Here in Kraków and across Poland, we are looking forward to the traditional May holiday long weekend, (Majówka), one of the main holiday weekends of the year.
Traditional May Holidays
1st May – Labour Day, (Swieto Pracy) is one of those legacies from communist times, and is celebrated around the world, sometimes known as workers day. Of course the Poles have put their communist past behind them, but why would they give up the holiday !
2nd May – Flag Day, (Dzień Flagi Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej), A holiday introduced in 2004, it commemorates raising the flag on Siegessäule during the Battle of Berlin.
The now familiar red and white colours of the flag were first recognised as the national colours on 3rd May 1792, on the first anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of 3rd May. They were officially adopted as the colours of the Polish State by the Sejm of the Kingdom of Poland in 1831 during the November Uprising. After Poland regained independence, the appearance of the Polish flag was confirmed by the Legislative Sejm on 1st August 1919.
On this day, Poles reflect upon the long history of the red and white national colours and proudly display flags outside their houses. The President of Kraków has made an appeal for residents to fly the flag on their homes and buildings.
The red and white will also be flown from official buildings and displayed electronically at the usual places. You will also see the blue/white city flag.
3rd May – Constitution Day, (Święto Konstytucji 3 Maja) is a much more important celebration of Poland’s independence and nationalism. Commemorating the signing of Poland’s and Europe’s first national constitution signed in 1791 in Warsaw. This year marks the 234th anniversary of the adoption of the May 3rd Constitution. This year also marks the 1000th anniversary of the Kingdom of Poland.
4th May – Fire Fighter’s Day, (Dzień Strażaka), not really a holiday as such, worth checking out the parade if the kids, or the kid inside you are into fire engines, old and new, big and small, four wheeled and four legged ! Fire Fighters Day coincides with International Firefighters’ Day, established in 2002. There is sometimes a parade around the Rynek of firefighters, on horseback, vintage and contemporary fire appliances. (I couldn’t find any info on a parade this year)
Majówka events in Kraków
A number of events and performances are taking place over the holiday weekend, including, concert of patriotic songs, walks and family events, OFFCamera – a celebration of independent cinema and a variety of cultural performances.
Friday 25th April
18th edition of the Mastercard OFF CAMERA festival
Since 2008, Mastercard OFF CAMERA has been promoting independent cinema from all over the world. Time for the festival’s 16th birthday and a new opening. The festival started on 25th April and will run until 4th May.
Wednesday 30th April
Beltaine Fire Festival
Krakus Mound
from 7.15pm
Information from event organisers:-
Summer is fast approaching, let’s celebrate its beginning during the Festival of Fire – Beltaine! We cordially invite you to celebrate together under Krak’s Mound! Let the Sun shine on the paths of your Life!
This is one of the four most important Holidays of the year, the Greater Sabbath, also known as Walpurgis Night. We will light new fires as tradition dictates This holiday is a Festival of joy. It begins the summer, warm and bright half of the year. Beltaine itself translates as the Fires of Bel. This means that it is the Festival of Fire and Sun. Let’s rejoice! Come in crowds and invite your friends!
We meet at 19:15 under Krakus Mound, from there we will go together to the place of the Rite. The meeting place is the area on the northern side of the Mound, where the trees come closest to the Mound.
ARTISTS! We would like to celebrate such an occasion properly. So we have two requests for you – firstly, if you are jugglers or know such people – write to us, we would like to organize a fire show. Musicians, dancers and other people with artistic flair are also welcome. We also cordially invite drummers! Write if you will be on our fanpage or rdg.krakow@o2.pl.
VOLUNTEERS! Secondly – we will be weaving Wierzbin, and for this we need people willing to help. Volunteers who would like to help us organize the Festival, please report to the fanpage or weselee.rdg@o2.pl . What do you need to take with you? We bring candles, preferably white, gold and red, torches are also recommended. In addition, various things for sacrifice – honey, fruit, bread and cookies, eggs, dairy products, meat (just not pork). Flowers are very important – bring as many as you can!
We also ask you to take some mead! It will also be worth stocking up on camping supplies – the place of the Rite is not close to the store. The night may be cold – take something warm to wear. The texts of the Rite will be available for download at the link provided later – please print out the texts before the holiday and bring them to the celebration.
2nd May
In previous years, a family roller skating event took place. Details have not yet been published for this year. The information below relates to 2024, but gives an outline of the event.
On roller skates and scooters for white and red (dla biało-czerwonej)
Participants of the family event “For the white and red” will ride through the streets of Krakow on roller skates, scooters and skateboards in white and red costumes .
