Lithuanian Festival _ by the Lithuanian Consulate

In celebration of Lithuania’s presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2013, the Lithuanian Embassy in Washington and the Honorary Consulate of Pennsylvania are pleased to present 13 events of the Lithuanian Festival 2013.

Contemporary Lithuanian Children’s Book Illustration Exhibit

Date: All September

Location: Friends Select School, 17th and Benjamin Franklin Parkway

Cost: Free admission

Special Instructions: Hours: Weekdays 9 AM – 5 PM; Saturdays 11 AM – 3 PM and by appointment: 215.561.5900 or contact Lynda Greenwade Thorp [email protected]

Contemporary Lithuanian Children’s Book Illustration features the work of 11 international award-winning illustrators, entertaining for all cultures and ages.

Cinematic Inclusions: Documentary Films from 20th Century Lithuania

Date: Thursday, September 19, 7 PM

Location: International House Philadelphia, 3701 Chestnut Street

Cost: Free admission, RSVP required at www.ihousephilly.org

The seven short films that comprise Cinematic Inclusions are highlights of 20th century award-winning Lithuanian documentary cinema, all celebrating everyday heroes and everyday life.

Bishop John J. McIntyre Visits St. Andrew’s Lithuanian Church

Date: Sunday, September 22, 10:30 AM Lithuanian Mass, reception to follow

Location: 19th and Wallace Streets

Cost: Free admission, all faiths welcome

St. Andrew’s Lithuanian Roman Catholic Church was established in 1924.  With Father Peter Burkauskas as pastor, the church now serves the greater Philadelphia Lithuanian American community as well as Roman Catholics in the Art Museum area.

Living Foods Workshop

Date: Saturday, October 26, Noon to 3 PM

Location: Loreta’s Living Foods, 1291 Wisteria Drive, Malvern

Cost: $75 per person; reservations required, call 610.648.0241 or email [email protected]

The modern day living foods movement was founded by the late, Lithuanian born Ann Wigmore, and is growing in popularity around the world.  Main Line resident Loreta Vainius is one of the foremost authorities today on the living foods lifestyle, and teaches internationally about organic, raw, fermented, and sprouted living foods.

“Mugė” Lithuanian Community Fair

Date: Saturday, November 2, Noon to 9 PM & Sunday, November 3, Noon to 6 PM

Location: Lithuanian Music Hall, 2715 East Allegheny Avenue

Cost: Tickets can be purchased at the door, $5 adults and children under 12 free; for info, call 215.739.4831

The annual "Mugė" Lithuanian Community Fair is organized by the Lithuanian American Community and features vendors selling handmade memorabilia, traditional savories and sweets, live music, and games for children.

Lithuanian Dinner with Guest Chef Michael Laiskonis

Date: Wednesday, November 6.  Reservations accepted from 5 PM to 10 PM

Location: Sbraga, 440 South Broad Street

Cost: $75 per person for 5 course prix fixe; reservations required, please call: 215.735.1913

Award winning chefs join creative forces to present a Lithuanian inspired contemporary menu. Kevin Sbraga of the eponymous Sbraga restaurant welcomes guest chef Michael Laiskonis.

Contemporary Lithuanian Photography Lecture by Eglė Deltuvaitė

Date: Thursday, November 7, 6 PM

Location: The Print Center, 1614 Latimer Street

Cost: Free and open to the public; reservations can be made by contacting Eli VandenBerg at 215.735.6090 x1 or [email protected]

Lithuania has a vibrant and flourishing photographic culture, embodying European sensibilities of inclusiveness and experimentation, and Eglė Deltuvaitė is one of the foremost photography experts in Lithuania. This is the first time that this lecture on Lithuanian photography will be given in the US.

