Šiauliai is at its most pleasant from late May through September, when the streets are dry, the cafés have outdoor seating, and the long northern light makes evening walks worthwhile. July and August are usually warm, occasionally hot. Winter days are short, grey, and cold, and the Hill of Crosses, in deep snow with mist hanging around the crosses, is at its most atmospheric and least crowded.
The annual Šiauliai Days city festival is held in late September with concerts and street markets; Salduvė music festival in summer brings folk performers from across Lithuania.