Polish Music Festivals You Can’t Miss
Source: Wikimedia Commons
The summer is coming! Many of us have already started planning where to go during the summer holidays. Since I’ve already shared with you some of the less popular destinations in my previous posts, today I’d like to share something special with all the music lovers out there – summer music festivals, I’m sure that even the pickiest of you will find something that matches your music taste. Ready?
Pol’and’Rock festival
Undoubtedly the most popular music festival in Poland. Formerly (until 2017) known as Woodstock Festival (or Przystanek Woodstock, literally ‘Woodstock stop’), it had to change the name due to copyrights. It is organised every year at the end of July or beginning of August lasts three days and gathers around 750,000 participants making it one of the biggest music festivals in the world! Pol’and’Rock festival is not only about music (played on five stages), it showcases various NGOs, educators, hosts workshops and invites well-known guests – artists, writers, politicians, etc. The brains behind is festival is Jerzy Owsiak – the same person who organises The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity (Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy) – winter charity events that each year gathers millions of zlotys for a good cause, this festival is meant to be Jerzy Owsiak’s thank you for all his volunteers, therefore it is completely free.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Jarocin festival
A historical festival that dates back to the 1980s used to be the biggest alternative music festival in Eastern Europe. It is organized in the summer in the town of Jarocin (western Poland) and it has always been a point of reference for fans of rock, blues, punk and a wide array of alternative genres, as many popular bands debuted on the Jarocin stage. In the 1980’s the festival was very important as it was the only way for the youth to listen to music that wasn’t normally available (many of the performing artists didn’t even have any of their music recorded!) or played on the radio because of the censorship. While nowadays it isn’t always organised every year it still remains an important event in the consciousness of Polish musicians and music lovers alike.
Off Festival
Off Festival was initiated in 2006 by Artur Rojek – former vocalist of the band Myslovitz. The festival takes place at the beginning of August, lasts three days and focuses on broadly understood alternative music, since 2010 it’s been held in Katowice. If you’re tired of running from one stage to another (the festival has a total of five stages) to make it for the next concert you can opt for a movie screening, an exhibition or a workshop – Off is not only about music, after all.
Open’er Festival
One of the biggest and most popular music festivals organised at the end of June or in the first week of July, lasting 4 days (from Wednesday to Saturday). Open’er takes place in the town of Gdynia in northern Poland, if you have some time before or after the festival you can enjoy the Polish seaside. Just like some other events of this kind, since 2012 the festival invites theatre groups to perform in between the concerts. Open’er Festival has three stages – the main stage is reserved for the big names from the top of the music charts, the two smaller stages are for less popular artists and alternative bands – everybody will find something that matches their music taste!
David, OLS Community Manager – Polish
Source: Wikimedia Commons