Discover Rzeka Żywa 2026 at Brama Poznania, featuring Poznań’s first-ever mobile carillon concerts, riverside workshops, guided walks, outdoor cinema and nature-inspired activities throughout July and August.
This summer, Brama Poznania (Porta Posnania) once again invites residents and visitors to slow down and reconnect with nature during Rzeka Żywa 2026: Równowaga w nurcie (The River Alive 2026: Balance in the current). Taking place across three summer weekends, the programme transforms the gardens, green spaces and surroundings of the Cybina river into an open-air setting for concerts, workshops, guided walks and creative experiences.
Designed for all ages, the annual series encourages participants to experience the city from a different perspective by embracing mindfulness, exploring local nature and discovering new ways to relax in an urban environment.
The highlight of this year’s programme is an exceptional musical event that brings a centuries-old tradition to Poznań for the very first time.
Poznań’s First Mobile Carillon Concert
One of the standout events of Rzeka Żywa 2026 is a unique collaboration between Poznańskie Centrum Dziedzictwa (Heritage Centre of Poznan) and Muzeum Gdańska (Gdansk Museum), introducing audiences to the remarkable sound of the mobile carillon.
Although carillons have been part of Gdańsk’s soundscape for centuries, this will be the first opportunity for audiences in Poznań to experience a dedicated mobile carillon concert.
A carillon is a musical instrument consisting of a collection of tuned bronze bells played using a specialised manual keyboard and pedalboard. Traditionally installed in church towers and civic buildings, carillons have long accompanied daily life in Gdańsk, where the instruments at St Catherine’s Church and the Main Town Hall form part of Poland’s National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Throughout the day, visitors will be able to hear live demonstrations by acclaimed carillon player Monika Kaźmierczak, offering a rare chance to experience both the instrument and its distinctive sound up close.
Carillon Programme 11.07.2026 (Saturday)
Presentation performances
- 1:00 pm
- 2:00 pm
- 3:00 pm
Performed by Monika Kaźmierczak
Main Concert: Shapes of Water
5:00 pm to 5:40 pm
Performed by:
- Monika Kaźmierczak, carillon
- Emil Miszek, trumpet
Inspired by years of observing the Heweliusz Fountain in Gdańsk, Shapes of Water explores the movement, rhythm and changing forms of water through music.
The three-part composition, Foundation, Concentration and Circulation, follows the flow of water from stability through rising energy to continuous movement. Combined with the warm resonance of the carillon and the expressive sound of the trumpet, the performance promises an atmospheric concert unlike any previously presented in Poznań.
The concerts take place in the surroundings of Brama Poznania.
Admission is free and there are no age restrictions.
A Summer Programme Along the River
While the carillon concerts provide one of the headline attractions, Rzeka Żywa 2026 offers a rich programme spread across three weekends:
- 11 and 12 July 2026
- 25 and 26 July 2026
- 8 and 9 August 2026
Visitors can participate in activities that promote a slower pace, mindfulness, and a deeper connection with the city’s natural environment.
Highlights include:
- Cyanotype workshops inspired by nature
- Spacer pod Wodą. Powodzie w Poznaniu, exploring the history of floods in Poznań
- Somatyczny piknik: Brama Poznania w objęciach Cybiny, riverside picnic
- Birdwatching walks focusing on urban wildlife
- Outdoor cinema screenings
- Creative workshops
- Nature observation walks
- Family-friendly activities throughout the programme
The schedule includes many additional events, with organisers encouraging participants to explore whichever activities best suit their interests and age group. The full event schedule can be found on the official Porta Posnania website.
Art Meets Community
Running alongside the programme is the accompanying artistic project “Kreuzberg/Główna – nowe, wspaniałe światy”, featuring an artist residency by the Berlin-based Solaris collective in the Główna neighbourhood. The project adds an international dimension to the festival while strengthening connections between art, local communities and the surrounding landscape.
Why It Matters
Rzeka Żywa continues to demonstrate how Poznań’s rivers and green spaces can become places for culture, wellbeing and community life. By combining music, environmental awareness and creative participation, the programme invites people to experience the city differently while highlighting the importance of the Cybina and its surrounding landscape.
Whether attending the city’s first mobile carillon concert, joining a guided nature walk or simply spending time by the river, visitors will find plenty of opportunities to pause, reflect and enjoy one of Poznań’s most distinctive summer cultural programmes.
For the complete programme and booking information for individual activities, visit the official Brama Poznania website.
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