Summer in Poland is festival season in the broadest sense of the word. From large-scale open-air music events and riverside celebrations to niche film, fantasy and cultural festivals, the warmer months bring an almost constant rhythm of activity to cities, towns and unexpected corners of the country....
Many events take place outdoors and are either free or easily accessible, combining live music, performance, tradition and contemporary culture in ways that reflect Poland’s growing confidence as a summer destination. Whether you’re planning a city break or a longer journey, the festival calendar offers an easy way to experience the country at its most social, creative and open-air.
WIANKI
First things first - We need to talk about Wianki, that is, the pagan Slavic tradition of welcoming Summer, and one that has amazingly stuck around since Poland's baptism. It corresponds with the Summer Solstice, which occurs around the 20th, 21st, or 23rd of June.
JAZZ
Polish Jazz has been above and below ground since the 1930s, and the whole time it has always had a loyal following and participation. There's a tonne of annual events spread throughout the calendar, however, the big one is Summer Jazz Days in Warsaw, running since the 1990s and remaining one of the capital's most popular events. Contrasting in size but certainly not in quality is Poznań's Enter Enea Festival, which enjoys an intimate, open-air forest setting on the shore of Lake Strzeszyńskie.
ROCK / ALTERNATIVE
Poland loves to rock out, and there's no shortage of festivals with loud, guitar-oriented bands to prove that point. Pol'and Rock near Szczecin is Europe's largest free music festival, with an attendance exceeding 400,000 every year. Also free of charge is the Łódź Summer Festival, which focuses more on Polish artists than international ones. Nationally, Open'er is the biggest in Poland, taking place just north of Gdynia and always guaranteeing an impressive international line-up.
JEWISH CULTURE
The mid-20th Century saw Poland's once-thriving Jewish population decimated, however, what remains is celebrated with vitality and positivity every year in the Polish Summer. Krakow's Jewish Culture Festival is one of the largest festivals celebrating Jewish culture in the world, turning the city's former Jewish district, Kazimierz, into a buzzing quarter of live music, film screenings, tours, lectures, workshops, and much much more.
Elsewhere in Poland, Singer's Warsaw doubles down on the performative side of things, with international artists of jazz, pop, klezmer, cabaret, theatre, literature, visual arts and more, performing intimately indoors, on the streets, or on outdoor stages in front of large, enthusiastic crowds.
ARTISANAL / ARTS & CRAFTS
Summer fairs turn out to be an opportunity for browsing local wares, as well as all the fun in the cultural program that accompanies it. The St. Dominic's Fair (Jarmark Dominikanski) has been popping up every summer in Gdańsk since the year 1260, and is now the biggest of its kind in Europe.Getting more specialised, the Festival of High Temperatures in Wrocław adds to the Summer heat with all manner of glass making, pottery, or artistic blacksmithing.
FANTASY, CONS & COSPLAY
Poland is the home of the hugely successful Wiedźmin (The Witcher) franchise, so expect a decent slice of geek festivities in the Summer. In fact, the Pyrkon Fantasy Festival in Poznań is the largest fantasy festival in Europe, which includes 'Masquerade' - the most prestigious cosplay contest in the country!
WORLD MUSIC
Poland may be more homogenous than many other countries in Europe, but that doesn't it doesn't have an appreciation for foreign sights and sounds. In that regard, there are two festivals that should be on your radar. The first is Ethno Port Poznań, which takes place in CK Zamek, the cultural institution that resides within the city's impressive Imperial Castle. The other is Globaltica in Gdynia, which has a cozy spot reserved for it in the leafy surrounds of Park Kolibki.
STREET THEATRE
Look no further than Kraków, which has been hosting the ULICA Street Theatre Festival since 1988. Believe it or not, this annual event is the oldest of its kind in Central Europe, and its an essential experience whilst visiting Kraków in the summer.
FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
Many of the aforementioned festivals are certainly kid friendly, however, there are a couple of highlights that should be considered. Top of the list is Kraków's GREAT DRAGON WEEKEND, over two days of colourful pageantry, large-scale puppetry and family fun. Saturday night's light and sound spectacular in which giant dragons float down the Wisła, followed by Sunday afternoon's parade of colourful beasts created by children. All the while the Dragon Family Picnic takes place on the Wisła River boulevards below Wawel Castle throughout the weekend.
Wrocław's Gnome Festival, although not technically in the summer period, also deserves a mention. Wrocław is famous for its gnome statues hidden all over the city centre, and, for one special weekend of September, they come to life and take over the Old Town, much to the delight of kids. The three-day festivities include a wide range of attractions and activities aimed at families and children, including circus, fire and magic shows, a silent disco, theatre and dance performances, dwarf workshops and various urban games. Coordinated events also take place in several of the city's museums.
FOOD AND DRINK
Pierogi and vodka are a great starting point, however, Poland has much more on offer. Łódź's annual Good Taste Festival is an experience that involves all the senses, with competing chefs, bakers and bartenders blending gastronomy with visual arts. Cities like Wrocław, Poznań and Gdańsk host large craft beer festivals throughout summer, which also incorporates food trucks and live music.
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