Events in Krakow: 2019 Edition
Looking for something to do in Krakow? You've come to the right place!
Krakow is getting more and more popular among tourists each year - in 2018 alone, we've had 13,5 million visitors.
Wow!
What brings them here? Definitely the architecture, cuisine, rich history, famous Polish hospitality... and culture, of course!
Krakow is an important centre of cutural life in Poland, hosting plenty of events such as concerts, exhibitions or festivals all year long.
In this article I want to share a selected few with you - I hope you will feel inspired and possibly visit our beautiful city to attend some of them. Bear in mind though, there is a ton of awesome events not included in the list below, so feel free to jump over to Google in order to find more
Winter 2019 in Krakow
Tom Odell concert (25.01.2019)
If you're a fan of this young talented musician, you have a chance to see him live in Krakow on the 25th. He'll be performing in Tauron Arena, a state-of-the-art hall entertainment and sports venue (the biggest in Poland, too).
You can purchase tickets here.
Nativity scenes (06.12.2018 - 31.01.2019)
Krakow's art of building traditional nativity scenes has recently been enlisted on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as the first Polish entry, so as you can imagine - this year's edition is special. 15 big mock-ups are scattered around the city in special cabinets, colorful and beautiful in all their glory. Definitely worth checking out while walking around he Old Town!
Read more about the Kraków szopka here.
Sukhishvili Georgian National Ballet (09.02.2019)
A truly unforgettable performance! Over 100 dancers with an orchestra from the world famous Sukhishvili Georgian National Dance will appear on stage of ICE Kraków Congress Centre to reflect the beautiful culture of Georgia in their dance, music and amazing costumes.
The tickets are available here.
Queen Tribute (01.02, 02.02, 03.02.2019)
One Vision, Who wants to live forever, Don’t stop me now, Another one bites the dust, I want it all, We will rock you and many, many more hits are a part of this wonderful concert. Some of the most talented Polish musicians gathered up to breathe some fresh air into the songs we all know and love, and they will be performing in Krakow's Teatr Variete for the first three days of February. If you're a Mercury fan, this is something not to be missed!
Tickets are sold here.
Spring 2019 in Krakow
The World of Hans Zimmer - Symphonic Celebration (17.03.2019)
We're all familiar with Zimmer's masterpieces - what could be better than having the chance to listen to them live, performed by world-class musicians accompanied by breathtaking visuals? Once again, a concert held in Tauron Arena, which in itself guarantees an unforgettable experience. Some of the stars performers include Lisa Gerrard, Valentina Naforniță and Asja Kadrić.
You can find the tickets here.
Krzysztof Zalewski concert (17.03.2019)
One of the most popular artists in Poland taking over the rock/alternative scene by storm. Kick-started his career in a talent show years ago, he overcame a total metamorphosis both style- and music-wise and became a sensation by doing so. His talent is off the charts - he plays multiple instruments and has a unique voice. Great live performer as well! If you want to get a feel of the Polish music scene, this will be a perfect event to attend.
Tickets available here.
Shawn Mendes concert (02.04.2019)
The concert will be a part of Shawn Mendes: The Tour and his first ever performance in Poland. This young artist - he's only 20 years old! - has already managed to make three albums and melt the hearts of thousands of fans all around the world. If you like pop, upbeat music - definitely check this concert out!
You can purchase the tickets here.
Emaus (22.04.2019)
One of the oldest and most colourful regional traditions in Krakow takes place each year on Easter Monday. A fair called Emaus, situated along Kościuszki street, has been organised every year since 1596. You can find all sorts of stalls full of sweets, gingerbread, toys, wooden artefacts, beads and jewellery as well as attractions such as lotteries and carousels. If you'll be in Krakow over the Easter period - it's a must!
PZU Cracovia Maraton (28.04.2019)
All the keen runners are welcome to take part in one of Poland’s biggest running events: the PZU Cracovia Marathon, which will be held on 28th April. The route of the marathon is planned along numerous historical monuments located in Krakow. Last year this event attracted 5848 participants (5630 of whom successfully finished!).
Juwenalia
In May, the students are taking over the city. Juwenalia is a 5-day festival of culture, music and entertainment prepared by students’ community. This tradition goes way back (in fact, as far back as the XV century!). Each time this year the city is full of colourful parades, open-air concerts and parties. If only you're young at heart - you are welcome to join!
The Night of Museums (17.05.2019)
An exciting night for all the history geeks out there! From about 7 p.m. till 1 a.m. the biggest and best museums in the city are open to welcome visitors free of charge. Among them you can find some venues which are usually not available for the public, so it's a real treat. If you decide to visit such places as the Underground Museum or Schindler Factory, remember to book them in advance, since they are extremely popular.
