Events

Find selected suggestions for events in Świętokrzyskie. Choose from fairs, historical reenactments, festivals and sporting events.

Ancient iron smelting furnaces situated on the edge of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains will soon be smoking  again. Thanks to contemporary metalworkers, at the furnace ground of two thousand years ago, unique on a European scale, participants in the archaeological festival will have an opportunity to witness a reconstruction of a full cycle of iron ore smelting with the use of Iron Age methods. The show features ore and charcoal exploitation and preparation, building ground furnaces (known as dymarki), iron smelting in shaft furnaces, to casting tools and ornaments. The presentations will be accompanied by scholarly commentary by archaeologists from Kielce, Krakow, Warsaw and Lublin.

Where and when? Szydłów Town Centre - August

Held yearly in Sandomierz, includes archery and cross-bowing competitions, footman combats, sword and axe fights, a bard and dancer contest, complete with a courtly ball and parade of the Duchy of Sandomierz court and Sandomierz armies. There are shows of combat tactics and techniques, 15th-century military formations: halberdiers and pikemen, and old artillery.

The Tournament is accompanied by equestrian shows, human chess and music of the epoch – all that defines the atmosphere of the Age of Chivalry. The Tournament"s hero is medieval Europe"s most distinguished knight, Zawisza Czarny of nearby Garbów. During the Jagiellonian Fair, one will have a chance to see many arts and crafts stands from all over Poland.

Where and when? Sandomierz Market Square - July 

Szydłów moves back in time to the Middle Ages for a while. Knights joust, demonstrating their prowess in battle; highwaymen attack and rob. All that takes place accompanied by the smell of gunpowder and the reek of burning thatch. The Chivalric Tournament for King Casimir the Great"s Sword is organised to commemorate the victorious skirmish between King Casimir the Great"s army and the then owner of the place, the outlawed Szydło. The crème de la crème of Polish knighthood flock to Szydłów, in order to fight the battle for the castle and sword of King Casimir the Great, sparing neither blood nor sweat at Castle Square. Apart from the military attractions of the Tournament, there will also be old and regional arts and crafts shows as well as delicacies of the local cuisine.

Where and when? Szydłów Town Centre - July 

The event aims at presentation of the region"s cultural heritage, in particular relating to the seven-century-long tradition of ore mining at Chęciny, connected with the exploitation and uses of non-ferrous metal ores. The high point of the event is lead smelting and minting memorial medals in a purpose-built furnace, supervised by Prof. Ireneusz Suliga of the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow. The lead smelting demonstration is accompanied by pine tar making and an ancient pottery show. During the full-day event, participants will have a chance to enjoy several other attractions, including music performances, customs demonstrations, interactive traditional crafts shows, folk art sales, horse-, britzka- and pony-rides, temporary exhibitions, presentations and tastings of local cuisine, old folk amusements and games, a fair and many others.

Where and when? Museum of Kielce Village in Tokarnia - 30 June 2024

The fair has taken place in The Etnographic Park in Tokarnia, among historical wooden buildings from the Świętokrzyskie Region and fragments of natural settlement groups. One can taste regional dishes and liqueur. The whole-day programm includes also traditional trade shows: smithy, carpentry, weavery, pottery and saddlery. folk group shows complete the program of the fair.

Where and when? Museum of Kielce Village in Tokarnia - 2 June 2024

If one wishes to go back in time to one thousand years ago and personally discover how fierce Świętokrzyskie demons used to be then, and how the first monks of Święty Krzyż drove witches away, or taste the food of the then inhabitants of our region, the Świętokrzyskie Fair at Święty Krzyż is a must. Organisers always provide food for the soul (a religious service) and for the body as well. For tourists, there will be coopers", blacksmiths", potter", herbalists", sculptors", stonemasons", carpenters" and beekeepers" stands, as well as devotional article sales. A typical fair, it will also have folk music bands and dancing groups.

Where and when?  Top of the Łysa Góra Mountain - Święty Krzyż -  May 2024

Szydłów is Poland"s plum capital. The promotion of the fruit which has come to symbolise the municipality is enhanced by the Plum Feast which is part of the Days of Szydłów. Plums and prunes, plum preserves and – made according to the ancient recipe – the Szydłów slivovitz have made the town famous and served to promote the region. Participants in the Plum Feast will enjoy many attractions: plum and plum preserve tastings, a demonstration of ancient fruit stick-drying methods, exhibitions of fruit farming equipment and pest control methods as well as folk handicraft sales and performing artists in concert.

