WARSAWESOME:
WEEKEND IN WARSAW
JANUARY 28 – 30
Without a shadow of a doubt, this weekend is marked by Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy. Almost all of the most interesting events revolve around the coolest charity event in the world. Apart from that, in winter you can also appreciate the richness of the capital’s cultural scene. Janusz Głowacki’s “Antigone in New York” makes a comeback in a new form, and an exhibition presenting the best Polish architecture of the last two years is opening as well. Moreover, we enjoy the warm thoughts of pine tea, which we will prepare in open herbal workshops. For details, see #warsawesome.
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1) 30th Finale of Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy
The WOŚP final is a one-day public fundraiser, which is also accompanied by internet campaigns and organized events. This year we are collecting money to ensure the highest standards of ophthalmological diagnostics and treatment for children. Hopefully, we will meet fundraisers practically everywhere and they, respectful of each donated amount, will adorn our coats with an iconic heart. The main event of the day will traditionally be the final concert, which will start at 13:40 with a happysad concert. LemOn will end the show around 22:00. The climax will come a bit earlier, though. At 20:00 we will send a light to the sky – that is an awesome fireworks show (or laser show, but at the moment everything points to fireworks). The entire event will take place in a tent in front of the Palace of Culture and Science (pl. Defilad 1). If you want to take part in it, first book a free ticket.
where: plac Defilad
when: Sunday, January 30, from 13:40 to 22:00; light to the sky at 20:00
The map WOŚP events will lead us to various districts supporting the campaign.
- In Praga Północ, in Centrum Praskie Koneser, you can take part in auctions of valuable items, use the ice rink, go to upcycling workshops, as well as get vaccinated against COVID and flu, or consult a psychologist. Moreover, there will be concerts of Czesław Mozila, Kapela Praska, Jelonek, and more. more info
- In Śródmieście, in Hala Koszyki, students from the Author’s School of Popular Music and Jazz will perform the compositions of Krzysztof Komeda. more info
- On the border of Mokotów, Ursynów, and Wilanów, in our beloved Bez Słowa (ul. Fosa 3), there will be concerts (e.g. Urszula and Ifi Ude), interesting interviews, competitions with prizes, and a group performance of the iconic “Sen o Warszawie” by Czesław Niemen with the participation of the author of the lyrics. more info
- In Ursynów, in Ursynowskie Centrum Kultury „Alternatywy” (ul. Indiry Gandhi 9), the legendary Komety band will play, and Pavement Pizza will play as their support, bringing a summer atmosphere even in the middle of winter. more info
- In Białołęka, at Białołęcki Ośrodek Sportu (ul. Strumykowa 21), we can enjoy concerts by, among others, Antek Smykiewicz and Sylvia Novak. Moreover, there will be sports attractions for children, a football match between Białołęka Sports Center and Friends Team and the Polish Artists Team, just as well as auctions of valuable sports memorabilia. more info
- In Bielany, at Centrum Rekreacyjno-Sportowe (ul. Lindego 20), there will be concerts and magic shows; and at the Dziekanowskie Lake, you can go ice swimming and then immediately jump into a mobile sauna. more info
2) Mies van der Rohe Award 2022 – Polish nominees
The Mies van der Rohe Award is the most prestigious award for European architects. Since its first edition in 1988, no Polish building has ever won. This year can finally be different. Among the nominated objects, there are those located in the capital, such as metro stations in Wola, the ZODIAK pavilion, or the P4 complex. We encourage you to see the exhibition with its curator – Ms. Magdalena Maciąg as your guide.
when: Sunday, January 30, from 16:00
where: ZODIAK – pasaż Wiecha 4
3) Winter herbalist workshops
It seems that winter is not the most appropriate time to pick herbs. And that’s a mistake! During the workshops, we will learn about the power of winter gifts of nature: pine needles, winter shoots of blackberry, wild rose, or hawthorn. We will learn how to use them to brew tea, try flatbreads with pine needles, and also make simple herbal cosmetics. Although foraging is a global trend, it has not yet flourished in Poland. However, we can learn the basics now, before an inevitable boom.
when: Saturday, January 29, from 16:00
where: Centrum Łowicka – ul. Łowicka 21
4) Art in the City
This week we have a chance to take part in several events presenting historical portraits of cities:
- in the “Women’s Cinema” series, we can watch the film “City Dreamers” about women pioneers who shaped the way of thinking about contemporary urban planning. Their different styles really had only one thing in common: the vision of an inclusive city open to human needs. The movie can also be watched on the vod.mdag.pl platform.
