White Tablecloth Day: 45 Minutes of All Užupis
The freest celebration of the Republic of Užupis: on the second day of Easter, someone covers tables by the Vilnelė with white tablecloths and all of Užupis briefly sits down to eat together. Held since 2000.
Credits: Užupis photo archive
White Tablecloth Day: 45 Minutes of All Užupis
Some celebrations have organisers, programmes and sponsors. White Tablecloth Day has none of that - and precisely for that reason it is the freest celebration in the Republic. On the second day of Easter, someone simply comes to the Vilnelė and covers the tables on the terrace with white tablecloths. Užupis itself takes care of the rest.
How It Happens
People bring what is left from the Easter table: painted eggs, wine, musical instruments. Passers-by sit down, sun and wind join on their own, and all of Užupis eats together - supposedly for only 45 minutes. Of course, that is not true: in reality, only night drives everyone away.
The celebration has no stage, invitations or tickets. It is enough to be there, sit down and share - exactly as the Constitution teaches. The first White Tablecloth Day took place on April 24, 2000; since then it has returned every year and become one of Užupis' most beloved traditions.
Place in the Year
White Tablecloth Day is a spring celebration soon after Independence Day and the Day of 100 Birds. It takes people from screens to a long shared table under the open sky - a simple but rare thing in a big city.
Further work: gather a photo archive year by year; record participants' memories of "who first spread the tablecloth"; mark the exact place by the Vilnelė on the map.