Where and when? Szydłów Town Centre - August 

The Świętokrzyskie Strawberry Day is a truly delicious family festival. The Strawberry Day provides an opportunity to taste the fruit at the opening of the strawberry season, dance to a variety of music styles, as well as discovering the tradition and spirit of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains. The arts part will be complete with a disco party under the stars. Since 2004, the Strawberry Day has featured the Strawberry Stemming World Championship of a very international and sporting nature indeed. The competition consists in accurate stemming of two kilos of ripe strawberries as fast as possible.

Where and when? Szydłów Town Centre - June

The only harvest festival in its kind which features both the traditional customs part and the exhibition of the fruit of farming labour of one of Poland"s leading fruit and vegetable regions. Besides seeing the exhibition, one can also taste the fruit (mainly several apple varieties) and local dishes (apple cakes, bread and lard, Polish-style pickled cucumbers, liqueurs, wines, etc.). For years, the Provincial Apple-Harvesting Festival has been the crowning of the local community"s labour, at the same time promoting the region which is the most fruit-oriented in the entire Voivodeship and boasts centuries-long tradition of fruit farming.

Where and when? Obrazów Centre - September 

All Koziołek Matołek fans are invited to the performances of “Przyjaciele Koziołka” dancegroup from primary school and performance of kindergartners from Self-governmental Kindergarten in Pacanów. Moreover, children are going to be read to by famous fairytale characters: Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty and Snowwhite. And, of course, Koziołek Matołek is coming along as well, to play and give small presents to the children. The play shows how to fight against own weakness, fear, egoism and how to grow friendship, courage and belief in fairytales in everyday life.

Where and when? European Tale Centre - June

The Scout Festival of School Student Culture, featuring holiday meetings of soloists, and music, dancing and folk bands, is Europe"s largest arts event for children and youth. Here, relaxation combines with perfecting one"s skills and competing for the Festival Awards of Golden, Silver and Bronze Fir Trees. To participants, the Festival means performance in front of a large audience, culminating in a grand laureate gala.

Where and when? European Tale Centre - July

An annual classical music festival which draws outstanding Polish and foreign musicians, conductors and singers. The Festival, named after Busko-Zdrój-born singer Krystyna Jamroz, features symphonic and chamber concerts, masters" recitals, opera and operetta galas, oratorios and lighter music concerts.

Where and when? Busko-Zdrój - July

The idea of the Festival is to popularise the music output of Mira Kubasińska, an artist connected with Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski and the region. A major purpose is to support amateur music movements and enable the exchange of artistic experience between beginners and renowned rock and blues bands. The Great Fire is a national event, whose formula is still being developed. An open event, the Festival takes three days of music workshops run by leading rock and blues guitarists, talks, The Young Performers" Competition (for groups entered into the Festival) as well as celebrity concerts. The Festival Board comprises well-known musicians and performers, including Martyna Jakubowicz and Piotr Nalepa. Stars of the Festival"s previous editions have included Nocna Zmiana Bluesa, Martyna Jakubowicz, Dżem and Hey.

Where and when? Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski - July

The International Festival of Organ and Chamber Music is a regular cultural event, the venue being the Cistercian monastery. A major attraction is the Baroque organs, unique in Europe, with uncommon sound potential, which attract crowds of artists and music lovers. Every year, in Jędrzejów, artists famous in Poland and abroad can be heard in concert. These are organ players: Jerzy Perucki, Mario Duella and Michel Colin; soloists: Wiesław Ochman, Teresa Żylis-Gara and Marek Torzewski; conductors and composers: Jerzy Maksymiuk, Krzysztof Penderecki and Henryk Mikołaj Górecki. Entry to the Jędrzejów Festival is free of charge.

Where and when? Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski - July nad August

Memorial to Miles is perceived as one of the most important international event for a wide range of listeners. Annual event takes place next to Miles" sculpture on September - the anniversary of virtuoso"s death. Year by year, the fest gathers more and more famous singers from all the world.

Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including cool jazz, hard bop, modal jazz, and jazz fusion.

Where and when? Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski - September