The Best Baltic Festivals in January 2020
Are you looking for trip inspiration during the month of January? Why not combine your visit with one of these festivals, that Jerulita specialists are recommending? With 2019 now a thing of the past (almost), it’s time to look forward into the unknown depths of 2019 to see what’s on offer! Here’s a selection of January’s best Baltic festivals!
Asian Lantern Festival
December – January, 12, 2020
The Asian Lantern Festival fills the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds with a vast light sculpture park, theatrical shows, and a Christmas fair with an Oriental flair. Chinese masters will set up more than 20 light installations. The festival will feature a 40-meter-long dragon, panda and flamingo gardens, a deer forest, and many other fairy-tale creatures. Chinese actors will perform in theatrical shows, and skilled artisans invite you to discover their exotic crafts. Certainly, you will enjoy this extraordinary Baltic festival!
BachFest Tallinn
January 1-7, 2020
Tallinn starts the New Year to the marvelous music of the famous German composer Johann Sebastian Bach. The festival has become a tradition and an original, warm and beautiful New Year’s greeting from the city to all its inhabitants and visitors. During the festival concerts the audience will have a chance to listen not only to I.S.Bach’s masterpieces, but also to the works by other famous composers performed by musicians from Estonia, France, Poland, Holland, and Russia.
Most of the concerts take place at St. Nicholas’ Church, as well as at St. John’s Church and Estonia Concert Hall. Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy organ, instrumental, orchestral, choral, vocal and Christmas cantatas works by Johann Sebastian Bach! For sure, one of the most melodious Baltic festivals of January!
Kalnciema Quarter Fair in Riga
January, 2020
Every Saturday, Latvian farmers offer local goods at the Kalnciema Quarter Fair. Also, craftsmen come to sell unique pieces of handiwork. The theme of the fair changes to reflect seasonal festivals, during which there also are concerts, exhibitions, open-air plays, and other activities taking place at the fair. Kids can participate in various creative workshops, enjoy the merry-go-round, taste homemade ice-cream and have a nap in a hammock! While adults have a look at delicious products by local farmers and home producers (teas, jams, peppermints, meat, fish, and other merchandise). Besides, each visitor knows that he/she should come to the fair hungry. Diverse local hand-craft and jewelry are also on sale, among them, design objects, glass items, etc.
Buy Baltic souvenirs for gifts for the year ahead!
Vilnius International Short Film Festival
January 16-19, 2020
Vilnius International Short Film Festival (VISFF) is one of the biggest short film festivals in the Baltic countries, presenting the newest and best short films from all around the world. In thirteen years the Festival became a unique platform in Lithuania, screening not only European but Worldwide professional short films presented by the upcoming generation of talented filmmakers.
Out of over 1,500 films our Festival Programmers selected 32 best short films from the last two years. 32 countries have contributed to the production of these films. Early next year, our festival’s audience will have an opportunity to watch six thematically divided International Competition Programs. International Jury will select Best Short Fiction, Best Short Documentary and Best Short Animation of the program. You can find more about festival’s program on their official website!
Riga Street Food Festival
January 18, 2020
The Riga Street Food Festival, together with the best chefs of Riga, will take to the streets of the Latvian capital for the third time. As the temperatures become colder, the chefs will help warm up visitors with creative and unusual Latvian tastes. Tastes which are bolder than the ones on restaurant menus, just like Latvian winters – unpredictable.
The Riga Street Food Festival was also named the third best event in the world at the Best Event Awards World awards ceremony in 2018. The uniqueness of the event impressed the jury. An almost unbelievable balance of restaurant quality and creativeness with reasonable prices! Meanwhile, the Riga Street Food Festival certainly helps put Latvia as a hot destination on the global culinary map! Don’t miss it!
Vilnius Light Festival
January 24-26, 2020
That weekend is to mark a three-day long Vilnius’ birthday. On this occasion, the city invites everyone to its second light festival. Light installations in Old Vilnius, on its streets, in public gardens will inspire the city and its citizens for a new life, warm the cold Middle Ages! Moreover, it will paint the city’s architecture in unexpected colors. For sure, it’s great attraction for foreign guests. Bridges and temples, squares and sculptures – the light will play with them, as well as with the audience.
Last year, the route of Vilnius Light Festival was 3.7 km long. This year it will be even more exciting! Try to go all the route and enjoy the unusual light installations of one of the most prominent festivals of the Baltic States in January!
The best way to beat the January blues is to check out this January festival calendar, and pick one or two to spice up the start of the year. Give yourself something to look forward to in the Baltic States! In short, it is worth to spend 3 days in Riga or join Charming Vilnius City Tour! Moreover, you can find some out-of-the-ordinary places to visit in Tallinn. You can also choose Baltic Trilogy Tour.
Don’t hesitate visiting our Travel Blog to find different articles about the Baltics!
