By Rūta Ribačiauskienė, LRT TV, LRT.lt.
Mushroom hunters collected more than 250 kilograms of fungi during the annual mushroom-picking championship in the village of Zervynos, Varėna District, organisers said, marking a tenfold increase from last year.
Thirty teams took part in the competition, the highest number in recent years. According to the rules, each team must have four participants, though this year organisers allowed some exceptions. Over three hours, competitors gathered 277 kilograms of edible mushrooms, compared with only 25 kilograms in 2024.
The top prize went to the Dzūkuciai team from Marcinkonys, who collected 44 kilograms, mostly chanterelles, russulas and boletes. “It was a challenge to pick everything. We came back soaked, sweating, exhausted. But the forest gave us plenty,” said team member Sigitas. One of the largest finds, a porcini, weighed 220 grams.
Among the competitors was the oldest participant, 84-year-old local resident Stasė, who said she cannot imagine life without the forest. “If I miss even a single day, I feel unwell,” she said in the Dzūkian dialect.
Beyond mushroom hunting, participants enjoyed demonstrations of local crafts, concerts, and community gatherings. The event concluded with Varėna’s traditional Mushroom Festival, drawing crowds with folk songs, dancing, culinary heritage, and artisans’ fairs.
Read more: LRT.LT
