He presented how Kaunas will be for 273 thousand. EUR: 24-meter sugar fir and fireworks at 6 locations in the city

Next Saturday November 28, in the Kaunas Town Hall Square, in addition to the pomp and crowds of onlookers, the Christmas tree created by the team of artist Jolanta Šmidtienė will be traditionally illuminated. What will the temporary capital look like and decorate the biggest celebrations of the year?

The decoration work was reduced this Friday, it is obvious that the creation of an extremely sweet Christmas fairy tale has begun, whose main accent is the color sugar and vanilla. The idea of ​​a Christmas tree was discussed in the early summer. Starting in the summer, preparations are made for lighting, as well as for decorating the entire city.

How 15 minutes said Nomeda Prevelienė, deputy director of the Department of Culture of the municipality of the city of Kaunas, this year she had to give up activities in the Christmas town: there will be no Christmas mailings, Santa’s residence, fair, weekend festive events and education . Christmas activities and mail will move to the virtual space. Currently, videos of the workshops are being created, and the little residents of Kaunas, their parents and guests from the city will be able to spend the festive period at home, learning new recipes or crafts, while watching them. The website will be launched in the near future kaledos.kaunas.lt.

Inspired by morengi

However, traditionally a Christmas story is created in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Although the Christmas village, which smells like cinnamon donuts, hot chocolate or vanilla cake, will not be bustling, the Christmas square will delight with an exclusive Christmas tree created by artist J. Šmidtienė, with other decorations that descend from the clouds : morengu trees, childhood memories.

“This year’s Kaunas Christmas theme is a sweet Christmas fairy tale. The Christmas tree will be more than 24 meters. The decorations are made of environmentally friendly insulating material. The vanilla white color will dominate ”, assured N. Prevelienė.

Spruce creator J.Šmidtienė revealed that the inspiration for this year’s Christmas symbol came to her unexpectedly. At home, admiring the morengi, he drew attention to the beautiful texture of the dessert. Of course, the textile artist believes that sweets are an integral part of the holidays, especially in the context of these days when people spend a lot of time at home.

“I wanted to create something that was sweet, light and fragrant at home. We tried to extract different textures and finally we discovered one that was especially reminiscent of morengo or whipped cream. Now this is where the Kaunas Christmas tree is born, ”said the artist with a smile.

In collaboration with the Kaunas Cultural Center, this year the artist creates the Christmas village decorations using the foundations, frames and details of the festive decorations acquired by the city in 2018.

Inside the Christmas tree will be located the “little Kaunas”, miniatures of well-known buildings of the temporary capital created by students and teachers of the Kaunas Food Industry and Trade Training Center from sugar and morengi.

“Last year, the brightly colored ‘cosmic’ decorations that dominated the Town Hall Square will be replaced by motifs from a Christmas fairy tale. The fir tree will be completely different, but traditionally charming and festive. The year was difficult, so Let Christmas in Kaunas be quiet and easy. This is reflected in this year’s motto: “Sweet, sweet Christmas in Kaunas.” The bright colors will return to the Town Hall Square, “said Kaunas Deputy Mayor Mantas Jurgutis.

This year 78,360 euros have been earmarked for decorating the Christmas tree (last year – 61,000 euros).

The atmosphere next to the Christmas tree will be clarified with the play of colors on the facades of the buildings and the artistic installations and light projections created in the square itself. Traditionally, the Christmas radio will be played in the square.

According to N. Prevelienė, it was planned to spend 59,497 euros for the decoration of the Town Hall square (last year 60 thousand euros were allocated), but currently the amount is recalculated, it will be much less, because due to quarantine restrictions they had to abandon activities in the Christmas village. and education.

Due to the quarantine conditions due to the limitation of the number of people, the mandatory distances, this year significantly fewer volunteers have been used to create a Christmas story and the conditions for creating decorations are more complicated.

Fireworks show in 6 places in the city.

