Article Poland: land of surprising events

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Famous music festivals and concerts, unique re-enactments and historical performances, incredible light shows and spectacular displays, fairs and international cultural events: all take place in Poland, a country in the heart of Europe with a fascinating history, rich cultural heritage, and diverse traditions. 

Poland’s biggest historical event is the famous Re-enactment of the Battle of Grunwald, which brings in tens of thousands of spectators from Poland and the whole world annually. This extraordinary event is held in mid-July on the anniversary of King Jagiełło’s victory over the Teutonic Knights. 

Here are some other famous historical re-enactments that are well worth seeing and in which history buffs should definitely take part: 

1. The Eagle and the Cross is an outdoor show that takes place after sunset and involves innovative sound, light, and multimedia technologies; the venue is Park Dzieje (History Park), an extraordinary site for experiencing history, located in Murowana Goślina near Poznań.
2. The Siege of Malbork is one of Europe’s biggest outdoor events and invokes the great medieval history of the castle’s occupation by Polish-Lithuanian forces in 1410.
3. The Storming of Zamość Fortress is staged on a truly Sienkiewicz-style grand scale in Zamość’s Field of Mars.
4. Spectacular light festivals — the Light Move Festival in Łódź and the Bella Skyway Festival in Toruń — create a unique atmosphere in their host cities. These events involve impressive illuminations, building mapping, laser shows, and numerous fringe events such as concerts, performances and happenings.
5. The Łódź event is Poland’s biggest light festival, highlighting valuable corners, spaces and buildings around the city at night thanks to innovative visual art and multimedia messages.

You can explore the illuminated heritage of Toruń during a unique international cultural event called the Bella Skyway Festival, which highlights Toruń’s greatest assets: its UNESCO-listed Gothic heritage, strong ties to astronomy, and modern-day achievements in audiovisual art. 

Poland also hosts other regular well-known music festivals that garner substantial interest, to mention the Orange Warsaw Festival and the Open’er Festival in Gdynia. Adding Misteria Paschalia in Kraków — one of Europe’s most important early music festivals — and the Chopin Concerts at Royal Łazienki Park in Warsaw to the mix gives you an idea of the wide spectrum of music events held in Poland. 

Other unique cultural events that definitely deserve mention include Carnaval Sztukmistrzów (Magicians’ Carnival) in Lublin, featuring shows from the border of theatre and a new circus staged in urban spaces. 

You will find many more amazing international events in different cities and corners around Poland. There is always something exciting going on here!