Nuo ekskursijų muziejuje panakčiais iki šiurpaus vakarėlio kepykloje – kasmet Kaunas Helovyną ir Vėlines pasitinka vis išradingiau.
From late-night museum tours to a creepy party in a bakery, it seems that every year Kaunas’s cultural, leisure, and foodie spots get more creative for Halloween and All Souls’ Day. We’ve mapped out a route for the end of October and the start of November, and it looks like you’ll need to saddle up your broom to catch it all!
Cultured Ghosts
At your leisure, you can visit several exhibitions in Kaunas that explore dark, complex, and even spooky themes.
The Lithuanian Education Museum is hosting “Spooky Nights” on October 29th and November 5th, where its new exhibition “DŪZZZGĖS” will turn into a true kingdom of nightmares. In the dark, pierced by flashes of light, you’ll come face-to-face with scorpions, monster spiders, and even seemingly innocent African snails.
On October 29th, the Juozas Gruodis house (part of Kaunas City Museum) opens its “Memento Mori” exhibition, a reminder of human mortality. For just ten days, it will display items connected to the deaths of famous 20th-century Lithuanian musicians. For the first three evenings, visitors registered in advance can even join special tours in complete darkness.
Meanwhile, the Maironis Lithuanian Literature Museum is hosting two exhibitions about exile, persecution, and the legendary “Forest of the Gods”.
At the “Stumbras” factory and other locations in Kaunas, the Kaunas Biennial’s “Life after Life” exhibition explores, among other topics, the haunting transformations of the planet and everyday life. The “Spectral Drift” contemporary art exhibition at the Kaunas Picture Gallery has plunged the entire space into a ghostly blue twilight.
For those who want to face real historical dilemmas, the Kaunas Ninth Fort Museum offers an exhibition on Lithuanian partisans, exploring themes of conscience, betrayal, and death.
The National Kaunas Drama Theatre has an offer for those not ready to let go of the All Souls’ vibe. Polish director-provocateur Jakub Skrzywanek is staging Adam Mickiewicz’s classic, “Forefathers’ Eve” (“Dziady”, or “Lietuviškos Vėlinės”). Here, the ghosts are from our own history: wars, occupations, and aggression that, according to the director, have turned our land into one big grave. Although the premiere is at the end of November, we recommend grabbing your tickets for this modern social ritual now.
Thirsty for blood? Or perhaps willing to share some? The “Romuva” cinema has an unusual deal for Halloween: during the day on October 31st, you can do a good deed and donate blood, and in the evening, you can dive into a story about those who crave it eternally. A screening of the cult classic “Interview with the Vampire” awaits, where Kirsten Dunst, Brad Pitt, and Tom Cruise will prove that immortality is no gift. Before the film, there’ll be vampiric fun and themed bingo, so come early.
For another dose of cinematic terror, the KINFO cinema club “Pamatyk kine” has you covered. On October 30th and 31st at “Forum Cinemas”, they are screening the found-footage nightmare that is “The Blair Witch Project” and the wild, vampire-infested collaboration from Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, “From Dusk Till Dawn”.
Also on October 31st, the “Cinamon” cinema is waiting for horror-minded film fans, though they’re keeping their programme under lock and key… but they promise it will go late into the night.
For the Feed
Looking for the perfect backdrop for a spooky selfie? Brastos Skveras has taken this very seriously, setting up an entire horror town on the banks of the Neris river. You’ll find over 20 themed rooms, a giant maze where getting lost is both scary and photogenic, and special challenges for the brave. After all the screaming and photo ops, you can refuel at the street food area.
If the city limits feel a bit too snug for your fears, it’s time to hop on your broom and fly towards Zapyškis, where a whole city of the dead, “DeadTown”, comes to life. Over 70 professional actors are waiting for you there. Add creepy labyrinths, catacombs, and artists’ murals to the mix, and you’ve got the setting for a Halloween photo shoot that will make all the dead (and the living) jealous.
