[1] The festival's programme includes lectures by folklorists and historians, workshops and demonstrations by artisans (blacksmiths, leatherworkers, weavers, jewellers, dyers and others), traditional rites, historical reenactments, art exhibitions, film screenings, hikes, sports competitions and folk dancing.

[6][7][8][9] The festival was initiated in 1997 as a spontaneous one-day gathering of several young people and their friends in Verbiškės village, Molėtai District, Lithuania, where it was organized biennially until 1999.

[2] In 2011 Mėnuo Juodaragis returned to Lake Zarasas and the 12th festival was dedicated to sutartinės, Lithuanian ancient polyphonic singing.

That year Mėnuo Juodaragis took place on an island in Dūburys Lake, Zarasai District and the headliner was Slovenian avant-garde music group Laibach.

[citation needed] Mėnuo Juodaragis is organised by the Lithuanian record label Dangus [lt; lv] and non-profit public institution "Baltijos Griaustinis".