Flower Power

Four main stages, melodies reaching us from unconventional places, a day filled with concerts – this year’s Wianki – Fête de la Musique in a nutshell.

A jasmine garland foretells hope and love, while delicate cornflowers promise a faithful partner. Garlands woven by the Krakow Festival Office and the City of Kraków will be especially effective. On 24 June, the whole Kraków sings with us! St. John’s Night resounds from all corners of the city. Classical, jazz, alternative rock, sung poetry, electronic – something for everyone, and entry to all concerts is free!

The major events are held in Kraków’s Old Town, with the loudest stage (Hard Rock Cafe Kraków) located in the very heart of the city. The Main Market Square is dominated by the hottest stars of Poland’s alternative scene: Julia Marcell sings about real and unreal love, the passionate Kortez captivates ladies’ hearts, Sorry Boys take us on a trip to Rome, and the secrets of reality are revealed by a man of marble Taco Hemingway. There will also be cascading rock power as shown by EndoPower. 

We’ll discover the power of local music with a concert at Szczepański Square. The Kraków Stage hosts audience favourites Agnieszka Chrzanowska and Robert Kasprzycki, while Pod Budą led by Andrzej Sikorowski celebrate their fortieth anniversary. Fans of classics will be delighted by the performance by Szymon Nehring. The 21-year-old Cracovian artist was the only Pole to reach the finals of the 17th Fryderyk Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw, and just a couple of weeks ago he won the prestigious 15th Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition in Tel Aviv. The young musician is accompanied by Sinfonietta Cracovia.

The Debut Stage welcomes musicians from Małopolska at the thresholds of their careers. The 8th Megafon Competition, co-hosted by Radio Kraków at the Podgórski Market Square, reveals its finalists. Gypsy and the Acid Queen and Cheap Tobacco have already taken their first steps and in spite of their non-commercial bent, the Cracovian formations already have plenty of faithful fans. The finale features Piotr Zioła – the talented vocalist and composer won the Fryderyk 2017 Prize for debut album of the year.

All flavours of jazz resound at the Nowa Huta Cultural Centre. The Jazz Stage hosts the Grammy Award-winner Włodek Pawlik, the latest winner of the Paszport Polityki award Wacław Zimpel, Jazzpospolita injecting a note of humanism with their latest album, and Atom String Quartet – one of the most fascinating string quartets working today.

And since it’s St John’s Night, it’s time for the traditional competition for the most beautiful garland. The floral compositions, symbolising maidenhood, will be made in the afternoon at the Czerwieński Boulevard. In the late evening, they sky over the river explodes into a cacophony of colour during a 20-minute pyrotechnic display. Accompanying events include the opening party of the Jewish Culture Festival (Market Hall – Hala Targowa), while Art Color Ballet presents all shades of life. Of course the organisers haven’t forgotten about kids. And if you have the stamina, many of Kraków’s venues host a Club Night and Unsound Silend Disco at Szczepański Square. Who needs sleep, after all? (Artur Jackowski, "Karnet" magazine)