WARSAWESOME:
WEEKEND IN WARSAW
AUGUST 20-22
It might be almost the last, but it’s the most exciting weekend of holidays – the Singer’s Warsaw Festival is starting, Mitch & Mitch will play Ennio Morricone’s music at Plac Defilad, and Wola will be celebrating the 125th birthday of Wiech – the beloved Varsovian storyteller. Buckle up!
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1) 18th Singer’s Warsaw Festival
This festival celebrating Jewish culture and heritage has been among the top 5 best events each of the last 18 years. This edition’s program includes, among others, premiere performances of the Jewish Theater, a mystical concert of the Schofar band, concerts of cantors in the Nożyk Synagogue, film screenings, guided city walks, and exhibitions
When: Friday, August 20, to Sunday, August 29
2) Concerts
- On Saturday evening, in the very heart of the city, there is a free concert of Mitch & Mitch + Ennio Morricone + Sinfonia Varsovia. The combination of the interpretive genius of the Mitches (known, among others, from the memorable album recorded with Zbigniew Wodecki) and the virtuosity of Sinfonia musicians with the compositional mastery of Ennio Morricone will be exactly the treat your ears desire.
When: Saturday, August 21, from 21:00
Where: Plac Defilad
And for the weekly open-air concerts, the timetable looks just as promising:
- Dziedzinica Kultury presents a mix of electronics, synth-pop and deep sounds presented by the most mysterious band on the Polish music scene – BOKKA and the producer duo Rysy, with the guest vocalist – Michał Anioł.
When: Friday, August 20, from 20:30
Where: ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 15/17
- Dziedziniec Nowy Świat will hold as many as three shows on Saturday evening. The line-up consists of Gooral, who combines club and electronic music with highlanders’ folk, the electro-pop duo YUKAA and the duo SZUM & FYKES, characterized by a strong bass and an enticing trance groove.
When: Saturday, August 21, from 17:00.
Where: ul. Nowy Świat 6/12
- This week, as part of Jazz Na Starówce, we will hear the premiere of the experimental Smoliński – Chyła – Sarnecki trio.
When: Saturday, August 21, from 19:00
Where: Old Town Square
- Dreszer Jazz Festival invites you to more intimate performances in the nostalgic surroundings of Park Dreszera. This week there will be a concert by Piotr Zubek and Urszula Borkowska .
When: Saturday, August 21, from 17:00
Where: Park Dreszera
3) Miscellaneous
- Wola Wiecha, or a concert on the 125th birthday of Stefan Wiechecki, is a tribute to the work of this unrivaled master of literature written in the Warsaw dialect. The program includes performances by groups refreshing the capital’s folklore, dancing, and skits in the dialect. It is worth listening and getting inspired to restore the Warsaw dialect.
When: Saturday, August 21, from 18:00
Where: square in front of the Wola Museum – ul. Srebrna 12
- City Festival in Pasaż Wiecha invites to zero waste cooking workshops, workshops on creating seedlings of exotic plant species from recycled materials, and our favorite “Green Veteran” campaign – a chance to save plants from empty offices in Warsaw’s skyscrapers. On Friday, there will also be concerts by Brazilian drummers from Ritmodelia and NIebieski Label.
When: Friday and Saturday, August 20 and 21, from 12:00
Where: Pasaż Wiecha
- Summer Milonga at Elektrownia Powiśle is an opportunity to finally learn how to tango. Teachers from the best dance schools will show the basic steps to beginners, and those familiar with the technique of dance can show off their skills on a specially prepared smooth dance floor.
When: Saturday, August 21, 15:30 to 18:30
Where: Elektrownia Powiśle – ul. Dobra 42
- Open Jazdów Festival offers a variety of events and attractions every day until August 26. On Mondays, there are open discussions on important social topics; Tuesdays are for visual arts and graphic workshops; Wednesdays are dedicated to yoga and movies; Thursdays center around reading and creating literature; Fridays bring intimate live music performances; Saturdays are for dancing sessions; Sundays are for getting educated about urban agriculture. The timetable looks impressive and it’s always a good idea to support local initiatives creating a stronger urban community.
When: daily until August 26
Where: Osiedle Jazdów
4) Water sports
If you like water sports, there are many places in Warsaw where you can do it for free:
- Wawer – Urzecze nad Wisłą cruises on Saturday, August 21, from 10:00 to 18:00; FB event
- free canoe rental on Lake Kamionkowskie and Lake Balaton in Praga Południe. Open from Thursday to Sunday. You just need to register on this site.
- free canoe rental on the Vistula – registration at +48 606 225 863;
- free catamaran cruises from the Młociny Harbor. Saturdays and Sundays at 10:00, 11:15, and 12:30. You just need to register on this site.
