Only Kaunas and Klaipėda will stage official New Year’s Eve fireworks among Lithuania’s major cities this year, while Vilnius, Šiauliai and Panevėžys have opted for alternative celebrations, citing safety, environmental and animal welfare concerns.
Vilnius has replaced fireworks with video projections and a light show in Cathedral Square for the sixth consecutive year. City officials said the decision reflects a commitment to public safety, sustainability and animal welfare, especially as large crowds gather in the capital’s main square on New Year’s night.
“In the capital, we approach the New Year’s celebration creatively, caring for people’s health, the environment and animals,” Vice Mayor Simona Bieliūnė said. “Carelessly used fireworks in a crowded space can have very serious consequences.”
She urged residents and visitors to refrain from using personal fireworks.
Šiauliai, Lithuania’s fourth biggest town in the north of the country, has also abandoned fireworks, a decision made several years ago because of frequently unfavourable weather conditions. Mayor Artūras Visockas said alternative events have proven successful.
“There will be no mass fireworks, but an afterparty and a disco,” he told BNS, adding that the format has created “a great atmosphere without safety risks”.
The mayor also asked residents to keep personal fireworks away from mass gathering areas.
Panevėžys, the fifth biggest town in the country, has likewise ruled out fireworks for several years. City officials said the decision was taken consistently and remains unchanged.
“We cite residents’ safety, animal welfare and environmental protection,” Rūta Karčiauskienė, head of the town’s communications department, told BNS.
By contrast, Kaunas will stage a fireworks display accompanied by live music and dance performances in Town Hall Square. City officials said the show will be launched by professional pyrotechnicians.
“At midnight, the sky will be lit up by New Year’s fireworks,” said Agnė Augonė, head of the municipality’s culture department. She added that the display will cost the city about 5,000 euros.
Augonė urged residents not to use fireworks independently and to comply with safety rules if they do.
Klaipėda will also hold fireworks for the second year in a row, allocating a similar budget of about 5,000 euros. City officials said the decision was made at residents’ request.
“They are different fireworks – more expensive, but with less noise,” said Gintarė Butkienė, head of the municipality’s communications department.
Lithuania’s Environmental Protection Agency has warned that fireworks have a negative impact on health and the environment, significantly increasing noise levels and air pollution. The agency said children, older adults and people with chronic illnesses are particularly vulnerable, while domestic animals and wildlife also suffer from the noise and pollution.
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