Vilnius, LITHUANIA (AP) 鈥� A festival honoring brought tens of thousands of visitors Saturday to its capital city, which was fully decked out in pink.
The colorful three-day Vilnius Pink Soup Fest featured a synchronized 鈥淧ink Break鈥� lunch of revelers from across the globe all sharing in the , known as 拧altibar拧膷iai, sitting at long tables. Organizers estimated that more than three metric tons (6,614 lbs) of the fermented milk drink kefir, a key ingredient, would be consumed over the three days and more than 100,000 people would attend the event.
Lithuanians devour the refreshing soup during the Baltic country’s short summer. Beside beets and kefir, the ingredients include boiled potatoes, eggs, cucumbers and dill.
The festival attracted an international crowd, including tourist Connor Holmes, who came from the United Kingdom after he found the event online and thought “it was completely ridiculous in the best possible way.”
鈥淏efore I knew it, I was building a suit of pink knight armor, carrying a spoon instead of a sword, and decorating my shield with eggs, dill and potatoes,鈥� he said. 鈥淎t that point, coming to Vilnius and seeing all this craziness myself felt like the next logical step.鈥�
The city transformed into a giant pink playground as tourists and locals alike dressed up in pink. Others celebrated in cucumber, egg and beet costumes as the city hosted a parade on land as well as along the Neris River.
Jolanta 沤ukien臈, a teacher from Vilnius, said this year was her fourth time attending the festival. She brought her three children and her husband along on Saturday.
鈥淚 can see how the number of attractions and visitors from abroad is growing, and Vilnius is becoming a real magnet for everyone who loves good food and unique experiences,鈥� she said.
The festival is part of the city’s efforts to increase tourism to the Baltic country.
鈥淟ooking at the crowds on the banks and the decorated boats, we joked that cold beet soup already dominates both land and water,” said Dovil臈 Aleksandravi膷ien臈, director of Go Vilnius, the city’s development agency. “Perhaps the air is next.鈥�
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
