XIII International Summer Jazz Festival in the Old Town

The International Summer Jazz Festival in the Old Town will take place for the eighth time in, you guessed it, the Old Town. Each Saturday at 7 p.m. from the end of June until the end of August thousands of jazz fans will gather in the Old Town to catch a great show. Overall, the festival attracts some 50 thousands jazz enthusiasts each summer. The festival is open to the public and aims to present the leading jazz artists of today in all styles of the genre. A highlight of the festival will be a performance by the David Murray Quartet from the USA. Other performers include Dino Saluzzi, Pierre Blanchard, Dave Liebman, Leszek Mozdzer, Paul Brody, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Dean Brown, The Avishai Cohen, and John Taylor, amongst many other stars.

when - Until 25th August
where - Old Town
more info - click here

Promotion of the Alternative Scene

June began the third edition of the Promotion of the Alternative (Theatre) Scene ("Alternatywnej Sceny Promocyjnej"), organized by the Office Box Association and Montownia Artistic Centre. Montownia will host shows by 10 independent theatre groups from Poland, often tied to the alternative scene. The festival begins on the 12th of June at 7 p.m. with the play "Teczki" by the 8th Day Theatre from Poznan. The whole festival will last through the 15th of August, with 2-3 shows per month. Performances are in Polish, and tickets for each show are 25 PLN (15 PLN discounted).

when - Until 15th August
where - Montownia Artistic Centre, ul. Konopnickiej 6
more info - click here

Festival of Drums

The Festival of Drums in Warsaw first took place in 2006, and this year will be the second rendition of this festival. The festival aims to boost the popularity of world music, educate people about traditional playing techniques and to popularize traditional drums as an instrument. The program of the festival features first and foremost percussion workshops, led by the top Polish specialists in South African percussion. Mikołaj ‘Miki’ Wielecki will lead a workshop on the carnivalesque hot rhythms of Brazilian samba drumming, while a workshop on Cuban congo playing will be led by Nikodem Bąkowski. This year's festival will also introduce a session of playing a drum kit, with a focus on Afro-Caribbean styles of playing such as salsa, meringue, reggae, and dancehall. Discussions on technique will be led by esteemed musicians Hubert Zemler and José Manuel Alban Juárez. In addition, there will be the possibility of participating in improvized jam sessions, as well as dance workshops joining dance and music in the traditions of African, Cuban, and Brazilian cultures. Besides practical workshops, a serious of lectures will take place about the culture and music of Africa, Cuba, and Brazil, led by esteemed musician. The festival will also encompass a trade fair of drums and percussion equipment, individual consultations with instructors, and of course a group jam session. The workshops will take place August 1st until August 4th, between 10:15 am and 10:15 pm, while the drum trade fair will take place on the 5th between noon and 4 pm, and the lectures will take place on the 5th between noon and 8 pm, with the final jam session starting at 5 pm. Starting at 9 pm from the 1st through the 4th, several parties will take place in conjunction with the festival, and a party pass for all four nights can be purchased for 30 PLN.

when - 1st until 5th August
where - SalsHall Ortodox, al. Niepodleglosci 159/120
more info - click here

Exihibition: "The Secret of Chinese Genius"

The Secret of Chinese Genius exhibition is showing at the Museum of Technology in the Palace of Culture and Science throughout August and September. Over 70 inventions of Chinese technology are on display, in an exhibition designed to present Chinese innovation to the Polish audience. Each exhibit is an original or a copy of the original made with traditional methods, with the exception of some smaller-scale models, and some tools on display will even be open for the public to try out, hands-on. Visitors to the exhibition will be able to learn who invented the wheelbarrow, how paper was made 2000 years ago, when paper money made its appearance and why the Chinese were able to execute long-distance cruises, among other technological curiosities. The exhibition is organized by the Museum of Technology and the Dong-Feng Polish-Chinese Foundation for the Promotion of Culture and Art.

when - Until 30th September
where - Palace of Culture, Pl. Defilad 1
more info - click here

Chopin Summer Concerts

The beautiful Lazienki Park is the setting of the annual Chopin Memorial Sunday Concerts organized by the Warsaw Fryderyk Chopin Society, which take place from May through September on sunny Sundays. Weekly, the works of one of Poland's most famous sons fill the summer air starting at noon and 4:00 pm, at Waclaw Szymanowski's magnificent memorial to Fredryck Chopin at the main entrance to Lazienki Park. All of the concerts are performed by some of the best pianists in the country, so you can rest assured they'll do the prolific composer justice.

when - Until 30th September
where - Lazienki Park
more info - click here

Musical Summer at Otwocki Palace

Every Sunday from the 5th of August until the 2nd of September, the Otwocki Palace will be hosting the second Musical Summer, starting at 4 pm. Each performance is absolutely free, and features professional Polish performers playing a variety of music, from an accordion quartet covering Bach and Mozart to a performance by a full choir.

when - 5th August until 2nd September
where - Otwocki Palace, ul. Zamkowa 49
more info - click here

Exhibition: "Like a Meteor"