- a free guided cruise on the Vistula River is available on Saturdays and Sundays at 15:00 and 17:00. You just need to register on this site.
- city kayak game combines water sports with urban education. You just need to register on this site.
5) Open-air cinemas and theaters
This year we are getting a whole new user-friendly website aggregating outdoor cinemas’ schedules. There are over 20 venues in almost all districts (Ochota and Praga Południe are strangely underrepresented). The screenings run from Wednesday to Sunday at 21:00 and/or 21:30 until September 2.
All the details you can find on the Filmowa Stolica Lata website.
Yet, there are few venues that didn’t make it onto that list:
- Browary Warszawskie (ul. Krochmalna 59) has already inaugurated a series of shows on Sundays and Wednesdays at 21:00; FB event
- It is also worth going to Browary for a silent disco that kicks off on Saturdays at 21:00; FB event
- Open Air Cinema in Włochy (Marek Kotański Park) organizes screenings on Fridays at 21:45; FB event
- Elektrownia Powiśle (ul. Dobra 42) invites you to an open-air cinema on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 19:30; FB event
- The Open Air Cinema in Wawer (Plaża Romantyczna) opens on Sundays at 21:30; FB event
If you prefer open-air theaters, we recommend the OCH-Teatr outdoor stage:
- Czerwony Kapturek (in Polish)
When: Friday, August 20, from 18:00
Where: Centrum Praskie Koneser
6) Outdoor Yoga
Healthy movement is the way of the walk at the weekend. And since yoga is a movement that allows you to look deeply into the needs of the body and spirit, we recommend immersing yourself in it during free outdoor practices:
- Bodyart on the grass
Royal Gardens in front of the Royal Castle, Saturdays at 10:30; FB event
- Yoga in the park
Park Żeromskiego, Fridays at 17:00; FB event
Prochownia Żoliborz, Saturdays and Sundays at 10:00; FB event
Park Moczydło, Saturdays at 10:00; FB event
Park Przy Bażantarni, Saturdays at 10:00; FB event
Pole Mokotowskie, Sundays at 10:00; FB event
Park Sowińskiego, Sundays at 10:00; FB event
Służewski Dom Kultury(Jana Sebastiana Bacha 15), Sundays at 12:00
- by the Vistula River
Rusałka Beach, Saturdays at 12:00 and Sundays at 20:00; FB event
Lunapark (Wał Miedzeszyński 407), Saturdays at 15:00;
Żoliborz Beach (Wybrzeże Gdyńskie 2), Sundays at 10:30; FB event
7) Weekend classics
The weekend classics include:
- Praga Centrum is where you can feel as if you were at a summer festival. There are silent discos, fashion shows, handicraft and arts markets etc. All that plus drink bars and food trucks and at least 3 major concerts a week. This week there are Tuzza, LemON, and Grubson. There will also be a slow life market (Saturday and Sunday, August 21 and 22, from 10:00 to 16:00; FB event).
When: every day
Where: ul. Szwedzka 2/4
More on FB page.
- OFF Brzeska is a place to buy local produce, savor mouth-watering street food, and bounce to cool live beats. All this in the surroundings of an iconic marketplace – Bazar Różyckiego. The venue’s classic set that we wholeheartedly recommend comprises pyzy (a type of dumplings) and a shot of ice-cold vodka. On Sunday, August 22, from 13:00 to 20:00, you can also attend BE ECO BE COOL – a second-hand fashion market dedicated to girls from the hood (FB event).
When: Fridays (17: 00-01: 00), Saturdays (17: 00-02: 00), and Sundays (13: 00-20: 00)
Where: OFF Brzeska – Brzeska 25
More on FB page
- Nocny Market is a food court beloved by everybody in the city. There will be classics from the previous 5 editions, exciting debutantes, 5 drink bars, redesigned chillout, and music zones. This week we are particularly eager to participate in a used books market (Sundays, from 16:00 to 23:00; FB event).
When: Fridays and Saturdays (17: 00-01:00), Sundays (17:00-23:00)
Where: Dworzec Głowny – ul. Towarowa 3
More on FB page.
- Wielka Uczta nad Wisłą is your choice when you are partying by the boulevards. This year it will be located on Płyta Desantu near Pomost 511 and Fala nad Wisłą which ensures that good food will be accompanied by music that will make your legs dance hard. You can also take a walk to Faszyn from raszyn fashion market in WIR, on Grzymała Siedlecki Boulevards (Saturday and Sunday, August 21 and 22; FB event)
When: Fridays (18:00-02:00), Saturdays (12:00-02:00) and Sundays (12:00-22:00)
Where: Płyta Desantu
More on FB page
To find the best places for summer walks, bike trips, dates, etc. consult our list of 35 AMAZING THINGS TO DO IN WARSAW IN 2021.
