XXXVI International Literary Festival Druskininkai Poetic Fall 2025
The Soft Power of Poetry
PROGRAMME
October 1, Wednesday
| 18.00 | Presentation of the Druskininkai Poetic Fall Anthology Hosted by the anthology editors Vytas Dekšnys and Rimas Užgiris Vilnius Old Town Renewal Agency (4 Stiklių St., Vilnius) |
October 2, Thursday
| 14.00 | The Tour of Old Town, Vilnius (EN) Hosted by bouquiniste Jonas Juozas Valonis and publicist Zigmas Pakštaitis. |
| 18.00 | Opening of Hailji's painting exhibition "Blue Meditation of the Clocks" and presentation of the poetry book in Lithuanian "Blue Meditation of the Clocks | Swallows in My Drawer" (DPF Friends' Book Series, IV) Featured: Hailji (South Korea), Kerry Shawn Keys, translators Kornelijus Platelis, Rūta Burbaitė and others Hosted by Dominykas Norkūnas. Lithuanian Writers Union Great Hall (6 K. Sirvydo St., Vilnius) |
October 3, Friday
| 09.00 | Foreign guests and local poets depart to Druskininkai from the Lithuanian Writers Union (6 K. Sirvydo St., Vilnius) |
| 11.00 | Festival participant registration in Druskininkai “Dainava” Center (22 Maironio St., Druskininkai) |
| 13.45 | Opening of the festival. The Druskininkai Poetic Fall flag raising ceremony near ex-“Širdelė” café |
| 14.00 | Olesia Mamchych (Ukraine): Power of Poetry in the Face of War. Ukraine‘s case “Dainava” Center, Aušrinė Hall |
| 14.30 | Panel Discussion: The Soft Power of Poetry (EN / LT; Simultaneous translation) Moderator: Dalius Jonkus “Dainava” Center, Aušrinė Hall |
| 16.00 | Opening of Mantas Gimžauskas-Šamanas' poems and objects exhibition "Revolution" (LT) Curator: Tomas S. Butkus Coffee break Dainava center, lobby of the Aušrinė Hall |
| 16.30 | Presentation of poetry books published over the past year (LT) Hosted by Mantas Tamošaitis and Mantas Toločka “Dainava” Center, Saulė Hall The publishing houses will be presenting and selling their books. |
| 19.00 | Poetry Evening Featured poets: Raimonds Ķirķis (Latvia), Salome Benidze (Georgia), James Appleby (UK), Austėja Jakas (Lithuania), Birutė Jonuškaitė (Lithuania), Paul Jaskunas (USA), Mirjam Parve (Estonia), Alvydas Valenta (Lithuania) Hosted by Saulius Vasiliauskas and Eglė Ambrožaitė “Dainava” Center, Aušrinė Hall |
| 21.30 | Poetic Night: Readings of the Young Poets Featured poets: Saulė Marija Baškytė, Linas Daugėla, Irma Kungytė, Dominika Olicka, Akvilė Platakytė, Gediminas Plėšnys, Orestas Razumas, Verdenė Monika Valkiūnaitė, Deividas Varanius, Pijus Opera Vasiliauskas Hosted by Justina Žvirblytė Restaurant “Etno Dvaras” (55 M. K. Čiurlionio St., Druskininkai) |
| 23.00 | Open Mic Hosted by Donatas Petrošius Restaurant “Etno Dvaras” |
| 00.00 | Secret Readings by the Fire |
October 4, Saturday
| 10.00 | Meeting over coffee and an exhibition of Ričardas Šileika's postcards. „Vero Cafe“ (34 M. K. Čiurlionio St., Druskininkai) |
| 10.30 | Readings of Two Poems: One’s Own and A Favorite by Another Poet (no translation provided) Hosted by Dainius Gintalas and Ričardas Šileika M. K. Čiurlionis House-Museum (35 M. K. Čiurlionio St., Druskininkai) |
| 12.00 | Awarding of the Antanas Dambrauskas Prize for Poetry Translation Hosted by representatives of the Druskininkai Rotary Club By the Armchair of Antanas Dambrauskas (sculptor: Alfonsas Vaura) (4 Vytauto St., Druskininkai) |
| 14.00 | Creative Europe Programme VERSOPOLIS Poetry Readings Featured poets: Carmen Camacho (Spain) and Efe Duyan (Turkey / Latvia) Hosted by Dominykas Norkūnas “Dainava” Center, Saulė Hall |
| 15.00 | Young Poetry: Discussion (open only to participants of the Young Poets’ Readings) Hosted by Antanas A. Jonynas, Kornelijus Platelis, Justina Žvirblytė, Mantas Balakauskas “Dainava” Center, Perkūnas Hall |
| 16.00 | Afternoon of Poetry Featured poets: Anna Halberstadt (USA), Hailji (South Korea), Kerry Shawn Keys, Dovydas Grajauskas, Gintaras Grajauskas, Sara Poisson, Rūta Mikulėnaitė-Jonuškienė, Diana Paklonskaitė, Giedrė Kazlauskaitė, Mindaugas Nastaravičius, Pijus Opera Vasiliauskas, Kristina Tamulevičiūtė Hosted by Dainius Dirgėla “Dainava” Center, Saulė Hall |
| 19.00 | Festivities and Closing Poetry Evening Awarding of the Yotvingian and Young Yotvingian Prizes, the Antanas A. Jonynas Prize, and the Nemunas Magazine Prize Poetry Unites Us. Announcement of the anonymous poetry contest winners. Featured poets: Simonas Bernotas (Lithuania), Miłosz Biedrzycki (Poland), Erika Drungytė (Lithuania), Ariane von Graffenried (Switzerland), Mindaugas Kvietkauskas (Lithuania), Olesia Mamchych (Ukraine) Hosted by Uršulė Gedaitė and Alvydas Šlepikas “Dainava” Center, Aušrinė Hall |
| 21.00 | Poetic Auction: Happy Half-Hour. All money collected during the auction will be transferred as support to Ukraine Hosted by Simonas Bernotas and Austėja Jakas Restaurant “Etno Dvaras” (55 M. K. Čiurlionio St., Druskininkai) |
| 22.30 | Sand Radio Live music by Gintaras Grajauskas and Kęstutis Bublys (ex-Lithuanian blues-rock band Kontrabanda) Restaurant “Etno Dvaras” |
| 23.30 | Disco: Dancing Party Hosted by Pijus Opera and Dovydas Grajauskas Restaurant “Etno Dvaras” |
October 5, Sunday
| 11.00 | Bus departs for Vilnius from the “Dainava” Center |
| 18.00 | Final Poetry Evening: Readings by Festival Laureates and Foreign Guests Hosted by Rimas Užgiris and Justina Žvirblytė MO Museum (17 Pylimo St., Vilnius) |
Exhibitions
From October 1 to 10, the Lithuanian Writers' Union (6 K. Sirvydo St., Vilnius) will host Hailji's painting exhibition "Blue Meditations of the Clocks".
From October 13 to 21, the Lithuanian Writers' Union will host Mantas Gimžauskas-Šamanas' poems and objects exhibition "Revolution". Curator: Tomas S. Butkus.
Anonymous competitions
One poem;
One poem on the theme “Against the Current”;
Humorous poem on the theme “Let's Not Overestimate Poetry”.
Registration for events
Donatas Petrošius is registering participants for Friday’s “Open Mic”.
Dainius Gintalas and Ričardas Šileika are registering participants for Saturday’s “Readings of Two Poems: One’s Own and A Favorite by Another Poet” readings.
