The 24th Great Dragon Parade (Wielka Parada Smoków) and accompanying events take place in Kraków on Saturday, 7th – Sunday, 8th June 2025.
The main attraction, the Małopolska Royal Spectacle on the Vistula, is inspired by the 1000th anniversary of the coronation of Bolesław the Brave as the first King of Poland, and the greater involvement of the Małopolska Voivodeship.
The waterborne ‘parade’ begins at 9;45pm on Saturday evening along the Wisła River with dragons floating above boats and barges.
New for 2025
This year’s Spectacle will surprise with a new, dynamic and modern form, at the same time deeply rooted in legends and history.
The event will feature artists from the Krakow Dance Theatre, the Cracovia Danza ensemble, the Krakow Opera Choir and reconstruction groups. The whole thing will be enriched by spectacular performances by drummers, as well as spectacular special effects – pyrotechnics, lights and lasers.
This year’s new spectacle will feature live electronic music, extensive scenography, modern visual solutions and advanced technical setting – including additional screens and even better sound system.
The event is part of the celebrations of the 1000th anniversary of the Kingdom of Poland, organized by the Małopolska Voivodeship and the City of Kraków.
The 24th Great Dragon Parades Special Guest from ‘Berk’
This year’s parade is joining forces with one of the most anticipated premieres of the year “How to Train Your Dragon” in live action! Because if ‘Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III’ and ‘Night Fury’ boldly cross the boundaries between the world of animation and reality… we decided to go a step further, too.
Look for the special “How to Train Your Dragon” zone at the Dragon Family Picnic and Night Fury in the sky during the Małopolska Royal Spectacle on the Vistula River! And when you’ve exhausted your dragon energy supply, we invite you to the premiere of the film on June 13 – only in cinemas!
On Sunday 8th June, a dragon parade will set off at 12 noon from the Planty by the Royal Hotel, proceeding along Grodzka to the Rynek.
A ‘Dragon Family Picnic’ will take place on Saturday and Sunday from 10am by the Dragons Den, at Czerwieński Boulevard, on the Wisła embankment below Wawel, with exciting dragon games and fun, as well as numerous competitions and attractions for all ‘dragonologists’
The parade is organised and the dragons are ‘animated’ by ‘Teatr Groteska’, Kraków, with the professional dragons joined on Sunday for the street parade by dozens of school kids with home made dragons from all over Poland.
The main events are:-
Dragon Family Picnic
Vistula Boulevards at the Dragon’s Den
Exciting dragon games and fun await visitors, including putting your hand in a dragon’s mouth, tracking down dragons and rolling dragon eggs. In addition, a great archery tournament, stealth exercises and numerous competitions and attractions will take place in the tents of the picnic partners.
Saturday 7th June – 10am-8pm
Sunday 8th June – 10am-7pm
RIVER PARADE Great Outdoor Night Spectacle on the Vistula
Vistula Boulevards at the foot of Wawel Hill
Saturday 7th June – 9:45pm
The great outdoor show – “light & sound” on the Vistula (Wisła) combines pyrotechnic effects, music, light and water curtains. During the show large, flying dragons will be presented (up to 25m in length and 15m in height), amazing creatures ‘flying’ from boats are animated by the actors of the Groteska Theatre.
Environmentally Friendly Fireworks
As in previous years, this year’s show will have an environmentally friendly formula. This year’s night show will be more environmentally friendly than before. – Modern silent pyrotechnics – much quieter, but as visually attractive as the traditional ones, will be used. Quiet fireworks generate less sound, do not cause a bang, and the noise they emit is insignificant and are fully biodegradable
Entry is free. There is a separate, seated, ticketed area, however this is already sold out.
STREET PARADE ‘Parade of Dragons’
Sunday 8th June 12-3pm
Route: Planty (by Royal Hotel) – ul. Grodzka – Main Market Square
More than 30 dragons, from all over the country take part in the Great Dragon Parade. The colourful parade with music and dragon roars – is accompanied by dancers, orchestras, as well as stilt-walkers and jugglers.
This year’s dragons of cities, cathedrals, castles and Polish palaces gathered together. In addition to the creatures that hope for a prize, the parade will be attended by dragon guests: the dragon Matilda, the Chinese dragon of the Confucius Institute, the dragon from the city hall and seven dragons created at the Groteska Theater, which will be carried by children from Poland and Ukraine.
The dragons compete for the title of the most beautiful and ingenious dragon. The name of the Most Beautiful Dragon of the Parade will be announced around 1.30 pm on the Main Market Square.
24th Dragon Parade Facebook Event
Dragons Parade Facebook Page
Dragons Parade Website
If you missed previous dragon parades or can’t make it to this weekend’s 24th Great Dragon Parade, you can watch my video, of practically the whole performance, filmed from the banks of the river
Video
Here are some images we took at a previous river parade.
KED Tips:-
The best place to view the water parade from is between the Grunwaldzki bridge and Debnicki bridge, on the castle side – The opposite bank is closed for fireworks & technical area.
Arrive early, grab a seat on the wall along the Wisła, or find a spot on the grassy embankment and throw down a picnic rug, then expect to be surrounded by an ever growing crowd as the time of the parade grows closer.
If coming by car, park well away from the Wisła/Wawel area to avoid the post parade congestion.
If you are lucky or have planned ahead, then booking a table on one of the barges or rooftop bars/restaurants overlooking the river will guarantee the best view. Some charge a fee or require a minimum spend.
Traffic Disruption
Expect traffic and parking difficulties over the weekend, but the good news is that extra trams and buses are provided for the end of the river spectacle on Saturday evening.
Information on additional public transport & traffic disruption 2025
7th June (Saturday):
Possible disruptions : 2145-2300 on the following streets: Bernardyńska, Smocza and Koletki during the Family Picnic on the Vistula Boulevards 21.00-23.00 ul. Powiśle, during the Evening Outdoor Show on the Vistula River, the passage will be limited or closed:
From 8.00 am on the promenade on the Vistula River, from the Grunwaldzki Bridge to the Dębnicki Bridge (Poleski Boulevard on the side of the Grunwaldzki Roundabout)
From 20.00 on the promenade on the Vistula River, from the Wawel Dragon to the Dębnicki Bridge (Czerwieński Boulevard on the Wawel side)
8th June (Sunday):
Possible disruptions:
10:00-15:00 on ul. Grodzka, Plac All Saints and the Main Square during the Dragon Parade, animated by nearly 1,000 children from kindergartens, schools and cultural institutions, who from ul. Grodzka will march to the Main Market Square, where the Competition for the Most Beautiful Dragon of the 22nd Great Dragon Parade will take place.
at 12.00-13.00 tram traffic on the Square of All Saints is suspended.
at 10:00-19:00 on ul. Bernardyńska, Smocza and Koletki during the Family Picnic on the Vistula Boulevards.
Changes in public transport
Due to the great dragon picnic and the outdoor spectacle on the river, changes will be made to the running of trams and buses.
Details here.
Enjoy, Kraków dragons, are friendly dragons!
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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