Wianki 2026 will take place from Friday 19th June to Sunday 21st June. Wianki is one of Kraków’s great Summer festivals of music and fun, to celebrate the pagan tradition, popular in Slavic countries, of weaving flower head garlands or wreaths (Wianki in Polish) which are worn by young women.
(apologies for some weird line breaks/formatting- I’m working to fix it, but decided to publish now as the events start on Friday – meanwhile I’ll keep working to squish the gremlins)
The flower wreaths are then placed into the Wisła river, sometimes with a candle, to float away, traditionally for young men to retrieve to capture the heart of the woman launching the wreath. The sight of ladies walking around wearing the floral head wear certainly brightens up the city over Wianki weekend.
In past years Wianki featured spectacular riverside fireworks displays, however in accordance with the city ban, fireworks no longer form part of the event. Instead the focus is on music, nature, flowers, water, and all round family fun.
Celebrate the arrival of summer with us!
Under the theme ‘Between Fire and Water’, Wianki will run for three days – from 19th to 21st June. The programme features a variety of events spanning tradition and modernity: a silent disco at the Barbican and Collegium Maius, concerts by Mela Koteluk, Lor, Zuta and the duo Sw@da x Niczos, barge cruises, wreath-making stations and a competition for the most beautiful wreath.
The wreaths will be like the elements – by day they will radiate the calm associated with water, and after dark they will ignite the energy of the night, symbolised by fire. The wreaths offer a unique opportunity to feel the power of community and immerse yourself in stories of heritage and musical sounds.
The night of the kupala, which falls on the summer solstice, is the most important point of the year in the Slavic tradition, when nature reaches the fullness of vitality. The old rituals associated with this time were supposed to bring people purification, harvest and prosperity. Flowers, herbs and water play a special role in these rites. Maintaining these ancient customs, we invite everyone to the banks of the Vistula River to celebrate the magical St. John’s night together and welcome the coming summer.
PROGRAMME WIANKI 2026
FRIDAY 19th June
Outdoor Cinema – Film screening: ‘Cinema Paradiso’
Bulwar Rodła Free Admission Cinema Paradiso’ tells the story of the famous Italian director Salvatore (Jacques Perrin), who, years later, looks back on his childhood spent in a small Sicilian town. The whole world is preoccupied with the political events following the Second World War, yet here, in this provincial town, people go about their daily lives, and their only entertainment is the films shown at the Paradiso parish cinema.22:15 BEFORE WIANKOWY: EtnoKraków x Wesoła Immersive Dance Night Meadow on Wesoła Street –; Old Kitchen –; courtyard –; Wesoła Immersive
Free Admission22:00-22:15 – Band Odloty Musical procession from the outdoor stage at EtnoKraków/Rozstaje (Meadow on Wesoła Street) through the courtyard of the Old Kitchen to the ‘Wesoła Immersive’ space.
22.15 – Odloty Band The Odloty Band specialises in the traditional music of Eastern Greater Poland, bringing melodies for dancing and singing back to life. They perform tunes from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries that were played on Polish soil. They teach these dances during workshops and dance evenings. Their concert on the festival stage promotes the band’s latest album: Końce świata.
22.45 The Ostrowski Family Band and guests The Ostrowski Family Band is an unusual blend of temperaments and artistic personalities. The musicians bring back to life the sounds that once rang out at village weddings and dances. The band’s repertoire includes krakowiaks, polkas and obereks from the Świętokrzyskie–Kraków border region, mainly from three counties: Jędrzejów, Pińczów and Kazimierz.
23.15 Zespół Niespokojnych NógThe Restless Legs Band Three mates brought together by a shared passion for the music our great-grandparents used to dance to before the advent of the radio. Expect polkas, obertas and circle dances! The line-up features Jacek Skoczek (violin), Mateusz Czapliński (frame drum) and Paweł Romanowicz (violin).
23.45 Dusza (UA/PL) A Ukrainian-Polish group of students from Kraków, brought together by their love of diverse traditional Ukrainian music. They operate as part of a collaboration between the Student Association of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology at the Jagiellonian University and the Student Association of Ukrainian Studies at the Jagiellonian University. The band comprises: Monika Bywalec – Nina Lewandowska – Róża Dyl – Emilia Jedlinska-Jung – Kalina Kaliszczak – Anton Cherepenko.
00.15 Paulina Polewaczyk A pianist and graduate of the Academy of Music, she has for many years taken a keen interest in folklore and traditional music from various regions of Poland. She feels a particular affinity for the Kurpie region, from which part of her family hails. She was the leader of ethnic music ensembles in Silesia. She also pursues her interest in folklore by performing works by Fryderyk Chopin on the piano at weekly concerts on Sławkowska Street.