The event is scheduled for Friday, 2nd May, at 11.30 (NB This relates to the 2024 event – I will update the article when/if the 2025 event is published) in the yard of the Youth Center at ul. Krupnicza 38, and the start at 12.30. Commemorative diplomas, discount cards and patriotic materials are provided for the participants.
Detailed information (regulations, route map) can be found here.
Saturday 3rd May
Official Parade and wreath laying ceremonies
9.45am onwards
Various locations then Pl Matejki
I took these photos at the 2024 event.
On Friday, the celebration of the anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of May 3rd will begin with the laying of flowers – first, together with the authorities of the Jagiellonian University, the voivode will lay flowers at 9am at the Hugo Kołłątaj Monument, then at 9.45am at the Monument to the Fighting Polish Soldiers in Powiśle.
At. At 10 a.m., a holy mass will begin in the Wawel Cathedral.
At 11am Polish flags will be handed out in front of Wawel Cathedral, for participants to join the parade – at approximately 11am, from Wawel down the hill to the Katyn memorial.
Around 11.30am the procession will stop at the Katyń Cross on Plac im. Adam Studziński, to lay flowers art the memorial. They will then they continue along Grodzka, through the Market Square, Floriańska to Jan Matejko Square.
At approximately 12 noon, in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the national anthem will be sung. A solemn changing of the guard will take place and the Appeal of Remembrance will be read. Then, the Governor of Lesser Poland, Łukasz Kmita, will present state decorations and certificates of acquisition of Polish citizenship.
At the end, there will be a parade of vehicles representing uniformed services and horse formations.
Program of celebrations of the 3rd May National Day in Krakow:
9.45 – laying flowers at the Monument to the Soldiers of Fighting Poland, ul. Powiśle
10.00 – mass for the homeland, Wawel Cathedral
11.00 procession leaves Wawel
11.30 – laying flowers at the Katyn Cross, pl. Father Adam Studziński
12.00 – celebrations in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with the participation of the Polish Army, Jan Matejko Square – presentation of state decorations and acts of granting Polish citizenship, speech by the voivode of Lesser Poland, laying of wreaths culminating in a parade along Basztowa Street.
Due to the celebrations, Basztowa Street will be closed by the Police at 12:00.
91st Kraków Patriotic songs, ‘singing lesson’
Mały Rynek
5pm
“May Dawn” („Majowa Jutrzenka”) – is the title of the 91st Krakow Singing Lesson, (Lekcja Śpiewania), which will take place on Saturday, 3rd May, at 5.00 p.m. in Mały Rynek.
Patriotic songs will be performed during the concert with the participation of the artists of the Loch Camelot Theatre with the audience joining in with a singalong. The lesson will be conducted by Waldemar Domański – the initiator of the event and the director of the Polish Song Library.
The Polish Song Library has prepared 2,000 free songbooks. The paper version of the songbook is not the only option to sing together – download the songbook to your phone from the Polish Song Library website .
36th Ride of the “Patriotic tram”
On 3rd May – the traditional white and red tram will travel through the streets of Krakow, in which volunteers will hand out free songbooks of Polish patriotic songs, flags in national colours, leaflets, stickers etc. This year’s edition will celebrate the exceptional jubilee of the 1000th anniversary of the Kingdom of Poland.
START : 10:30 (Bagatela Theatre, stop next to the Rossmann store) – 14:30
ROUTE : BAGATELA/PHILHARMONIA/ZWIERZYNIECKA/SALWATOR LOOP/ZWIERZYNIECKA/PHILHARMONIA/BAGATELA/DŁUGA/FREIGHT STATION/PAWIA/WESTERPLATTE/MAIN POST OFFICE/STAROWISLNA/MARKET HALL/ROUNDABOUT GRZEGÓRZECKIE/RONDO MOGILSKIE/TUNNEL/FREIGHT STATION/DŁUGA/BAGATELA
Traditionally, music bands and choirs will perform at the Tram, including: the Małe Słowianki Song and Dance Ensemble and the “CANTARE” Ensemble.
Public Transport changes over the Holiday Weekend
SHOP OPENING HOURS LINK 1. LINK 2
PARKING
Please remember that the May weekend is no longer one of the holidays eligible for free parking. You have to buy a parking ticket over the Majówka weekend.
On the upcoming holiday days, May 1 and 3, fees will be charged for parking in the Paid Parking Area –
The free parking days are:-
January 1 – New Year
The second day of Easter
November 1 – All Saints’ Day
December 24 – Christmas Eve
December 25 – the first day of Christmas
December 26 – the second day of Christmas.
Full details of all of the above events, and more can be found at krakow.pl
Have a great Majówka!
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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