Poland's Beskid Culture Week draws nearly 100 folk groups

The 63rd Week of Beskid Culture (Tygodnia Kultury Beskidzkiej) will take place from 25 July to 2 August across several towns in the Polish Beskids, including Wisła, Szczyrk, Żywiec, Maków Podhalański, Oświęcim, Ujsoły, Istebna and the Czech village of Jabłonków. An opening concert is scheduled for 23 July in Bielsko‑Biała.

Around 100 folk ensembles from Poland and a dozen other countries—such as the United States, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Bosnia‑Herzegovina, Greece, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Estonia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia—will perform. The festival will host roughly 4 000 dancers, musicians, singers, folk‑art creators and craftsmen. Highlights include the 57th Polish Highlanders Folk Festival and the 35th International Folklore Meetings, where groups will compete for the Golden Żywiec Hearts and the Grand Prix.

Events span concerts, contests, street parades, exhibitions, workshops, crafts markets, dance evenings, sport activities and regional cuisine tastings, offering a comprehensive showcase of mountain folklore and traditions.