Poznań Comics Art Festival (16-19 April)
April is also the time when fans of graphic storytelling should make a beeline for the Poznań Comics Art Festival. As in previous years, visitors can attend talks, workshops, author meetings and a conference free of charge, while immersing themselves in the world of comics. This year's programme features exhibitions by Wojciech Stefaniec, Berenika Kołomycka, and Joanna Karpowicz. There will also be a fair offering a chance to swap titles or hunt down new additions to your collection.
for more, see: komiksy-poznan.pl
NEXT FEST Music Showcase & Conference (16-18 April)
For the duration of NEXT FEST, Poznań becomes the capital of the music industry. The conference strand brings debates, panel discussions and workshops, but the real magnet is the Showcase: more than a hundred concerts spread across a dozen venues. It's ideal for anyone on the lookout for fresh new sounds, without losing sight of the biggest names on the Polish scene. We already know that NEXT FEST will feature artists such as Vito Bambino, Peja Slums Attack, Słoń, Ewa Farna, Bass Astral, Boron, Kuba i Kuba, Justyna Chachuła, Sierpień, Michał Anioł, Paula Roma, BEMY, Palmowski, AJLA, bartek turski, LUNAMË, Olaf, Yulka, and Fusy. The line-up is impressively eclectic, ranging from rap through jazz and trance to raw garage guitars. And that's alongside a strong wave of artists from Poznań - plus plenty still waiting to be discovered.
for more, see: nextfest.pl
Millennium Docs Against Gravity (8-17 May)
As always, the first half of May pulls us straight into the cinema. Poznań is one of seven cities hosting the Millennium Docs Against Gravity documentary film festival. Anyone interested in social, political, environmental and cultural issues should keep this firmly on their radar. This year, MDAG will screen Polish premieres including Past Future Continuous (dir. Morteza Ahmadvand, Firouzeh Khosrova) and Shifting Baselines (dir. Julien Élie), alongside festival favourites such as Fox Under a Pink Moon - the latest film by Mehrdad Oskouei - Bez końca by Michał Marczak, My Word Against Mine (dir. Maasja Ooms) and Remake (dir. Ross McElwee).
for more, see: mdag.pl
Bezsenność Festival (25-29 May)
Intimate concerts presenting unexpected takes on classical and popular music - that's the simplest way to sum up the Bezsenność (Insomnia) Festival. Writing for us, Magdalena Lubocka observed that "the Henryk Wieniawski Music Society in Poznań invites exceptional artists to perform, musicians known for a distinctly personal approach to their projects". The line-up has yet to be announced, but the festival's understated, atmospheric character already comes warmly recommended.
for more, see: wieniawski.pl/bezsennosc.html
Enter Enea Festival (31 May-3 June)
An open-air musical meeting? Every yr, one of the first of the season is Enter Enea Festival. Once again, concerts by Lake Strzeszyńskie will be curated by the festival's artistic director, Leszek Możdżer. Announced highlights include the New Masada Quartet led by American multi-instrumentalist John Zorn, as well as the project Julian Lage and Gyan Riley play Zorn. Admission on the festival's opening day is free.
for more, see: entereneafestival.pl
Cały Poznań Ukulele (4-7 June)
Europe's largest free ukulele festival returns to Poznań in early June. This is likely to be the city's most joyful music event. Players of the four-stringed instrument - both beginners and seasoned performers - take part side by side. The programme includes workshops, communal playing and singing, concerts by Polish and international artists, as well as the special project Uku w Operze. It's worth coming along to see that the ukulele bug can strike at any age.
for more, see: ukulele.pl
Ethno Port Poznań (11-14 June)
Music from every corner of the globe, right in the centre of Poznań? That's Ethno Port. As tradition demands, the festival's 19th edition will feature concerts by artists from Europe, Asia, Africa and North America, alongside workshops, talks and dance events celebrating cultural diversity. The organisers invite performers whose music draws on tradition while fearlessly experimenting, combining ethnic sounds with a contemporary sensibility.
