“The Adventures Continue” Literary Festival for Families

The “Adventures Continue” International Children’s Literature Festival is a unique and one-of-a-kind ongoing educational event of its kind in Lithuania, held outdoors and designed for children ages 0–12 and their families. Since 2018, the festival, organised in Anykščiai, has not only become an important tradition, attracting families from all over Lithuania and abroad every year, but has also been recognised as a traditional festival by the Anykščiai District Municipality.

Over the past nine years, the festival has grown into a major children’s literature event in the country that showcases literature through various art forms, strengthening collaboration among libraries, publishers, creators, and organisations that promote a culture of reading. In 2027, the festival will be revitalised by encouraging the discovery of literature through connections with other art forms; this year, the Festival Children’s Council will begin its work - the target audience itself will contribute to the creation of the festival. In today’s society, where children are confronted daily with intense flows of information and digital entertainment, it is particularly important to create a high-quality space for exploring literature and encouraging reading, as well as to provide a space for children to develop their relationship with literature through experience.

The “Adventures Continue” festival addresses this need by presenting literature in various forms - through live meetings with contemporary Lithuanian and international authors, creative workshops, games, and interdisciplinary connections between literature and theatre, film, circus, dance, and the visual arts. The event helps develop reading skills, fosters an interest in literature, strengthens social ties and a sense of community, and contributes to positive changes in the field of education. The essence of the event is to make programs of high artistic value accessible to families and children and to increase access to professional art. Professionals and recognised creators are invited to participate in the festival; when selecting them, their creative quality, professional recognition, and suitability for a children’s audience are evaluated.

In 2027, the festival will be guided by the theme “Here, Books Come to Life,” which will emphasise that literature can be experienced in ways other than just reading. The festival will address themes of diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, with activities tailored to different age groups, experiences, and needs. The programme will place special emphasis on presenting and experiencing children’s literature through other art forms - theatre, circus, dance, music, animation, film, and more - thereby transforming literary works into theatrical, visual, and performative experiences. The festival will be built around creative workshops led by authors and illustrators, interactive educational activities, and book presentations. The festival experience will be diverse and interdisciplinary. 

The festival is focused on family interaction and fostering children’s creativity. Festival activities are free of charge and will take place in public spaces throughout the city of Anykščiai. The program is designed with the different stages of child development in mind - for audiences ranging from early childhood to preschool, elementary school, and older children. Special sensory education activities are organised for the youngest visitors (children aged 0–3), and activities are also planned for children with special needs. The programme will be enriched by national and international participants. The festival will feature meetings with Lithuanian and foreign authors and illustrators, educational sessions, picture book creation workshops, presentations by Lithuanian and foreign publishers, and educational activities organised by museums and libraries.

Lithuania. Tarptautinis vaikų literatūros festivalis „Nuotykiai tęsiasi“.