Lithuania's 300-year-old market, Kaziukas Fair, is probably the world’s best and most interesting outdoor market since the early 1700s! This market takes normally place the first weekend in March each year. But also during the rest of the year Vilnius Old Town is an attractive shopper's paradise, with prices people from the west could only dream about... 

We went there today, and who didn’t we meet!

I wanted to find out how genuine the Kaziukas Fair really is, so I went there today with my 13-year old Norwegian-Lithuanian daughter Cassandra (13) who speaks Lithuanian fluently. We met some fantastic people that we now will introduce you to:  

IRENA FROM PALANGA

Irena has been running more than 300 kilometres with her van, from the seaside town of 

Palanga to Vilnius, to offer smoked fish to the market visitors.

JUSTINA AND PAULIUS FROM VILNIUS

This pair produces wooden toys from their workshop in Vilnius. Genuine, made of real wood! Plastic? What‘s that?

ONUTĖ FROM PRIENAI

Cakes, pies, cakes ... Onutė and her family bakes all year. Throughout the year they are very much excited about the fact that in March every year they will go to Vilnius to introduce their last year's pastries...

ZOFETA FROM VILNIUS

Zofeta has Polish background. So even if it is an old Lithuanian custom to make verbas (Palm Sunday flowers) from the twigs of certain trees and bushes, I think it’s fair to say that this is more of a Polish tradition. The custom has been passed down from ancient times, when people believed in the magic power of some plants to revive the earth after winter to give people health, and to protect them from disasters. Later this custom as reinterpreted and came to signify Christ’s entry into Jerusalem, as described in the Gospel. In any case, here she is, Zofeta, at the Kaziukas Fair 2011!

BEATA AND EGLĖ FROM VILNIUS

These two beautiful girls are doing their very best to feed the visitors to the market.

AUŠRA FROM MARIJAMPOLĖ

Ausra and her Marijampolė family are using very much of the year to make baskets of all kinds. And here she is, ready to convince YOU to buy at least one of her creations. How could you resist?

JONAS FROM VILNIUS

Jonas is a character of his own. He works with the ‘Lithuanian Folk Artist’s Society’, all year around carving, preparing  wood sculptures, music instruments, toys and more....

AUDRIUS FROM SKUODO REGION

Never heard about Mosėdis? The village where Audrius lives, mostly in his blacksmith cottage, producing art and very useful tools for people who come to visit the Kaziukas Fair every year. Hey, Mosėdis is a unique place on Earth, not far away from Klaipeda, well known for its very special stone collection. The village’s museum and impressive outdoor stone collection were initiated by a person with the name Vaclovas Intas and have since expanded all over the town. The town also features a baroque catholic church of 18th century, and Audrius is a famous son of his hometown!!