for more, see: ckzamek.pl
Pyrkon Fantasy Festival (19-21 June)
Pyrkon is Polska's largest fantasy festival and one of Europe's biggest. Its three-day programme includes more than 2,000 individual events. There are 20 themed zones, including Science, Comics, Gaming, Cosplay, Children's, Literature and Film & TV. Highlights also include the Masquerade costume competition and live concerts. Guests include writer Maggie Stiefvater - author of The Raven King series - the band Twilight Force, Cubicle 7 Entertainment co-founder Dominic McDowall, and video game voice actor Andrew Wincott. And that's only the start.
for more, see: pyrkon.pl
Malta Festival (21-28 June)
Another edition of the Malta Festival brings theatre, open-air events, cinema, talks, dance, workshops, literature and concerts. The music programme is currently the most clearly defined. On 25 June, British singer, composer and poet Benjamin Clementine will perform. Two days later, Beirut return for the festival audience, and on 28 June the high-energy indie rockers Two Door Cinema Club will bring the festival to a close.
for more, see: malta-festival.pl
Poznań Rock Festival (26-27 June)
The organisers proudly describe this as the city's most rock-focused festival. This year, it will span two days.
for more, see: rockfestiwal.pl
Enea Edison Festival (3-4 July)
This two-day event in Baranowo, near Lake Kierskie, traditionally kicks off the summer festival season. Once again, the line-up will feature Poland's most popular artists, beloved legends, and promising newcomers.
for more, see: eneaedisonfestival.pl
Animator International Animated Film Festival (4-12 July)
Animator is Poland's largest cultural event dedicated exclusively to animated film. The festival screens hundreds of films from around the world, including retrospectives, themed programmes, and premieres. Central to the festival are four competitions, notably the International Short Film Competition, whose winner receives a fast track towards an Academy Award nomination.
for more, see: animator-festival.com
BitterSweet Festival 2026 (13-15 August)
Last time around, the second edition of this festival, held at Poznań's Citadel, made waves across Poland and beyond. This year, the organisers promise another heavyweight line-up, with Gorillaz, Twenty-One Pilots, Lorde, Tom Odell, Paul Kalkbrenner, Meute and Charlotte Cardin already confirmed. These are just the early announcements, but music fans should keep a close eye on further reveals.
for more, see: bittersweetfestival.pl
Rockowizna Festival (20-22 August)
Another delight for fans of guitar-heavy music. This two-day touring festival will stop in three Polish cities, including Poznań. The rock stage line-up so far includes Acid Drinkers, Royal Republic, Romantycy Lekkich Obyczajów and Zenek Grabowski.
for more, see: rockowizna.pl
OPERA 2026 (11-13 September)
"This, without question, is one of Polska's most exciting events devoted to new experimental and electronic music," Sebastian Gabryel wrote for us. "From the start, it's never been just another "avant-garde' event, but a true sound manifesto - less about chasing big names (of which there is no shortage), and more about a clearly defined curatorial vision and a compelling narrative," he added. No comment needed - we're eagerly awaiting it.
for more, see: ckzamek.pl
17th Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Competition (8-25 October)
In October, young violin virtuosos from across the globe will come to Poznań to compete on stage. The Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Competition, one of the oldest and most prestigious music contests in the world (first held in 1935), is often a launchpad for international careers.
for more, see: wieniawski.pl
5th Paderewski Festival (6-11 November)
"The story of Ignacy Jan Paderewski is so compelling it could easily become a Hollywood series, a musical, or even... a full-blown festival," say the organisers of the Paderewski Festival. This event combines music, history, and a tribute to the musician and statesman of the Second Polish Republic. The 2026 programme promises recitals from the winner of the 11th Z. Jahnke National Violin Competition as well as the champion of the 13th Ignacy Jan Paderewski International Piano Competition.
for more, see: bonafide.org.pl
British Film Festival (10-15 November)
For the third time, November invites cinephiles to visit the "United Kingdom of Cinema". The British Film Festival is Poland's first-and one of the few European events-entirely dedicated to British cinema. Alongside a wealth of screenings, premieres and retrospectives, the festival offers discussions, filmmaker meet-and-greets, side events, and screenings in unusual venues.
for more, see: britishfilmfestival.pl
Written by the Editors
translation: Krzysztof Kotkowski
© Wydawnictwo Miejskie Posnania 2026
