1. KAZIUKO MUGE ONE BACKGROUND PHOTO (LITHUANIAN FESTIVAL) KAZUIKO MUGE

2. INTRODUCTION…….  KAZIUKO MUGE IS A LARGE ANNUAL FOLK ARTS AND CRAFTS FAIR DATING TO THE BEGINNING OF THE 17 TH CENTURY. IT WAS ORIGINALLY HELD AT THE TWO MAIN MARKETS IN VINIUS, LITHUANIA, AS WELL AS IN THE CITY STREETS. THE FAI IS TRADITIONALLY HELD ON THE SUNDAY NEAREST TO SAINT CASIMIR”S DAY. IN LITHUANIAN, KAZIUKIO MUGE MEANS “LITTLE CASIMIR”S” FAIR.THIS FAIR ALSO FEATURES MUSIC AND DANCE.IT ATTRACTS THOUSANDS OF VISITORS AND MANY CRAFTSMEN FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AS WELL AS FROM NEIGHBOURING STATES.

3. THE FAIR SPECIALITIES……. Palm" bouquets (called "verbos", hence Verbų sekmadienis) are one of the fair's specialties. Made of colourful dried flowers and herbs, they are taken to churches on Palm Sunday. The shape of the "palms" resembles a lily, a flower which St. Casimir is traditionally associated with.Verbų sekmadienisflowersherbsPalm SundaylilySt. Casimir Another popular product at the fair is the "muginukas", an often heart-shaped honey cookie, decorated with colored sugar flowers, zig- zags, dots, and birds. Popular men's and women's names are written on the cookies. People buy them to give to their loved ones. It is a customary tradition to bring back some cookies for anyone who had to remain at home. [ Palm" bouquets (called "verbos", hence Verbų sekmadienis) are one of the fair's specialties. Made of colourful dried flowers and herbs, they are taken to churches on Palm Sunday. The shape of the "palms" resembles a lily, a flower which St. Casimir is traditionally associated with.Verbų sekmadienisflowersherbsPalm SundaylilySt. Casimir Another popular product at the fair is the "muginukas", an often heart-shaped honey cookie, decorated with colored sugar flowers, zig- zags, dots, and birds. Popular men's and women's names are written on the cookies. People buy them to give to their loved ones. It is a customary tradition to bring back some cookies for anyone who had to remain at home. [

4. LOCATION …  The pavilions of the fair occupy streets and squares in the Old Town of Vilnius. They begin in Gediminas Avenue, traverse Cathedral Square, and branch out into Pilies Street, B. Radvilaitės Street, passing St. Anne's Church, and the Orthodox Cathedral of the Theotokos, and into the Tymas' Quarter on the left bank of Vilnia River near Užupis. Old Town of VilniusGediminas AvenueCathedral SquarePilies StreetB. RadvilaitėsSt. Anne's ChurchOrthodoxCathedral of the TheotokosVilnia RiverUžupisOld Town of VilniusGediminas AvenueCathedral SquarePilies StreetB. RadvilaitėsSt. Anne's ChurchOrthodoxCathedral of the TheotokosVilnia RiverUžupis  In recent years the fair has also been held in Kaunas on the Laisvės alėja and Town Hall Square. Similar festivals are also held inHrodna, Belarus, the city where St. Casimir died, as well as in some cities in Poland following the fall of Communism in Poland. KaunasLaisvės alėjaTown Hall SquareHrodnaBelarusPolandKaunasLaisvės alėjaTown Hall SquareHrodnaBelarusPoland