Užgavėnės (Shrove Tuesday) in Rumšiškės

The Lithuanian holiday called Užgavėnės (Shrove Tuesday) has long been fascinating ethnographers and mythologists who claim that it features ancient rituals harking back to the heyday of the pagan era. It’s currently thought that Užgavėnės used to mark the victory of light over darkness, and the characters impersonated by the revellers to this day are symbolic of zodiac signs destined to save the sun, thereby inaugurating springtime. To be sure, we can’t be absolutely certain of this, for the holiday’s original meaning has now been lost to time. None of this, however, should prevent us from celebrating it! The best place to enjoy Užgavėnės and send off the hurriedly retreating winter in style is, undoubtedly, Rumšiškės. Here, you can take part in authentic rituals, watch the burning of Morė (a large winter effigy), play traditional games, and stuff yourself to the eyeballs with the most delicious pancakes. Spring must be welcomed loudly and, preferably, on a full stomach!