A year with KBF

Our flagship music festivals – Misteria Paschalia, Film Music Festival and Sacrum Profanum – are renowned the world over.
We create unique literary events including the Miłosz Festival and Conrad Festival.
We host low-key events as well as huge local celebrations such as the Wianki Music Festival.

We step into spring with the Misteria Paschalia Festival celebrating Easter. It is one of the most important events showcasing music of the Renaissance, Baroque and Classicism, captivating music fans with its artistry and meditative atmosphere. On 21 March, the festival is preceded by the international Early Music Day.

May features the spectacular Film Music Festival. Every year we meet the hottest names in the industry including composers, performers and directors, many of whom have been awarded prizes such as the Golden Globes and Oscars. The dazzling concerts, frequently accompanied by screenings, provide unforgettable emotions.

Summer always puts a spring in our step! The Wianki Music Festival resounds with up-and-coming musicians and acclaimed stars from the worlds of jazz, rock, folk, pop, club sounds and even silent disco. The event also recalls ancient Slavic traditions.

In July, Kraków becomes a capital of poetry with the Miłosz Festival. Kraków’s conference halls, auditoriums, bookshops and cafés all become spaces for meetings with authors from Poland and abroad. The programme is action-packed with concerts, lectures and workshops.

When Planty Park takes on glorious autumn colours, we await the Conrad Festival. It brings together acclaimed authors and literary outsiders with readers, encouraging lively discussions with social and artistic aspects. The festival is accompanied by workshops, film screenings, concerts, exhibitions and literary tours.

Autumn also celebrates contemporary music: during the Sacrum Profanum Festival, we present the latest sounds of the avantgarde, question traditions and conduct experiments – all to discover new musical worlds.

In December, Kraków is all about Christmas and its traditions. One local custom – that of making dazzling nativity scenes – has been included on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and the splendid constructions appear in streets and squares and windows of restaurants, galleries and cultural institutions throughout the city. The display, held as part of the All Around Nativity Scenes campaign, is co-organised by KBF and the City of Kraków.

And we remain full of creative energy even when we’re not engaged with major events. The Potocki Palace at the Rynek Główny hosts events throughout the year, including those held as part of the Kraków UNESCO City of Literature programme. We are breathing new life into the Wesoła district located just beyond Planty Park encircling the Old Town.

We also co-host initiatives including Mastercard OFF CAMERA, Comic Book Festival, Children’s Literature Festival.

You’ll find our plans for the nearest future in the LATEST tab.

Take a look at the KBF: Tickets page, too.