29.03.15

We invite you to the festival "In the middle of woods"


Initiative group of Baltic Environmental Forum, Gamtoje.org, together with the Directorate of Dzūkija National park organize the traditional crane counting event- festival “In the middle of the woods” in the area around Čepkeliai on the 10-12th of April.

Festival could stand in one line with the best summer festivals having all needed attributes: sleeping in the tent village, amazing concert program (line-up) – hooting owls, trumpeting cranes, rustling forest and flowing water. At the festival many activities and experiences in the natures are waiting for you: market of traditional farmers’ handicraft, footprint tracking hike, treasure searching games for children, self cognition seminars, excursions to the legendary marsh of Čepkeliai and surely the crane counting in the night. During the festival some local goods and delicacies could be bought at the local market.
This year organizers also offer the extended program Pažintis su šilinių dzūkų gyvenimu“ (“Acquaintance with the lifestyle of people from the region of pinewoods”)  for those who would like to escape from the city and come to Dzūkija before the main program of the festival starts.  From Friday evening, the 10th, together with the local farmers we will immerse you in the entertainment that can be found only in this region. Namely, it is the baking of traditional buckwheat cake, nighttime hiking, preparation of heating smoke sauna and many more undiscovered experiences. The festival will also symbolically announce the start of the new touristic season in Dzūkija National park. A detailed description of the activities can be found here: www.gamtoje.org.

On the main day of the festival (on Saturday) Gamtoje.org team invite to start by learning how to recognize the footprints of the animals. This is dedicated to the whole family. While hiking through the forest, people will be able peacefully explore the nature, search for the signs of animal presence, will try to find and read the stories of animals on the sand, mosses and on the trees.  Visitors can also observe the changes of the nature and perceive the processes happening in the environment around us. The route and information provided is also suitable for children. The elixir of strength and rest in the quiet forest will give energy to finish the route.

The ticket to the main events – 10 EUR. Registration is neccessary, number of tickets is limited (mostly due to control of negative impact to environment). „This event should bring some benefit to the local community. That would be malicious just to explore the beauty of this place and leave nothing but rubbish. Therefore, the onsumption of the local production is a key feature of the festival and the symbolic fee is a gratitude for the time spend organizing this event”– says the specialists from Baltic Environmental Forum.


Organizers encourage everyone to travel to the festival by choosing responsibly- take a train or a bike. Festival friends „Lithuanian Railways“ will give 20% discount on 10-12th of April on the route Vilnius – Marcinkonys- Vilnius for those who have a special leaflet of event. Train is a comfortable environmentally friendly mean of transport that helps to minimize our CO2 emission. Everyone will also vote for the group of extreme lovers who are going to cycle to the festival. There is a prize waiting for them.

„By organizing the festival and also by other activities of Gamtoje.org we seek to help people to experience the nature, perceive its importance and to reflect what is the meaning of humans being in the nature.  The main perception is to explore nature slowly with no rush, by getting to know it and getting connected. Do you remember how a Little Prince tied to tame a fox? Everything here is very similar, if you want to understand the cycles of the nature, you should stay silent in the forest for a while, touch the mosses or to feel the surface of a tree bark, to taste wild strawberries, buckthorn and most necessarily to smell the nature in different time of the year- tells Rita Norvaišaitė, a specialist of communication from Baltic Environmental Forum.

Festival „Vidur girių“ (“In the middle of the woods”) is being organized for the second time. Previous year it got some attention– there were around 100 participants in crane counting.

We kindly invite you to take a part in these events and start making a connection with the nature surrounding us.


The programme of the event

Presentation of special programme (in PDF); flyer

Registration to the festival

Registration to the special programme of the festival .


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