Poznań’s most vibrant celebration of history, heritage, and community spirit is back this summer. The Festival of Poznań Traditions 2025 kicks off in July with a focus on the 1000th anniversary of Bolesław the Brave’s coronation. From royal soups to folk parades, this unique event offers a multi-dimensional exploration of the city’s identity. The festivities will culminate in August with the colorful and much-loved Bambers’ Day.
A Living Heritage in the Heart of the City
Once again, Poznań invites locals and visitors to immerse themselves in the city’s rich past during the Festival of Poznań Traditions 2025. Organized by the Art and Education Foundation Puenta and held under the patronage of the Mayor of Poznań, the festival is more than just a nostalgic nod to the past—it’s a vibrant, creative journey into the soul of the city.
Festival of Poznań Traditions 2025 is themed around the millennium of the coronation of Bolesław Chrobry (Bolesław the Brave), the first crowned king of Poland. The question posed by the organizers is as intriguing as it is timely: Can a thousand-year-old moment in history still inspire contemporary Poznanians?
A Royal Feast on July 6
The Festival of Poznań Traditions 2025 begins on Sunday, July 6, with an event as symbolic as it is sensory. At Bishop Jordan’s Bridge—an important historical site in itself—a long feast table will be set up, inviting the public to literally taste history. All the guests are invited to Uczta Chrobrego—the Feast of Chrobry. From 12:30 pm, guests will be served “Piast-style kapuśniak,” a cabbage soup inspired by early medieval cuisine and prepared by the local restaurant Hyćka.
Throughout the afternoon, panels with historians and archaeologists will take place:
- 12:00 – Dr. Agnieszka Stempin on the exhibition “Bolesław Chrobry: From Poznań to the Crown”
- 14:00 – Prof. Tomasz Jurek on the coronation site of Bolesław Chrobry
- 15:00 – A session on medieval herbs and weeds
- 16:00 – Ewa & Paweł Pawlak on Poznań’s oldest bridge
At 16:30, the highlight arrives: CHROBRYSEJA, a soundscape experience staged in the Brama Poznania amphitheatre. This acoustic epic traces emotional extremes—from jubilation to grief—celebrating the millennium of Bolesław’s coronation and mourning his death. Bells act as our guides, mimicking life’s pivotal moments—birth, celebration, death.
Surrounded by an immersive eight-channel sound design, physical and cathedral bells blend with live and electroacoustic compositions. Attendees can even join in on small handbells for the finale. This is a first for Poznań: a fusion of medieval symbolism with advanced acoustic innovation. Free entry!
The program includes:
- Jonathan Harvey’s Mortuos Plango, Vivos Voco – Winchester Cathedral bell sonorities, 8-channel version (2013)
- Lidia Zielińska – Insektarion (2018), electroacoustic
- Katarzyna Taborowska – Pod niebem (2025), eight-channel premiere
- Michał Janocha – new 2025 piece
- Wojciech Kaszuba – new 2025 piece, electroacoustic with laptop orchestra
- Dominik Puk – princeps gloriosa columba (2025), featuring public bells and cathedral bells
- Performers: Lambda Ensemble – Poznań’s Laptop Orchestra, SMEAMuZ Electroacoustic Studio; sound directors: Kaszuba & Barczak; coordination and commentary by Puk.
Continuing the Journey – August 2
On Saturday, August 2, the Festival of Poznań Traditions 2025 shifts to the birthplace of Polish statehood. Guided tours will explore Ostrów Tumski and Poznań Cathedral, including rare access to the magnificent Golden Chapel, the resting place of Bolesław Chrobry himself. Children will enjoy interactive workshops designed to bring history to life through crafts and storytelling, while adults can attend the opening of a new temporary exhibition, “1000 Years of Poznań’s Heritage,” followed by a classical concert in the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Summo.
A Grand Finale – August 3
The Festival of Poznań Traditions 2025 reaches its joyful finale with the Bambers’ Day celebrations on Sunday, August 3. This beloved annual event honors the 18th-century settlers from Bamberg (Bavaria), who became an integral part of Poznań’s identity, bringing their own customs, dialects, cuisine, and embroidery traditions. They settled in villages near Poznań (such as Winiary and Ławica), and their cultural imprint became part of Poznań.
A festive parade will wind through the city streets: participants dressed in traditional Bamberg folk costumes—especially the iconic embroidered outfits of the Bamberki—will dance, sing, and share their vibrant culture with spectators of all ages.
In past editions, attendees enjoyed instruments, folk choreography, and local tales. Orchestras and folk bands like Dixi Company and Żuki Roll enlivened the celebration.
Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Present
The Festival of Poznań Traditions 2025 celebrates local identity through tangible experiences: tasting historical dishes, navigating sacred spaces, and participating in folk traditions. It bridges a millennium of history, exploring how a thousand-year-old coronation still resonates alongside a relatively recent 300-year-old Bamberg culture.
In the words of Ryszard Skibiński, president of the Poznań Bamberg Society:
We want to explore Poznań’s traditions in a way that speaks to everyone—whether you’re a traditional craftsman or a contemporary creator. It’s about playing with the city, discovering its stories, and letting them inspire us today.
