Klaipėda Light Festival – this weekend!
IX Klaipėda Light Festival will take place on February 20-22, inviting visitors on a unique journey between two of Klaipėda’s most significant historical landmarks – the restored Klaipėda Castle Tower and the former Central Post Office building, once home to the distinguished astronomer Friedrich Wilhelm Argelander. The festival route will serve as a symbolic path connecting the past with the present, science with art, and legends with modern technologies. Light and space will merge in the panorama of Klaipėda’s towers, also marking the 420th birth anniversary of Simon Dach. The festival will welcome visitors from 18:00 to 23:00 (on February 20, Thursday, from 19:00).
The Returning Klaipėda Light Festival invites visitors for three evenings of dialogue between light and humans, light and nature, and light and the city. The festival not only returns but also inaugurates the Simon Dach Year in Klaipėda. Light art will transform buildings, objects, and spaces into dynamic canvases where colorful light objects, animation, and stories come to life, synchronized with soundscapes to create an immersive experience. The festival will present twenty different projects, selected or created around two main themes – Simon Dach Year and space, encompassing a vast range of interpretations. The festival will feature contemporary and popular art expressed through light, interactive projections, artistic installations, laser shows, and educational activities. Most projects will be concentrated in the city center, while an alternative light installation “hub” will welcome visitors at the LIGHT HOUSE space.
Opening of the Light Festival and Simon Dach Year
The Klaipėda City Municipality Council has declared 2025 as the Simon Dach Year, commemorating the 420th anniversary of this renowned 17th-century Baroque poet. On February 20, Thursday, at 19:00, the festival organizers, VšĮ “Klaipėdos šventės,” invite everyone to the opening of the Klaipėda Light Festival and the Simon Dach Year, illuminated with Baroque tones and shades. The opening event at the historic Klaipėda Castle site will symbolize the merging of the city’s cultural identity and history. Fire, light, and laser installations, accompanied by specially composed music, will transform this significant space into a vibrant dialogue between the past and the present, bringing the city’s history to life through contemporary artistic forms.
A special highlight of the Simon Dach Year opening will be a performance by “Fire Theater.” The event will also feature music composed specifically for the occasion by Klaipėda-based composer Kristijonas Lučinskas, along with a stunning light and laser show. One of the evening’s main attractions will be the full illumination of the Klaipėda Castle Tower for the first time, which will serve as a beacon for festival guests throughout all three days.
The opening of the Klaipėda Light Festival and Simon Dach Year will take place outside the Klaipėda Castle complex.
Klaipėda Light Festival Projects
This year’s festival will feature twenty different projects, selected or created around two main themes – Simon Dach Year and space. Contemporary and popular art expressed through light will merge with interactive projections, artistic installations, laser shows, and educational activities. Most projects will be located in Klaipėda’s city center.
An intriguing project will take place on Jonas Hill Island, featuring an interactive installation by a Norwegian artist that will immerse the audience in a visually striking experience. When visitors step into the spotlight, illuminated ice melts into flowing water. As they step back, the ice refreezes. The longer visitors engage with the mesmerizing visuals, the stronger the water flow becomes until it ultimately transforms into a dark storm, symbolizing an approaching point of no return.
A beloved laser show will be displayed outside the Klaipėda Castle site. “The Big Bang” is a spectacular laser installation recreating the birth of the universe and its continuous expansion. Light beams and energetic explosion effects will symbolize the cosmic energy that formed the first particles, stars, and galaxies. The lasers will dynamically disperse into the dark space, reflecting the chaotic yet structured movement of the universe’s birth. This project invites viewers to immerse themselves in the cosmic wonder and experience the grandeur of the universe’s origins. The 12-minute laser show will take place every festival evening at half-hour intervals: 18:00, 18:30, 19:00, 19:30, 20:00, 20:30, 21:00, 21:30, 22:00, and 22:30.
Klaipėda Light Festival Workshops and Educational Activities
The Cosmic Quiz “Klaipėda and the Stars” will invite residents and visitors to an engaging team-based challenge, where participants will discover fascinating facts about Klaipėda’s historical ties with astronomy and renowned figures. The quiz will take place at the Klaipėda Tourism and Information Center (Turgaus St. 6), and prior registration is required.
During the festival, visitors will also be invited to explore the Wooden Sailing Fleet Hangar, home to traditional wooden sailing vessels such as the “Sū.D.1,” “Dreverna,” “Vytautas Didysis,” “Rusnietė,” and “Skautas.” The Lithuanian Maritime Museum will offer guided tours and educational activities on February 21 and 22.
Illuminated Museums and Galleries of Klaipėda
The Klaipėda Light Festival fosters a sense of community, culture, and business synergy, engaging local institutions, artists, and creative individuals. Museums, cultural centers, and educational institutions will open their doors to visitors, offering free or exclusive experiences related to the city’s history and art.
The LNDM Clock Museum will provide a unique experience of time perception, while the courtyard of the Minor Lithuania History Museum will revive the 18th-century Vitė Vineyard history. The Ethnoculture Center will host a light-filled exhibition of traditional masks for the upcoming Carnival season. The Pranas Domšaitis Gallery will invite guests to an interactive tour-game titled “Light Labyrinth.”
During the festival, Klaipėda’s iconic sailing ship “Meridianas” will be open for exploration. The upper deck will be illuminated with thousands of lights, resembling a night-time journey guided by swirling planets and stars.
Light Festival Map: https://bit.ly/3Xp5ic7
Light Festival Opening Event: https://fb.me/e/2YeJZDrAs
Light Festival Program: https://fb.me/e/5LnQV3Ixd
The event is funded by the Klaipėda City Municipality and organized by VšĮ Klaipėdos Šventės.