The national pride of Lithuania’s gastro scene – cold beetroot soup, or šaltibarščiai – is getting its own celebration. The first-ever Pink Soup Fest will sweep over Vilnius on June 10, Tourism and Business Development Agency Go Vilnius writes in a press release.
Šaltibarščiai is the cult-favourite dish of Lithuanian cuisine. Bright in colour and refreshing in taste, the dish combines unexpected ingredients like beetroot, cucumber, fresh dill, eggs, and kefir with a side of hot potatoes to create an unmatched burst of flavour.
The cold soup is featured heavily on Lithuanian menus during the heat waves and has been seeping into pop culture as well, turning up on clothes or in various snacks.
Since the cold beetroot soup is inseparable from the warm season in Lithuania and is one of the must-try for tourists, the festival will start the tradition of celebrating the beginning of the summer.
The occasion will bring together the members of the Vilnius community – restaurants, cafes, pubs, nightclubs, guides, businesses, performers, and many others.
Restaurants and cafes will offer special deals on the soup, inviting festivalgoers to try unique variations of the dish. Festival visitors will also have the chance to bring the šaltibarščiai scents home and feast their eyes on the soup-themed graffiti. One of the artistic highlights will be a mural of the pink soup by the artist Eglė Žvirblytė near Bernardine Garden in the heart of Vilnius.
Since the festival coincides with Vilnius’ 700th anniversary year, visitors will have the chance to soak up the festive atmosphere and visit other cultural events.
More information about the festival could be found here.
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