00.45 Kapela Zespół Wespół They play pieces from the Kraków, Podkarpacie and Sandomierz regions, and will also feature melodies from the Lublin region. The band members come from various regions of Poland, hence the diversity of their repertoire. The line-up consists of: Milena Mazurek (vocals, soprano saxophone), Janek Niezgoda (violin), Paweł Szczepańczyk (frame drum).
SATURDAY 20th June 7.30am–9.30pm – SYMBIOTIC WIANKI “Symbiosis” Ecological Education Centre, 15 Żubrowa Avenue, 30-232 Kraków 9am-8pm – RAFTSMEN WIANKI Museum Harbour (Rodła Boulevard, upstream from the Dębnicki Bridge)
9am – 3.30pm Nature-focused barge cruises on the Vistula “In search of the fern flower and natural treasures of the Vistula and its surrounds”. Details will be posted on the website of the Museum of Kraków with all the required information. Tickets 30zl per person; available from https://bilety.mhk.pl/
3.45 – 4.45pm “Discover Secrets of Nature” – nature-themed stalls on moored boats and on the shore Free entry and no booking required. The workshops run continuously – the earlier you come, the more you’ll learn!
5pm – 8pm Casting the garlands on the river and matchmaking Museum Harbour (Rodła Boulevard, upstream from the Dębnicki Bridge)
11am – GARLAND WEAVING WORKSHOP Factory – Powiśle 11 zone 11am – COFFEE RAVE Outdoor square by Galeria Kazimierz 12 noon-5pm – RESPITE GARDEN Garden by the Basilica of St. Florian 2pm GARLAND WEAVING STATIONS & COMPETITION various locations Winner announced at 5.15pm – Powisle 11 2pm-Midnight – Wianki at the Barbican x Silent Disco Barbican 4pm – Midnight – 30 years of the Nuremberg House Nuremberg House 5pm-10pm – Outdoor Chill Out stage Concerts & DJ sets 5.30pm ZUTA 6.30pm LOR 7.45pm MELA KOTELUK 9pm SW@DA X NICZOS 5pm – All-Swinging, All-Dancing Bandstand in Planty Park at the Zbigniew Wodecki Square (Planty Park, nr. Westerplatte/Św. Marka streets) 10pm – Wianki at the Jagiellonian University Museum x Silent Disco Courtyard of the Collegium Maius, 15 Jagiellońska Street 10pm – Club night Poczta Główna Club 9pm-3am – Wianki multimedia illuminations Potocki Palace, 20 Rynek Główny FULL PROGRAMMESUNDAY 21st June
03:30 Night of Songs X CONCERT at DAWN: EtnoKraków x Wreaths Poleski Boulevard Free Admission
Wianki in Kraków x EthnoKraków/Rozstaje | 100% unplugged. Performers: Brygida Sordyl & Poliana Łada Ensemble with a workshop group Krzysztof Trebunia-Tutka 10:00 – Sporting Wianki Outdoor square – Galeria Kazimierz 10am Running training 11am Nordic walking training 11am DJ Albin, DJ FOMA 11am – 6pm – Impossible Picnic Outdoor square at Cricoteka, 2-4 Nadwiślańska Street 11am – 1pm Neighbourhood breakfast (outdoor feast, Cricoteka Square) 11am – 5pm RESONANCES: FOQL – sound installation at the square 12 noon – 3pm I’m Green! Plant Madness Plant exchange, planting of herbs and edible plants Garland weaving, braiding Plant postcard 3pm Soundscape walk- Walk for adults. Free participation. Register at edukacja@cricoteka.pl. 4pm – 6pm “And the River Said” campaign 5pm – 6pm Music on the Water – concert Open music session – everyone welcome! More details: https://cricoteka.pl/pl/ MAP OF EVENTS (click to enlarge)
Our video from Wianki 2023 More information can be found at the links below. Wianki 2026 official page on kbf: Wianki – Facebook Event Wianki w Krakowie – Facebook
WHO ARE KBF?
Kraków Festival Office, KBF (Krakowskie Biuro Festiwalowe) are the amazing people behind so many great festivals in Kraków, mostly, but not only related to music, literature and film, they also do a number of other activities and cooperate in the field of arts and culture.Kraków Expats Directory, recently became a partner of KBF, we plan to develop our cooperation to inform about cultural events and integrate cultures in our magical city. Look out for more cultural content in the future in cooperation with our new partners KBF.
You can also find out more on our KBF Listing.
A Scot in Kraków. The founder and editor of Kraków Expats Directory, and our sister sites Kraków TV and Kraków Stories Podcast.
David fell in love with Kraków 25 years ago, making it his home in 2011.
In 2020 he was awarded the title of Kraków’s Ambassador of Multiculturalism, by the President of Kraków, and is also a member of the GlobalScot network, representing Scottish culture and business abroad.
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