The Christmas tree lighting concert will air on LRT television on November 28. Starts at 6 pm Monique, Vidas Bareikis, Jazzu, Justinas Jarutis, “Saulės kliošas”, “The Roop”, Saulius Prūsaitis, Martynas Kavaliauskas and Girmantė Vaitkutė will present their most famous works.

“The celebration will be as fun and impressive as usual, just like Santa. The only difference is that there will be no event in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. The concert will be filmed in a closed space (without spectators), part of the fragments broadcast will be filmed in advance. We encourage people to watch the holiday quietly and safely at home. After the celebration, fireworks will be waiting for Kaunas residents, who will be delighted even in 6 Kaunas districts. The locations The exact details will be announced on November 28 ”, intrigued the municipal representative.

The estimate of the festive Christmas tree lighting event should not exceed 60 thousand. euros.

Asked about how the flow of onlookers will be controlled, N. Prevelienė assured that, as in other public spaces in the city, access to the Town Hall Square will not be prohibited. Kaunas residents and city visitors are expected to remain vigilant and aware, while protecting themselves and others, stay at home and watch the Christmas tree lighting festival on the TV screen.

After all, we will have time until the Three Wise Men to visit the Plaza del Ayuntamiento and admire the Christmas tree, safely, quietly, without large flows. We constantly monitor the situation and follow current security requirements. We will apply this practice throughout the Christmas period. If necessary, we are ready to control the flow of people and assistance with the help of law enforcement officials, ”assured N. Prevelienuró.

New Year’s Eve parties are still under discussion

For the past few years, residents of Kaunas have been offered to welcome the New Year with an open-air disco organized in the Town Hall Square. When asked what specials will be put on the plate this year, N. Prevelienė admitted that the New Years holidays are still being decided.

“To this day, we continue to search for a safe solution for the New Year’s celebration. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no traditional party in City Hall Square. We invite residents and guests of Kaunas to stay home. , as well as the day of the lighting of the Christmas tree, as well as New Year’s Eve ”, assured the representative of the municipality.

The event is not planned in the garden of the Historic Presidency in Kaunas, which delights with colors every year. It is decorated by private initiative: the decoration of the garden is in charge of the UAB Nuova and the Old Town Society. However, on the same day that Kaunas’ main fir will be illuminated, the Garden of the Historic Presidency will also be illuminated.

Thousands of lights will shine

The Christmas spirit in Kaunas is already awakening with the accelerated decorating work in the city. Garlands of “Lietutis” will shine over the main streets of the city, and the bridges of Kaunas will adorn the “icy” decorations in winter.

This week, Laisvės Alley was also illuminated, a total of 250 trees decorated with 1,250 lights, symbols of freedom, light, faith and hope. The decor, which has resided in the Historic Presidency garden for two years, returns to the Laivės Alley fountain.

2,500 light bulbs will also be lit in the trees of the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

The flower cliffs near the township will enchant 120 sparkling Christmas trees. The newly decorated oak of Unity Square: 900 meters of sparkling garlands and 5,400 small light bulbs lay on it.

Traditionally, bridges, streets and squares are decorated every year: P.Vileišis Bridge, Varniai Bridge, MKČiurlionis Bridge, S.Daukantas Bridge, Panemunė Bridge, Kaunas Hydroelectric Bridge, Jiesia Bridge (near Napoleon Hill), Vytauto ave., Tunelio Street, Juozapavičius., Nepriklausomybės a., Laisvės a., Vilniaus Street, Seimas a. Foundation, Santaka Park, Smetonos a., Kaunas Castle, L. Sapiegos a., S.Daukanto Street, M. Daukšos, Naugardo Street, Kurpių Street, Muitinės Street, L. Zamenhofo Street, A. Jakšto Street, Papilio Street, M.Valančiaus Street, Exhibition Hill, Utenos Street Viaduct, Baltų Avenue. (from Rasytės St. to Panerių St.) and others.

A total of 75 thousand. euros.

In total, Kaunas spent about 306,000 LTL on festive Christmas events and city decorations last year. EUR, this year the preparation is to spend a little less – about 273 thousand. euros.