2024

   Tradition of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Inventory 

** UNESCO intangible cultural heritage tradition 

27 JUNE, THURSDAY 

CENTRE OF ETHNIC CULTURE, ART YARD (Daržų St 10) 
*  10.00–17.00 Exhibition. Delmonai of Lithuania Minor 
**  10.00–17.00 Exhibition. Tradition of straw gardens (by Margarita Macijauskienė) 
 *  10.00–17.00 Exhibition. Antanas Butkus collection of musical instruments. The tradition of instrumental music in Lithuania Minor
Open on all festival days. 
*  17.00–18.30 Open workshop. Tradition of straw gardens 

CLOCK AND WATCH MUSEUM COURTYARD (Liepų St 12) 
** 19.00 Sutartinės Garden. Ratilio (Vilnius), Sasutalas (Kaunas), Čiulbutė (Ignalina), Saulala (Biržai), Rags and Lygė (Pasvalys), Alsūnė (Molėtai), Pyniava (Ukmergė) 

SMALL STAGE, ART YARD (Daržų St 10) 
** 22.00 Beat Bitela – a project of sutartinės, beatbox and electronic music. Electronic and beatbox music maker GON and group of Ratilio sutartinės singers (Vilnius) 

DANĖ SQUARE BY THE ARKA MONUMENT 
** Installation Luminous Gardens (by Morta Pilkė, Anykščiai). Displayed on all festival days.

28 JUNE, FRIDAY 

DANĖ SQUARE BY THE ARKA MONUMENT
10.00–22.00 Craft town 
* 12.00–19.30 Intangible cultural heritage of Lithuania and Latvia. Craft demonstrations 
** 12.00–19.30 Virtual presentation of tradition. Lithuanian song and dance celebrations 
** 12.00–14.00 Open workshop. Petrykivka decorative painting as a phenomenon of the Ukrainian ornamental folk art 
* 14.30–16.30 Open workshop. Tradition of straw gardens 
** 17.00–19.00 Open workshop. Delmonai of Lithuania Minor 

BLACKSMITH'S MUSEUM (Šaltkalvių St 2) 
** 16.00–18.00 Craft demonstration. Cross-crafting and its symbolism in Lithuania 

MAIN STAGE, DANĖ SQUARE (Danės St 25) 
Intangible cultural heritage of Lithuania and Latvia 
* 16.00 Presentation and tasting. The practices of reviving kafija drinking culture in Lithuania Minor. Revival of the Lietuvininkai (šišioniškiai) dialect. Šilutė Hugo Scheu Museum
* 16.30 Concert. The singing tradition of Lietuvininkai. Folklore ensembles of Klaipėda Centre of Ethnic Culture Kuršių Ainiai, Alka, Kuršiukai, Alkiukai 
* 17.00 Concert. Singing above the voice (pusbolss). Folklore group Upīte (Latvia) 
* 17.30 Concert. Playing melodic and chord zithers. Traditional music group Skaņumājas Muzikanti (Latvia) 

Intangible cultural heritage protected by UNESCO 
** 19.00 Concert. Kaustinen fiddle playing and related practices and expressions. Folk dance and music group Ottoset (Finland)
** 20.00 Concert. Polonaise, traditional Polish dance. Folk dance ensemble Poligrodzianie of Poznan University of Technology (Poland)
** 21.00 Concert. Fado, urban popular song. Ideal de Fado (Portugal)
22.00 Traditional night dance 

29 JUNE, SATURDAY 

DANĖ SQUARE BY THE ARKA MONUMENT 
10.00–22.00 Craft town 
* 12.00–19.30 Intangible cultural heritage of Lithuania and Latvia. Craft demonstrations 
** 12.00–19.00 Virtual presentation of tradition. Lithuanian song and dance celebrations 
** 12.00–14.00 Open workshop. Petrykivka decorative painting as a phenomenon of the Ukrainian ornamental folk art 
* 14.30–16.30 Open workshop. Tradition of straw gardens 
** 17.00–19.00 Open workshop. Delmonai of Lithuania Minor 

BLACKSMITH'S MUSEUM (Šaltkalvių St 2) 
** 15.00–17.00 Craft demonstration. Cross-crafting and its symbolism 
MAIN STAGE, DANĖ SQUARE (Danės St 25) 
** 15.00 Performance. Puppetry in Czechia. Divadlo Spejbla a Hurvínka (Czech Republic) 