What if you want the Halloween vibe without the heart attack? Or maybe your little monsters are still new to the whole pumpkin thing? “Farmland” park in Sergeičikai offers a safe bet: no scarers, just cosy decorations, hot tea, and sweets for those in costume. And if you plan on jumping on the bouncy castle, don’t forget warm socks—that’s probably the scariest requirement in the whole park.
Halloween on Mars? Sounds like a horror film, but at the “Vanduo Marse” amusement park, the horror is strictly kid-friendly. Instead of ghosts, you’ll find amazing performers from the Baltic Circus, fluffy bunnies to pet, a mystical witch’s hut, and creative pumpkin carving workshops.
A Taste of Darkness
On October 29th, the pub “Vingiu Dubingiu” invites you to a “Dark Tasting”. This isn’t just a tasting; it’s a magical ritual where you’ll discover how grain becomes body and how darkness reveals a drink’s soul. Five different dark elixirs await, giving you a chance to climb the highest peak of ABV. After all, they say the deepest flavours, like the darkest secrets, hide in the shadows.
Witches’ Dancefloor
Halloween at “Lemmy” club will be as heavy as you can handle. On October 31st, the stage will be shaken by progressive death metal virtuosos “Deathbringer” and atmospheric doom metal giants “Woe Unto Me”. The warm-up starts even earlier, on Wednesday, and it’s going to be devilishly hot with the first-ever Lithuanian performance by the original filthy black metal godfathers from the USA, “Profanatica”.
If you think bakeries are just for slow mornings with coffee, think again. The traditional “Bundu” Spooknight means you’ll be holding a dreadfully delicious pastry in one hand, a horribly tasty drink in the other, and your feet will be moving to the rhythm of a trusted DJ crew. It’s the perfect chance to unleash your inner character and get ready for a long night, because after that…
…the whole city heads to “Prisukamas Abrikosas” (The Wind-up Apricot). Yes, the legendary All Saints’ party is on. The epicentre of this mega-party with top-quality dance music will be the “Lizdas” bar area and the mysterious, winding dance floor of “Auditorija”. It will definitely go on until sunrise.
If you’re tired of the usual dance floors, it’s time to move to where there’s freezing cold under your feet. The Kaunas Ice Rink invites you to a traditional Halloween disco, where skates will carve the ice instead of shoes. Whether you glide like a graceful ghost or spin like a bat, the most important things are a great costume and a good mood.
On Saturday, November 1st, at “Auditorija”, the band “McLoud” will be urging everyone: “We invite all the dead to celebrate with us”. The concert will mark the end of an era for the band and will be a loud welcome to whatever comes next.
A Moment of Peace…
…of course, dressing up or going wild isn’t mandatory. You can remember those who have passed, whether close relatives or figures known only from books, stages, or screens, simply by visiting a cemetery. With a tour or on your own. It’s especially interesting to walk through Petrašiūnai Cemetery, where dozens of our country’s luminaries rest. Eiguliai Cemetery is just as fascinating, and it even has its own pantheon of circus artists.
In the very centre of Kaunas lies the Old Cemetery, now a park, where circling crows carry many mysterious stories. Some of these have inspired artworks. Look around, and you’ll see several murals on the surrounding buildings, commemorating events that happened right here.
And perhaps the most beautiful and kaunastic way to mark the occasion is the “River of Souls” on November 1st. For the 24th time, university students are inviting everyone to join this peaceful initiative. The path from the Laisvės Alėja fountain to the Soboras church will be lit by hundreds of sustainable LED candles, creating a symbolic river that connects the past with the present. It’s a chance for a quiet walk and a moment of reflection, accompanied by a lovely live concert at 6 PM.
You can catch more ideas for Halloween, All Souls’ Day, or other autumn occasions in Kaunas by stopping by the “Kaunas IN” tourist information centres at Laisvės al. 36 or Rotušės a. 15.
