The 35th Edition of Piknik nad Odra Festival
The 35th edition of the Piknik nad Odrą Travel and Leisure Festival took place on 8–9 May 2026 at Wały Chrobrego in Szczecin.
The main highlight of the event was the Market Tour Tourism Fair – the most visited tourism fair in Poland – accompanied by new themed zones, including the Volvo For Safety Zone and the Monte Zone. Thanks to the diverse programme, visitors of all ages could find attractions tailored to their interests.
Market Tour Zone Once Again Attracted Crowds
For two days, the Market Tour Zone hosted representatives of cities, regions, tourism organisations, hotels, health resorts, tourist attractions and ferry operators. The 35th edition welcomed participants from 13 Polish regions and representatives of seven countries: Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Indonesia, Lithuania, Germany and Tunisia. Visitors could discover inspiration for city breaks, active tourism and family holidays.
The Partner Region of this year’s edition was Lower Silesia, presenting attractions such as Czocha Castle, Srebrna Góra Fortress, the Karkonosze Mountains and the Milicz Ponds. Fire Theatre performances also attracted significant attention. Bulgaria became the Partner Country of the festival, inviting visitors into the world of Balkan culture, music and traditions. The programme was further enriched by Indonesian artists performing traditional dances and gamelan music.
Great Cooking with Lower Silesia and Bulgaria
The “Great Cooking” attraction returned for another edition and took place on both festival days. On Saturday, visitors could taste fish soup inspired by Lower Silesian cuisine, while Sunday featured Bulgarian kavarma. The open cooking format allowed guests to watch the preparation process and take part in tastings.
Discover Pomerania Promoted Cycling Tourism
The Discover Pomerania Zone showcased cycling tourism and active leisure opportunities in the Polish-German border region. Visitors could use bicycle simulators equipped with VR goggles, allowing them to take a virtual ride around the Szczecin Lagoon and experience the region from a cyclist’s perspective.
“Tourist Passport Around Poland at Piknik nad Odra”
One of the festival attractions was the educational and promotional activity “Tourist Passport Around Poland at Piknik nad Odrą”, organised in cooperation with the Polish Tourism Organisation. Participants visited regional stands, completed tourism-related tasks, solved quizzes and collected special “visas” confirming their visits to different regions.
For many visitors, the passport became a guide through the fair and an opportunity to discover lesser-known attractions and regional curiosities from across Poland. Participants who collected enough visas could take part in prize draws organised three times a day on the stage located in the children’s zone. Prizes included travel books, vouchers, mugs, water bottles, Nordic walking poles, 4F backpacks, Kambukka thermal mugs and numerous gadgets provided by regions and event partners.
New Volvo For Safety Zone
One of the major new additions to this year’s edition was the Volvo For Safety Zone dedicated to road safety and transport education. The Volvo Safety Town attracted as many as 22,000 visitors, achieving record attendance for the Volvo For Safety project.
Visitors could experience a rollover simulator and a limited visibility simulator demonstrating how easily dangerous situations can occur on the road. Younger participants enjoyed a dedicated road safety town, as well as Volvo Kids and Volvo Pets zones promoting safe travel with children and animals.
Family Attractions and Accompanying Zones
Throughout the weekend, Plac Praw Kobiet hosted an extensive children’s zone featuring a new larger stage, animations, inflatable attractions and the Monte Zone. The stage programme included dance performances and spectacular “Crazy Scientist” shows prepared by Time Gates – Gates of Time from Jelenia Góra. Szczecin Waterworks (ZWiK Szczecin) also promoted its “Drink Tap Water!” campaign and eco-friendly solutions reducing plastic consumption.
The festival also included social and educational initiatives. At the Mobile Blood Donation Point on Jarowita Street, nearly 29 litres of blood were collected during the event, while 58 new potential bone marrow donors joined the DKMS Foundation database. Visitors could also attend first aid demonstrations and AED defibrillator presentations prepared by the Department of Crisis Management and Civil Protection.
In the evenings, Wały Chrobrego filled with music and festival atmosphere. On Saturday evening, an energetic drum performance by the Szczecin-based group Rhythm Rebels took place in front of the National Museum. Throughout the weekend, visitors could also enjoy the amusement park, the Street Food Polska Festival featuring cuisines from around the world, the Variety Fair with handicrafts and regional products, as well as the Craft Beer and Gastronomy Zone with live DJ music.
The 35th edition of Piknik nad Odrą once again proved how diverse one event can be – combining travel inspiration, meetings with exhibitors, artistic performances, family attractions and flavours from around the world.