As the great Regina George once said, “on Wednesdays, we wear pink”, but in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, for three straight days, the city will be taken over by a joyful explosion of the colour. And no, the festival origins don’t come from Lithuania’s love of Mean Girls, but instead is a celebration of the traditional cold pink beetroot soup, šaltibarščiai.
Next Spring, from 29-31 May, the whole city will be transformed into a pink paradise, and the best bit is you can fly there from London without breaking the bank.
What can I expect from the Vilnius Pink Soup Festival?
Apart from the pink takeover, the festival is a celebration of food and community. Over 93,000 people gathered for this year’s festivities, with many dressed in pink from head to toe.
There is also a Pink Soup Parade where dancers, stilt walkers, marching bands, and even the occasional pet donning a pink ribbon mingle side by side. The fun continues with a pink soup walking challenge and pink waiters run, where people race through the streets of Vilnius, trying to balance bowls of the famous soup, while trying not to spill a single drop!
Of course, the soup is the real star of the show. Restaurants will serve šaltibarščiai, whose ingredients include beets, kefir, cucumber, dill, and boiled eggs. Some restaurants even give a twist to the traditional recipe.
How to get to Vilnius from London
With over 2,000 Brits having attended the festival earlier this year, Vilnius is upping the ante for 2026. You can get a direct flight from London Stansted, London City and Luton airports. Flights run a few times a week from these airports and if you get in there early you can snag yourself a flight for under £50.
Find out more about Vilnius here.