The Pinkest Festival – Vilnius Pink Soup Fest Confirms Milestone 2027 Anniversary Edition
After attracting a record crowd of more than 176,000 visits over three days and turning the Lithuanian capital pink for a fourth consecutive year, Vilnius Pink Soup Fest announces plans for an even bigger and bolder fifth-anniversary celebration in 2027.
The record-breaking Vilnius Pink Soup Fest took over the Lithuanian capital, welcoming more than 176,000 visits this weekend for a city-wide celebration of Lithuania’s iconic cold beetroot soup, šaltibarščiai.
Opening the cooler Nordic summer of long and warm days, the 2026 festival delivered its most intense and playful program so far, with the city fully embracing the pink takeover across streets, venues and public spaces. Around 35,000 visitors from abroad were able to participate in the Pink Parade held on water, the signature costume competition, a giant four-storey tall pink slide, and culinary interpretations spread throughout Vilnius.
While this year’s pink celebrations have only just come to an end, organisers have already confirmed the dates for next year. The 2027 edition of Vilnius Pink Soup Fest will take place on May 28–30, returning on its traditional last-weekend-of-May slot, and symbolizing the beginning summer season in Lithuania. As always, the main festival day will be Saturday, 29 May.
Across the city, the scale of the festival was reflected in 355 mapped locations offering šaltibarščiai-themed food, activities and events, who all embraced the pink-ification with fun decorations of their own. Even the TV tower and Bank of Lithuania turned pink for the occasion.
Food trucks stationed around the White Bridge alone used more than 4 tonnes of kefir, which was the main ingredient for almost 6.5 tonnes of šaltibarščiai that city residents and guests were enjoying throughout the weekend.
Nearly 16,000 people dressed in pink took part in the 10.5 km IKI Pink Soup Walking Competition across the city alongside more than 600 pets. Later, participants exchanged their steps for almost 50,000 fruits, and other ingredients used to make Lithuania's iconic cold soup, including 4,000 cucumbers, 2,000 beets, and 4,000 bundles of dill. The oldest walker was a 93-year-old local man, proving the festival's appeal spans generations.
A signature event - Best Pink Soup Costume Contest attracted participants from the UK, Germany, France, and Latvia, snagging prizes in different categories.
“I’d been meaning to visit Vilnius for years, so when I heard there was a festival dedicated to bright pink soup, it felt like the perfect excuse,” said Angus from Hampshire, who participated in the costume competition with a handmade costume. “I thought I could either turn up dressed normally or dressed as soup, and one option was clearly more entertaining. The best part was how welcoming everyone was – the whole city felt involved. I spent most of the weekend wandering around Vilnius in costume, which is probably the best way to see such a beautiful city. And the soup itself? Genuinely delicious.”
Across the city, transport was also taken over by pink, as the specially branded Pink Soup Train and Pink Bus were bringing visitors to the temporarily renamed “Pink Railway Station.” Vilnius Airport also joined the celebrations and was welcoming travelers as “Vilnius Pinkternational Beetport.” The playful Pink Train connection will continue operating until August 30.
Vilnius Pink Soup Train © Go Vilnius
On the same weekend, Vilnius also hosted a concert by the British singer Lewis Capaldi, who couldn’t ignore the city’s pink takeover during his show. Reacting to Vilnius Pink Soup Fest from the stage, he joked: “Why didn’t anyone tell me it was Vilnius Pink Soup Fest… If I’d only known I wouldn’t have worn all black!”
The 2027 edition will also mark a major milestone for the festival as it celebrates its fifth anniversary. Although program details will be revealed closer to the event, organisers promise a special anniversary edition featuring new experiences, larger-scale activations and plenty of surprises as Vilnius prepares for its pinkest celebration yet.
“In just four years, Vilnius Pink Soup Fest has grown far beyond food – it has become part of how Vilnius welcomes summer and how people experience the city. Today, it is one of the highlights of our tourism calendar, and the fifth anniversary gives us an opportunity to think even bigger. In 2027, visitors can expect our most ambitious edition yet, bringing together everything the festival has come to represent – from art and music to sport, community initiatives and business engagement,” says Eglė Girdzijauskaitė, Head of Communications at “Go Vilnius”.
With momentum building after its most successful edition to date, organisers are encouraging city citizens and guests to secure their calendars early for 2027, when Vilnius will once again turn pink for a milestone anniversary celebration.