Summer 2019 in Krakow
The Great Dragon Parade
How often can you see a dragon wandering through the streets? If you happen to be in Krakow in June, you can meet hundreds of them marching through the Old Town. For the 19th time this year, the inhabitants of Krakow are invited to create a figure of a dragon to take part in the Great Dragon Parade and compete in the contest for the title of the most beautiful dragon of the Parade.
According to the legend Wawel Dragon devoured humans if there were no cattle available, but don’t worry: these dragons are really friendly, though some of them really do breathe fire.
There is also a breathtaking audiovisual show on the Vistula river in the evening, where stars are... yep, you guessed it, dragons.
Jewish Culture Festival
Summer in Krakow is also a time to admire the beauty of Jewish culture during the Jewish Culture Festival. Kazimierz district attracts the attendees with klezmer music and the restaurants in the area entice with the smell of delicious kosher dishes. While wandering through the streets, you can encounter some renowned Jewish writers at bookshops and see amazing works of Jewish art at numerous galleries of Kazimierz.
The most popular choices
Tour the Pologne (03-09.08.2019)
Those who admire sport-evoked emotions can witness the oldest Polish cycling race which starts in Krakow. On the 3rd of August the participants will start their 1,200 km journey divided into a few stages around. This year Tour the Pologne will be held for 76th time.
Krakow Live Festival (15-16.08.2019)
August in Krakow also means that an unforgettable music festival is ahead of you! For two days the Polish Aviation Museum airport will host Krakow Live Festival - one of the best summer music festivals in Europe and one of the most famous events in Kraków.
Check out the official festival's website to see updated lineup.
Pierogi Festival
Have you ever tasted one of the most prominent dishes of Polish cuisine, pierogi? Regardless of the answer, you simply can't miss the chance to try some amazing variations of it presented during Pierogi Festival at the Maly Rynek Square. Such unusual fillings as duck with apricot or smoked meat with herbs will have a chance to meet your palate if you appear there. You will be even able to vote for the tastiest example of this Polish specialty or deepen your hands in the dough to master the art of preparing them on your own!
The Dachshund March
Each year in Krakow, dachsunds have their special event – Dachshund Parade. Every September these lovely long pups march with their owners along the Royal Route dressed up in a wide range of astonishing costumes. Poland is one of the top dachshund breeders and in 2019 our country’s love for these charming dogs will be celebrated in Krakow for the 25th time.
Sacrum Profanum
Leading musicians of Polish jazz scene, representatives of avant-garde music trends and most prominent contemporary music performers meet together during one of the most interesting musical events of Europe, which is Sacrum Profanum. This one-week long feast of music traditionally takes place in the middle of September.
Autumn 2019 in Krakow
Zaduszki Jazzowe (Cracow Jazz All Soul’s Day)
In November the cold air of Krakow will get filled with jazz music again. The tradition of organizing series of jazz concerts called Zaduszki Jazzowe (Cracow Jazz All Soul’s Day) in this city is over half a century long. It all started back in 1954 when some jazzmen met in a school gym on the 1st November, as this was the only free day when they could meet and play together. Since then famous jazzmen from Poland came to Krakow to share their love for jazz, often playing in private apartments. After Cracow Jazz All Soul’s Day Festival had developed for a larger scale, it also spread to other cities in Poland, and later even abroad. In 2019 you can expect plenty of jam sessions and jazz stars performing in various venues all around the city.
National Independence Day
Military parades accompanied by brass bands and drill shows are to be expected in The Old Town on the 11th November. This is how Krakow celebrates the National Independence Day.
Chrismas Market in Krakow
With the end of the November, Chrismas Market in Krakow appears in the Old Town with it's unique charm. Walk around beautifully laid out stalls and fish for pieces of handcrafted art, wooden building blocks, hand painted dolls, aromatic gingerbread or some pieces of warm garment. One of the best Christmas Markets in Europe offers you goods that you won't have a chance to come across elsewhere. Enjoy the magical spirit of the holidays!
As you can see - whenever you'll decide to come to Krakow, you can be sure that something interesting will be happening. Of course we encourage you to visit multiple times a year, but that's just because we're crazy in love with this city :)
We believe that once you'll come and experience Krakow yourself, you'll feel the same way!
Hi! My name is Anna and I've been living in Krakow for 5 years. Working within the local tourism industry has been a great experience - I get to share my love for our beautiful city on a daily basis with Visitors just like you.
I'm glad to see that people who come to discover Krakow find it amazing and I hope you will also come here and see the magic for yourself :)
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