Arena Market: Lithuania

There are two main options for international events passing through Lithuania, located less than 70 miles apart – Vilnius’s Twinsbet Arena (formerly the Avia Solutions Group Arena) and the Žalgirio Arena in Kaunas.

With configurations ranging from 3,000 to 20,000, the latter is the country’s biggest arena and has the event schedule to prove it. “Every year, we manage to bring at least one new international A-lister not yet seen on our stage or region, and the total number of acts is also growing,” says events manager Mantas Vedrickas. “Our attendance numbers are also growing yearly.”

They have 150 events already booked for the next 12 months – including Sting, J Balvin, and the Vienna Mozart Orchestra – for which they’ve sold over 800,000 tickets. Add in sports, like this year’s European Figure Skating Championships, and it’s easy to see why Vedrickas describes the events industry as “booming.”

The number of live concerts and shows is up by around 10% this year, with ticket prices growing yearly; attendance for traditional sports is increasing year-on-year by 15%. “Our main challenge is to show the world that Lithuania is capable of bringing and hosting A-list events, completely sell out venues, and accommodate thousands of visiting fans,” adds Vedrickas. “We are convincing promoters to squeeze in Kaunas when visiting Poland, Sweden, or other nearby markets.”

“Our main challenge is to show the world that Lithuania is capable of bringing and hosting A-list events, completely sell out venues, and accommodate thousands of visiting fans”

To this end, they’ve made considerable improvements of late, such as QR-code-based digital menus, with online ordering and seat delivery option – “It’s increased catering AOV by nearly 30%,” says Vedrickas – implementing reusable cups and urban beekeeping on the roof.

Improvements have been somewhat more substantial at the Twinsbet Arena, which reopened last summer after an extensive refurbishment – upgrades included the arena’s acoustics, innovative LED parquet screens designed for sports events, and enhancements to lounges, entertainment arenas, and the food and beverage experience.

“Since our reopening, we have achieved some of the most impressive results in our operational history,” says booking manager Guoda Domeikienė. “Looking ahead, we anticipate sustained growth in technological advancements, as well as an increase in the number of events hosted and revenue generated.”

She notes that more and more Lithuanian artists are choosing to tour and play in the arena, which can be configured from 400 seated all the way up to 13,500, but international artists also “reach their planned numbers without any problems.” The World of Hans Zimmer, Tre Voci, and Loreen are all scheduled to play in 2024.

The Švyturio Arena is another option for promoters.

Primarily a sports arena, it can nonetheless hold 7,450 fans for concerts and events. This year’s annual Super Show features 2 Unlimited, Vengaboys, and Cascada.