January Festivals
Lotos Jazz Festival: is known as Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa in Polish, and is held late in January. The festival boasts a significant representation of international jazz artists, along with the top names in Polish jazz. February Festivals
Fat Thursday:Tlusty Czwartek in Polish, this event is held on the last Thursday before Lent. The festivities include enjoying the company of family and friends and large quantities of traditional Polish foods. Once Lent begins, many of these delicacies are forbidden until Easter Sunday. Easter Sunday itself is largely reserved for church attendance and family gatherings; and the Monday following is a public holiday, which involves widespread socialising and fun activities – including rituals such as soaking acquaintances with water in the hopes of ridding them of bad luck. April Festivals
Misteria Paschalia Festival (Krakow): is a religious music festival that’s held in Krakow for five days in either late March or early to mid April, set to coincide with Holy Week and Easter. The majority of the performances are held at Krakow’s Philharmonic Hall, and the highlight is clearly the Bach recital. At the end of the parade, everyone congregates on the banks of the Vistula river to watch a second parade of dragons that are carried along the river on all sorts of craft. Once the parades have ended, a fireworks and laser light display provides a spectacular close to the day’s activities. June Festivals
Mozart Festival: is hosted by Warsaw’s Chamber Opera and has been held annually since the early 1990s. The festival runs for a full month – from mid-June to mid-July. All of Mozart’s staged works are performed, as are major selections of his chamber, symphonic and vocal works. July/August Festivals
Old Town Jazz Festival: runs through July and August, with performances of all types of jazz scheduled every Saturday throughout the period. The festival attracts international jazz artists and well-known Polish names as well. Venues for the concerts are Rynek Starego Miasta and the old town square. August Festivals
Sopot International Song Festival: is a festival of popular music that’s held at the Forest Opera, featuring music from a number of genres. This is the oldest song contest held in Europe, with events spanning a two-day period in late August. September Festivals
International Festival of Contemporary Music: beginning in mid-September and continuing to the end of the month, this contemporary music festival features some of Warsaw’s best composers and musicians. Also involved and actively participating in the programme of performances are the Fredrick Chopin Academy of Music and the National Philharmonic. Montverdi Festival: running from September to October, the Montverdi Festival is an offering by the Warsaw Opera Chamber to all lovers of opera. Local and international talent is featured, and a variety of Mozart's operas are performed. Warsaw International Film Festival: has been running for more than 20 years, and features a week-long series of screenings of film entered by participants from around the world. This is a very popular yearly event, attracting not only spectators, directors and critics – but also representatives from the Cannes and Sundance festivals as well. November Festivals
Warsaw Piano Festival: held for five days each year in November, this event attracts the best Polish pianists and international names. Performances are held at two main venues in Warsaw: the Royal Palace and Warsaw’s Philharmonic Hall. | 
