Šiauliai celebrates its 788th birthday this weekend with a program that includes a wide range of entertainment, activities, games, and a concert by well-known performers. The event will culminate in an enchanting laser show on Saturday, just before midnight, following the concert “Šiauliai šviečia”.
This exceptional spectacle will transport the audience to a fantasy world where light, magical colors, and music come together. According to the organizers, the spectacular laser show will be the largest in Šiauliai’s history. The show will be gifted to the city by the festival’s general sponsor, Gubernija Brewery, which is celebrating its centenary alongside Šiauliai.
“Gubernija Brewery strives to create the best experiences for people and to provide them with inspiring moments. Next year, Gubernija will celebrate its 360th anniversary, so we invite you to celebrate together in advance with a laser show that the city has never seen before. The spectacular show will take us all into the future—into next year, when we will have even more opportunities to celebrate together,” says Mindaugas Bistrickas, Production Director of Gubernija.
The laser show will take place on the stage of Šiauliai City Central Park on 7 September at 11:30 p.m. According to the creators, more than 40 lasers will form various shapes and dynamic images out of the light streams on the stage, with the main highlight being the glowing symbolism of Šiauliai. The rhythm will be set by well-known pieces from world-famous artists.
Mindaugas Bistrickas notes that Gubernija has been and continues to be an active participant in the life of the city since time immemorial. Therefore, Šiauliai birthday celebration will be full of reminders of the oldest brewery in the country’s links with the city and the local community.
“Šiauliai is a city where history is alive. The fusion of arts, industry, manufacturing, and business has had a significant influence on the formation of Šiauliai’s identity. Historically, Šiauliai has been considered an industrial center since the 19th century. So I am very pleased that the synergy between culture and business is still maintained in the city today. The Gubernija factory is part of the city’s history and cultural heritage, symbolizing stability and continuous improvement. It is wonderful that the heritage, history, and experience of the oldest brewery in the country are shared with the population, that rich educational programs are organized, and that the cultural initiatives of the city are supported,” says the Director of Šiauliai Cultural Centre, Deimantė Bačiulė.
The festival’s general sponsor will engage the citizens of Šiauliai and guests in games, give away prizes and souvenirs, and share stories from both the brewery’s and the city’s common history, which spans over 360 years.
According to Bačiulė, “Šiauliai Days 788” is a great opportunity for everyone to celebrate the city’s achievements and learn about its rich history together. “At the same time, it is an opportunity to realize that everything we have now is the fruit of beautiful friendship, community, and hard work. The gift from the Gubernija factory shows that business is interested in the well-being of the city and is actively involved in its life. It is an invitation to rediscover Šiauliai, to take an interest in the city’s past, and to nurture a future where culture thrives,” adds the Director of the Šiauliai Cultural Centre.
“Together with the people of Šiauliai, we have been nurturing Gubernija for centuries, creating the history of the factory, and since 2021, when we opened the factory’s premises to visitors, Šiauliai citizens have been active participants at the factory’s Visitors’ Centre. We want the people of Šiauliai to feel how important it is for us to be part of the city community and to contribute to community gatherings,” notes Mindaugas Bistrickas.