The National Museum in Warsaw is proud to present a new exhibition, "Like a Meteor... Stanislaw Wyspianski 1869-1907". The exhibition celebrates the year of Stanislaw Wyspianski, and the 100th anniversary of his death. The collection includes around 200 works by the visionary Polish artist, including six oil paintings, around 50 pastels, numerous sketches, drawings, as well as a rich collection of correspondence and other materials. Part of the collection has never before been shown to the public. The exhibition will be supplemented by film showings of the works of director Andrzej Wajda and set designer Krystyna Zachwatowicz, who made films are based on Wyspianski's plays "Noc listopadowa" and "Wesele".

when - 9th August until 30th September
where - National Museum, al. Jerozolimskie 3
more info - click here

Off/On European Week of Film

The fourth Off/On European Week of Film is a cultural event joining the professional community with students of art academies, amateurs, and the public in an event encompassing film, music, and photography. The festival aims to promote Warsaw artists to the European public. The festival will show some of the best European feature films, as well as the best independent and student works, and will also include meetings with film-makers and workshops. The festival will conclude with a concert on an open stage by the Castle. The festival is open to everyone interested in culture, and all the festival events are free and open to the public.

when - 13th until 18th August
where - Kino Luna, ul. Marszalkowska 28
more info - click here

Concert: Trail of Dead

Austin, TX-based alternative indie-rock band ...And You Will Know Us as the Trail of Dead (or just "Trail of Dead" as they're commonly called) will be playing one show at Hard Rock Cafe in Warsaw. The band's last album, "So Divided", was released to critical acclaim and features the same epic and orchestral productions as their preceding album, "Worlds Apart", which saw distorted guitars juxtaposed with a full orchestra and some Eastern European motifs. Tickets are 45 and 55 PLN and can be purchased online. The show is part of the Hard Rock Cafe Festival vol. 1, which also includes American band !!! (Chk Chk Chk) playing there the following night.

when - 13th August
where - Hard Rock Cafe, ul. Zlota 59
more info - click here

Concert: !!!

!!!, or "Chk Chk Chk" as they're commonly pronounced, are a New York City-based experimental indie rock band, fusing elements of rock and electronica, as well as funk and dance beats to create an original dance punk sound. Their sound has been compared to that of bands like LCD Soundsystem or The Rapture. Fans of loud, energetic concerts where they can dance and go crazy to their heart's content will definitely appreciate !!!. This tour will promote their latest album, "Myth Takes", and it's the only chance to see this eight-person new rave band in Poland. Tickets are 55 to 65 PLN, and can be bought online before the concert. The show is part of the Hard Rock Cafe Festival vol. 1, which also includes American band ...And You Will Know Us by the Train of Dead playing there the night before.

when - 14th August
where - Hard Rock Cafe, ul. Zlota 59
more info - click here

“Ensemble” International Chamber Arts Festival

The Princess Daisy IV International Chamber Arts Festival (named after its patron princess) will join young musicians with experienced teachers famous for their chamber performances. After an intense preparation session, the students then present their pieces together with their mentors for the festival's series of concerts. The festival takes place in two exquisite castles outside of Warsaw, Ksiaz and Pszczyna. For more information on the locales and the festival, visit the festival's website.

when - 17 August - 30 August 2007
where - Ksiaz and Pszczyna castles
more info - click here

Montownia Gallery Opening

The Montownia Artistic Centre, a renowned Warsaw theatre known for its experimental works, is opening its very own gallery with an exhibition Polish art of the younger generation. The opening exhibition will take place at 9:30 pm on the 24th of August, with free admission for all. The space of Montownia's pool will be filled with artworks by Polish artist Michal Mackiewicz, an exhibition of "modern icons" joining sculpture, painting, photography, stenography, and other techniques. The exhibition will then be open to the public before and after every theatre performance until the end of September.

when - 24th August until 30th September
where - Montownia Artistic Centre, ul. Konopnickiej 6
more info - click here

Poetic Manifestations

Poetic Manifestations is a weekend literary event at Mariensztat in Warsaw. The event encompasses a trade fair of poetry books, along with readings by known poets, musical performances, and critical discussions on the subject of poetry (in Polish). The event aims to introduce new poetry and poets while keeping discussion alive about the classics.

when - 25th and 26th August
where - Staromiejski Dom Kultury, Rynek Starego Miasta 2
more info - click here

The Whole World in Warsaw

The Whole World in Warsaw is a multicultural Warsaw street party which aims to present the variety and complexity of Warsaw and its inhabitants. The highlight of the street festival will be a colourful parade, in the vein of the Rio de Janeiro Carnival, Nothing Hill Carnival as well as Spanish fiestas, making its way across Warsaw main streets, with representatives of all the cultures present in Warsaw participating in it. While the parade will be lead by professional dancers and cultural representatives, anyone and everyone is encouraged to join in, and even to help organize it. The parade will begin at 2 pm at the Pasaz Wiecha next to the Atlantic cinema, and will make its way through Chmielna, Nowy Swiat, and Krakowskie Przedmiescie, ending up at the Main Stage on Krakowskie Przedmiescie, where at 5 pm a night of concerts and dance performances will begin and last through the evening. Besides the parade, the street festival will feature dance workshops, drum workshops, performances given by ethnic music groups, contests, and special booths featuring crafts and samples of traditional cuisines from many different cultures.

when - 26th August
where - Throughout Warsaw
more info - click here