Lithuanian Cooking Class with Michael Laiskonis

Date: Thursday, November 7, 7 PM

Location: COOK, 253 South 20th Street

Cost: $145 per person (includes class, dinner, and beverage pairings); reservations required and can be made online at www.audreyclairecook.com or 215.735.COOK

Philadelphia’s premier cooking school COOK, in partnership with Philadelphia Magazine and FOOBOOZ, welcomes international award winning chef Michael Laiskonis as a special guest chef preparing and sharing a Lithuanian inspired dinner.  Menu: Borscht, Traditional and “Deconstructed”; Herring with Smoked Potato, Pickled Parsnip and Carrot; Savory Lamb Dumpling “Cepelinai”; Poppy Seed Beignet “Spurgos” with Huckleberry, Crème Fraiche Sorbet

The Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show featuring Lithuanian Guest Artists

Date: Thursday, November 7, and Friday, November 8, 11 AM to 9 PM; Saturday, November 9, 10 AM to 6 PM; Sunday, November 10, 10 AM to 5 PM

Location: The Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch Street

Cost: Tickets in advance, online at www.pmacraftshow.org; and at the door $15 per person

The Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show is one of the largest and most highly regarded professional craft shows in the world. Alongside 195 of the finest American artists, this year, for the first time, 23 Lithuanian international award-winning artists will exhibit their work.  This is the first time a show of Lithuanian crafts and design of this scope has been presented in the United States.  Lithuanian Artists: in ceramics: Daiva Ložytė, Nomeda Marčėnaitė, Dainius Strazdas, Rūta Šipalytė; in textiles: “Baltos Kandys“ or “White Moths” Artistic Group Danguolė Brogienė, Severija Inčirauskaitė-Kriaunevičienė Indra Dovydėnaitė; in jewelry: Ugnė Blažytė and Danas Tamašauskas, Laura Dailidėnienė, Tadas Deksnys, Ingrida Didika, Darijus Gerlikas, Sandra Malaškevičiūtė, Šarūnė Vaitkutė and Dainius Narkus; in glass: Viktoras Dailidėnas, Remigijus Kriukas, Lina Austė; in leather: Virginija Dalia, Marija Šaulauskaitė, Aušra Petroškienė; in paper: Klaidas Navickas; in furniture: Indra Marcinkevičienė

Handcrafted Beer Tasting

Date: Friday, November 8, 7 PM to 8:30 PM

Location: The Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch Street

Cost: $45 per person, includes admission to the Craft Show, advance reservations required and can be made online at www.pmacraftshow.org or call 215.684.7930

Join in the ultimate beer aficionado experience.  Don Russell (aka Joe Sixpack), Executive Director of Philly Beer Week, freshly returned from a beer tour of Lithuania, has curated local and Lithuanian brews that cannot be found together anywhere!

Kestutis Vaiginis Quintet Lithuanian Jazz Concert

Date: Friday, November 8, 5:45 PM to 6:45 PM & 7:15 PM to 8:15 PM

Location: The Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway

Cost: Free with museum admission (museum admission: $20 for adults, $18 for seniors (65+), $14 for students (with valid ID) and youth (ages 13-18), free for members and children (12 and under); tickets can be purchased at the museum

Kęstutis Vaiginis is arguably one of the most talented internationally applauded jazz musicians of his generation, playing soprano and tenor saxophones as well as the flute. Playing in his quintet are David Berkman, piano; Alex Sipiagin, trumpet; Ed Howard, bassist; and McClenty D. Hunter Jr., drums.

Meet the Artists

Date: Saturday, November 9, 7:30 PM to 10 PM

Location: The Lithuanian Consulate, 410-412 16th Street

Cost: $20 per person, advance reservations required and attendance is limited (no tickets sold at the door), please contact [email protected] or call 610.496.8146

The Lithuanian American Community of Philadelphia is pleased to welcome the 23 acclaimed artists from Lithuania who are exhibiting at the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show.  These artists serve as cultural ambassadors for their country, and are feted this evening for their extraordinary dedication and achievements. 

Lithuanian Jewish Heritage Symposium

Date: Sunday, November 10, Noon to 5 PM

Location: National Museum of American Jewish History, 101 S. Independence Mall East

Cost: Free and open to the public, reservations required and can be made by contacting [email protected] or calling 202.234.5860

This conference offers insights into Lithuanian Jewish culture, seeks to throw light on losses during World War II, and attempts to assess conditions for preserving and reviving Jewish heritage in today’s Lithuania and among Lithuanian Jews worldwide. This event is organized by the Lithuanian Embassy, the Israeli Consulate, the American Jewish Committee and the National Museum of American Jewish History. Scholars from Lithuania and the USA will be presenting.