New Date Announcement for the XVI Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival

After carefully consulting with our global dance group leaders, event performers, Temple University’s Liacouras Center, our hotel partners, and other vendors regarding the health and safety of our community – we have made the difficult decision to postpone the XVI Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival („Šokių Šventė”) that was scheduled to take place July 3-5, 2020 in Philadelphia.

Due to the overwhelming concerns regarding the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, this was the best way to proceed during such an unprecedented global situation.

In light of this, we are excited to announce the revised date of the XVI Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival, which will take place in Philadelphia during the August 6-8, 2021 weekend.

We appreciate your support and your patience as we have worked diligently to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved with Šokių Šventė. We would like to provide you with the following information about key aspects of Šokių Šventė.

The XVI Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival contributes to our sense of community, our sense of culture, and our sense of place – all of which will need fostering following the COVID-19 pandemic. Let us all bear in mind the joy and power we will have again of celebrating with friends, family and community at the XVI Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival on August 8, 2021 in Philadelphia. We are excited and look forward to seeing all of you in 2021!

Best regards,

The XVI Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival Organizing Committee

HOTELS

We have worked diligently with our hotel partners (Loews, Marriott Downtown, Hilton Garden Inn, and Residence Inn) to ensure that we will have the same number of rooms for our guests in 2021. Unfortunately, the hotels do not have the ability to carry over reservations from the original dates in 2020 to the new dates in 2021. Therefore, all hotel reservations made for the July 4, 2020 weekend, using the XVI Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival room block reservation reference (Loews, Marriott Downtown, Hilton Garden Inn, and Residence Inn), will be cancelled.

No action is required on your part to cancel your existing 2020 reservations that were made at hotels with the XVI Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival room block reference. New hotel room reservations will need to be made for next year’s August 6-8 event, and hotels and reservation availability will be announced in October 2020.

TICKETS (XVI Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival Performance)

Tickets purchased for the Sunday, July 5, 2020 performance at the Temple University Liacouras Center will remain valid, and they will be honored for entrance to the August 8, 2021 performance at the Liacouras Center. Ticket sales will continue, and can be purchased by calling the box office at 1-800-298-4200 or online at Festival Tickets.

Ticket refunds will only be issued upon request until December 18, 2020.  Credit card purchases will be automatically refunded. Patrons who paid with cash will need to go to the Liacouras box office with their tickets for refund (box office sales refunds will be accommodated via phone for the near term, because the box office is currently closed due to the pandemic). Note that ticket delivery fees are non-refundable. For ticket refunds please call:  1-800-298-4200.

TICKETS (Banquets)

Tickets purchased for the Sunday, July 5, 2020 Gala Banquet and Youth & Family Banquet will be honored for the Banquets that will be now held on Sunday, August 8, 2021. New Banquet ticket sale orders will be temporarily suspended until October 2020.

Existing ticket refunds will only be issued upon request until December 18, 2020. Banquet ticket refund requests can be submitted via email at:  info@sokiusvente2020.org.

DANCE GROUP REGISTRATIONS

Dance group registrations will carry forward to the 2021 XVI Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival. Specifics regarding group participant name lists, release forms, photos, etc. will be communicated separately to the individual dance group leaders.

DONATIONS & ADVERTISEMENTS

You, our generous donors, make this event a reality. All received donations and advertisements will be carried forward to support the rescheduled XVI Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival in August 2021. Donations to date were only at 60% of the fundraising goal, therefore, we continue to encourage all individuals, organizations and businesses to join our existing family of supporters with a tax deductible donation. Detailed donation information can be found at: sokiusvente2020.org/donate.