Palanga has plenty going on outside the summer too. Some events come round at the same time every year, so you can plan a whole trip around them, from the smelt festival in February to the Christmas tree lighting in December.
Exact dates change from year to year, so we give only the months here; before you travel, check the programme with the Palanga Tourism Information Centre (Vytauto g. 94) or on its website, visit-palanga.lt. Many of the events take place very close to the Prie Parko hotel: the Birutė Park bandstand is on our street, and the Amber Museum is 12 minutes away on foot.
February: the Palangos stinta smelt festival
Palanga’s biggest winter festival takes place over a weekend in February and is devoted to the smelt, a small fish that smells of cucumber when fresh. A fish market runs along J. Basanavičius Street, selling smelt fresh, fried, smoked and marinated, and Vytauto gatvė hosts a folk art and culinary heritage fair.
The programme usually includes fishing competitions, concerts, fish-cooking events and processions. Check the programme and venues each year before you go, and book your stay for that weekend early.
February or March: Shrovetide (Užgavėnės)
The date of Užgavėnės depends on Easter, so it falls in February or early March. In Palanga a procession of masked revellers marches along J. Basanavičius Street to the pier, where Lašininis (Fatso) and Kanapinis (Hempy) fight it out, and the straw figure of Morė is burned on the beach by the pier. Užgavėnės is celebrated in Šventoji as well.
Start of the summer season: Myliu Palangą
Palanga opens the summer season with the Myliu Palangą (“I love Palanga”) festival. Jūratės ir Kastyčio Square, J. Basanavičius Street and the seafront host concerts, performances, workshops and sports events. The organisers announce the exact dates and programme each year.
23–24 June: Midsummer (Joninės)
Joninės, or Rasos, is the festival of the shortest night. In recent years the biggest Midsummer programme in the Palanga municipality has been held in Šventoji: a fair on Jūros gatvė, a bonfire in the evening, wreath-weaving and a night-time search for the fern flower. Šventoji is 13 km away, reached by bus No. 3 or the coastal cycle path.
All summer: Orkestro vasara in Birutė Park
From June to the end of August, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, the Palanga Orchestra plays in the Birutė Park bandstand. The concerts are free, and the tradition is a long one: orchestras have played in the park bandstand since 1927.
The bandstand stands on S. Dariaus ir S. Girėno gatvė, just a couple of hundred metres from the hotel. In recent years the concerts have started at 18.30.
Mid-August: concerts on the Amber Museum terrace
In August the Amber Museum terrace hosts summer concerts. Their name, dates, performers and ticket terms can change from year to year, so check the programme before planning your visit.
The museum is about 900 m from the hotel, 12 minutes on foot through the park. Most other summer concerts take place at the Palanga Concert Hall (Vytauto g. 43) and the Kurhaus (Grafų Tiškevičių al. 1), both about 10 minutes on foot from the hotel. Their programmes change every year, so check dates with the ticket sellers.
Autumn: the quietest time
In autumn there are fewer outdoor events, but concerts and exhibitions continue at the concert hall, the Kurhaus and the Amber Museum. We cover what there is to do in Palanga from September to May in our guide to Palanga off-season.
December: the tree and Palanga švyti
In December the resort’s Christmas trees are lit and the Palanga švyti (“Palanga shines”) winter events begin. The programme may include the Palangos ledas ice rink and other attractions. Check the exact dates, venues and opening hours on visit-palanga.lt.