Intangible cultural heritage of Lithuania and Latvia 
* 16.00 Concert. Kalvarija region singing tradition in Brukai village. Kalvarija Culture Centre folklore ensemble Bruknyčia 
* 16.30 Presentation. The tradition of making the white horse (šyvis) jump in Gražiškiai. Gražiškiai village community 
* 17.00 Concert. Playing the Ieviņš type harmonica. Playing the Latgale bubyns frame drum. Traditional music group Skaņumājas Muzikanti (Latvia) 
* 17.30 Concert. Instrumental music in Lithuania Minor. Folklore ensembles of Klaipėda Centre of Ethnic Culture Kuršių Ainiai, Alka, Kuršiukai, Alkiukai

Intangible cultural heritage protected by UNESCO 
** 19.00 Concert. Georgian polyphonic singing. Polyphonic singing and folklore group Pherkhisa (Georgia)
** 20.00 Concert. Gnawa tradition. Omar Hayat and band (Morocco) 
** 21.00 Concert. Mariachi music tradition. Mariachi El Mexicano (Mexico)
22.00 Traditional night dance 

30 JUNE, SUNDAY 

SMALL STAGE, ART YARD (Daržų St 10)
** 11.00 Performance. Puppetry in Czechia. Divadlo Spejbla a Hurvínka (Czech Republic) 

PUPPET THEATRE COURTYARD (Vežėjų St 2)
11.30–13.00 Lauksnos Harbour workshop 
Marine knot workshop From Knot to Rigging 
Education about weathervanes On Weathervane Roads around the Lagoon 
Lighthouse figurine and wooden boat decoration workshop 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Intangible cultural heritage of Lithuania and Latvia. Craft demonstrations: ** Cross-crafting and its symbolism in Lithuania, ** Tradition of straw gardens, * Bobbin lace making, * Amber hunting on the coast of Lithuania, * The tradition of shingle roofing, * Delmonas of Lithuania Minor, * The tradition of making woven sashes, * The tradition of stone carving in Kelmė, The tradition of net knitting, Macramé tradition 

ALL EVENTS ARE FREE 
In case of bad weather, slight changes to the programme are possible

Kaustinen fiddle playing and related practices and expressions
Inscribed in 2021 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Kaustinen folk music is a Finnish tradition where the fiddle (violin), although not the only instrument, is the main melodic instrument. It is in fact the violin (with or without other instruments) that cadences the dances or the songs. Based on playing by ear, it is characterized by syncopated and accented rhythms that are easy for people to dance to. The distinctive style and playing technique of Kaustinen folk music have existed for over 250 years, and there is a repertoire of several hundred tunes from the area. Kaustinen folk music is played in many contexts: in private, in organized groups, during public celebrations and ceremonies (including wedding parties), at concerts and public jam sessions, and at the annual Kaustinen Folk Music Festival. Performers often wear traditional costumes. Most inhabitants of Kaustinen and neighbouring communities consider this music an essential aspect of their personal and community identity, even if they are not practitioners themselves. It is felt to represent a sense of belonging and viewed as a means of strengthening cross-generational ties. The significance of the practice is evident in the names of public spaces and in symbols such as the presence of the fiddle in the Kaustinen coat of arms.

Short information about group
Kaustinen Youth Association - Folk dance and folk music group Ottoset

Ottoset comes from Finland, Kaustinen. The group was founded in 1985. Ottoset's roots go even further back in the Kaustinen folk dance and folk music tradition. At first, there were two children's folk dance groups when Kaustinen Youth Association started the children's groups. At the moment, there are ten different dance groups in Ottoset and almost two hundred dancers and musicians from three-year-olds to young adults.

Nowadays, the most important mission is to provide conditions for children, youngsters and adults

activities such as folk dance and folk music as meaningful and educational hobby.

One of the most important goals of Ottoset's folk dance activities is to keep the local intangible cultural heritage alive. Ottoset respect and value their own local intangible cultural heritage, the Kaustinen violin playing tradition and the Kaustinen folk dance tradition. Kaustinen's Youth Association and Ottoset do significant work to keep cultural heritage alive.

Ottoset, who will perform in Klaipėda, train with a goal in mind. The dancers are young adults, who started as folk dancers at the age of three or four. They want to develop as dancers and as a group. Their repertoire includes traditional Finnish folk dances and new choreographies that are influenced by Finnish and Kaustinen traditions. There are 16 dancers in the group and six musicians in the music group. A group of 17 performers will go to Klaipėda. Because we are from Kaustinen, naturally, some of our dancers also know how to play the violin, so it may be that they will also bring their violins and sometimes join the music group.

The group's artistic director and choreographer is Miia Timonen.

Miia Timonen was chosen as folk dance director of the year in Finland in 2022.