Fairs, street art, sailing ship rallies, classical music… There is no shortage of events with a capital "W" in Gdańsk! Check out what takes place every year and attracts real crowds of guests.
Shop, bargain, search for treasures and the most beautiful postcards to take home as souvenirs. It is a place where different languages, traditions and customs mix. It is bustling and colourful, there is something happening at every corner. Make sure to see the world-famous St Dominic's Fair! The event is typically held at the end of July or the beginning of August and lasts three weeks. It is worth to mention that the Fair is more than 760 years old. It dates back to 1260, when Pope Alexander IV allowed the Dominicans of Gdansk to grant 100-day indulgence on the day of their founder.
In the second half of November and beginning of December, many European cities light up and hold mesmerizing Christmas markets. One of them is Gdansk. Our Christmas market was voted the second best in the entire Europe by the prestigious tourist portal “European Best Destinations”. This unique, wonderful and colourful event simply can't be missed.
The International Festival of Open-Air and Street Theatre - FETA is one of the largest and most renowned open-air theatre festivals in Poland and Eastern part of Europe. The repertoire is full of plays for all ages – there is something for everybody, both young and old. What makes the festival unique is that actors play their roles in urban spaces – on the pavement, in parks and squares. You could say that art really comes out to meet its audience.
The Shakespeare Festival is an international theatre event that features the best Shakespearean plays from around the world. The festival has hosted more than 230 different theatrical troupes staging productions by numerous European directors, including Luk Perceval, László Bocsárdi, Elizabeth LeCompte, Robert Sturua, Silviu Purcarete, Edward Hall, Giuseppe Dipasquale and many others. Throughout its 25 editions, interpretations of Shakespeare's plays from more than 40 countries have been performed.
NARRATIONS is a festival of contemporary art hosted in the public spaces of Gdansk. The works of art become navigators of the urban adventure. Through various tools and tricks, they remain in close relationship with the space in which they are exhibited. They provoke and remove the layers of obviousness to reveal hidden meanings.
NARRATIONS is held every year in autumn, always in a different district, which becomes a point of reference for the curators and an inspiration for the artists.
Baltic Sail is an international agreement signed by the countries of the Baltic region, initiated by the German port city of Rostock in 1996. All sailboats mooring at the banks of the Motlawa, near Targ Rybny Square, will be available to all visitors interested in their history and maritime customs. Baltic Sail Gdansk is also a one-of-a-kind opportunity to enjoy a cruise around the Gulf of Gdansk aboard one of the sailboats.
In the second half of August, Oliwa Park turns into a huge green music stage. How is it possible? Thanks to Mozartiana - a festival of Mozart's music held in Gdansk. The event features impressive instrumental and vocal pieces, concerts of opera music, as well as folk and jazz arrangements of the works by the outstanding composer.
The International Mozart Festival was held for the first time during the Mozart Year in 2006. Every year it attracts both seasoned lovers of Mozart's music, as well as those who have started to discover its beauty.