when: Saturday, January 29, from 19:00
where: Służewski Dom Kultury – ul.Bacha 15
- The list of world-famous Polish theater plays would probably be quite short. At its top would be “Antigone in New York” by Janusz Głowacki – a play that TIME magazine placed in the TOP10 of the best plays of 1993. Antigone has not been staged in Warsaw for a long time, so we are very curious how it will find itself here in Paweł Frąckiewicz’s version. Need to see it with our own eyes.
when: Saturday, January 22, from 17:00 to 19:30
where: Pracownia Poddasze – ul. Nowomiejska 11/13
- Over 400 objects at the Invisible. The stories of the Warsaw servants exhibition, spread over six rooms, tell the life of servants and the history of domestic workers. The layout of the exhibition reflects the path the servant has traveled since her arrival in Warsaw, through her job search and daily duties. In our opinion, it is one of the best-thought-out exhibitions that allows you to immerse yourself in the presented topics.
when: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, from 11:00 to 18:00; Thursday, Saturday, from 11:00 to 20:00
where: Muzeum Warszawy – Rynek Starego Miasta 28
- We expect similar quality at the Let them flow! Other rivers of Warsaw exhibition. Oftentimes we mistakenly confound the rivers of Warsaw solely with the Vistula. Yet, the hydrographic network of the capital is much richer. At the exhibition, we will trace the course, learn about biographies, see the remains and contemporary traces of other rivers hidden in the names of districts and streets. Moreover, the contemporary part of the exhibition draws attention to the significant impact of the degradation of rivers on the development of cities during a climate crisis.
when: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday from 11:00 to 18:00; Thursday, Saturday, from 11:00 to 20:00
where: Muzeum Woli – Srebrna 12
5) Travel breakfast in Dorożkarnia
We have a sweet tooth for this type of event. After a week of working from home, it is nice to go out, meet people, have breakfast together, learn interesting facts about the world and go on enjoying the weekend. The guest of the January breakfast meeting will be Jędrzej Kamzelewski – a long-time foreign tour leader and Warsaw guide. Booking a place is required.
when: Saturday, January 29, from 12:00
where: Dorożkarnia – ul. Siekierkowska
6) Nice walk
Officially, we have 88 parks and 27 forest complexes in the capital. So take the opportunity to see their winter faces. If the weather so permits, you can try out the capital’s winter sports. Maybe the conditions aren’t really alpine, but sometimes taking a leap of faith to do cross-country skiing in the Bielański Forest or ride down Górka Szczęśliwicka allows us to indulge in activities seemingly absent in big city life.
If you prefer to lie in longer in the morning, read, or simply have other duties to fulfill, even twilight that comes too early is not a problem for Warsaw galavantees. The whole streets and parks are illuminated with attention to the smallest detail. Therefore, for relaxation and health purposes, we recommend taking a stroll in the following places:
- Nowy Świat and Krakowskie Przedmieście up to Plac Zamkowy, which light up as the official Illumination of Warsaw;
- University of Warsaw Botanical Garden with Lumagica illumination (more info);
- The Botanical Garden in Powsin, where the Peter Pan’s Garden of Lights awaits (more info);
- Wilanów Park with the local Royal Garden of Light (more info);
- Multimedia Fountain Park, where from Friday to Sunday at full hours from 16:00 to 20:00 you can admire the winter laser show.
7) Ice rinks
Warsaw ice rinks deserve a separate paragraph. After all, nothing integrates better than having fun together, so the whole gang can go ice skating. After all, what brings people closer than having fun together. Non-skaters can always take the opportunity to drink mulled wine or cocoa. The following venues will be open this weekend:
- Park Bródnowski, from ul. Kondratowicza, more info;
- Praska Ślizgawka in Centrum Praskie Koneser, more info;
- Rynek Starego Miasta, more info;
- Galeria Północna, along Trakt Nadwiślański, more info;
- Galeria Młociny, on ul. Zgrupowania AK Kampinos 47, more info;
- Figlowisko, next to Metro Natolin, more info.
To find the best places for walks, bike trips, dates, etc. consult our list of the 35 AMAZING THINGS TO DO IN WARSAW IN 2022.