40 Sunset ritual on Castle Hill
22:20 Lighting of the altar fire at the foot of the Altar Hill (Aukuro kalnas) hill fort
23:00 Lighting of the great bonfire and traditional elevated wooden fires (stebulės) on the hill forts
23:20 Night dancing (Naktišokiai) on Castle Hill
00:00 Floating of wreaths down the River Neris, lighting of the riverside bonfire, and folklore concert programmes
03:00 Jumping over the bonfire on Castle Hill
04:30 Greeting the rising sun and washing with the first morning dew on the Mindaugas Throne (Mindaugo sostas) hill fort and in the Pajauta Valley

Organisers: Širvintos District Municipality Cultural Centre, Kernavė Branch of the Širvintos District Municipality Cultural Centre Funded by: Lithuanian Council for Culture, Širvintos District Municipality Partners: Directorate of the State Cultural Reserve of Kernavė, Kernavė Eldership, Association MEDGRINDA Media Sponsors: Newspaper Širvintų kraštas, Public Institution Tėviškės alkas Sponsor: Brand Druskininkų RASA