Greater Poland Events

Greater Poland’s calendar has two dates that belong to this region alone, and both are genuinely local rather than staged for visitors.

Saint Martin’s Day — 11 November, Poznan

The city’s own festival, and one of the more endearing civic occasions in Europe. Saint Martin is Poznan’s patron, his day falls on Poland’s independence day, and the city marks it by eating rogale swietomarcinskie — the protected poppy-seed croissant — in quantities that reach several hundred tonnes in a single day. Certified bakers work through the night, queues form before dawn, and the pastries are sold by weight from stalls along Saint Martin’s Street. A parade led by a figure of the saint on horseback processes to the castle, where the mayor hands over the keys of the city, and there is street theatre, music and a good deal of standing about eating. It is a rare example of a food tradition that is protected, commercially serious and still entirely genuine.

Greater Poland Uprising anniversary — 27 December

A public holiday in this region only, marking the successful 1918 rising. Commemorations, wreath-laying and a strong sense that this is the one that worked.

Malta Festival — late June

An international theatre, dance and music festival held around Lake Malta and across Poznan since 1991, and one of the larger performance festivals in central Europe.

Jarmark Swietojanski — June

Poznan’s midsummer fair has been held since the Middle Ages and still fills the market square and the riverside for a fortnight with craft stalls, pottery, food and music, ending with wreaths floated on the Warta on the shortest night. It is the older sibling of the Christmas market and considerably less commercial.

The goats at noon

Daily rather than annual, but worth timing: the town hall clock at twelve, with the crowd assembled.