– It gives us a unique chance to get to know our own cultural heritage and the history of the city. During the celebration we want to draw attention to famous Lubliners, and prominent events, ideas and works – says Krzysztof Żuk, Mayor of the City of Lublin.
The celebration of the Grand Jubilee has been divided into thematic blocks: “Experience the History”, “Feel the Energy” and “A Lot Is Going On.” Many events have also been organised within the “Season Lublin.”
The idea of the “Experience the History” season was to show the history of the city, from its foundation to the present times, in an interesting and innovative way. Museums, cultural centres, churches, research centres and institutions in Lublin opened their doors to the city’s inhabitants. During special, free thematic weeks, they held exhibitions presenting collections and documents related to all stages of Lublin’s development. Curators, tour guides and historians dealing with particular epochs told the inhabitants of Lublin a great tale about the proud history of the city. The programme of the season placed emphasis on direct experience and the use of various forms and cognitive tools. It included a series of workshops and meetings with enthusiasts of our city.
The programme of the “Experience the history” season included 12 thematic weeks, 180 lectures and history lessons, 4 conferences, 22 theme walks, 42 workshops for children, and 16 new exhibition spaces. 9,500 people visited the exhibitions, took part in workshops, history lessons, lectures and walks. A total number of the recipients of the “Experience the history” season amounted to 55,000 people.
The “Feel the Energy” season celebrates the spring period of vitality and joy of life (May – June). It is the time when students go out to have fun outdoors and the Lublin cultural life begins to leave the walls of institutions. The city vibrates with student events; the city inhabitants go out to take part in one of the biggest cultural events in Poland – the Night of Culture. It is during this period that the concerts and festivals taking place in Lublin’s streets, bridges, squares and courtyards begin.
The “A Lot Is Going On” season is planned for July and August. The Lublin summer is a season of great outdoor shows. On the occasion of the 700th anniversary of the city, special events or extended editions of festivals such as Different Sounds, Jagiellonian Fair and Magician’s Carnival will take place every weekend. Thanks to the European Juggling Convention, Lublin will become a mecca for magicians from all over the world. The castle courtyard will hold an outdoor show “A Dream about the City.”
Events calendar of the “Feel the Energy” and “A Lot is Going on” seasons:
• Festival of Art In Public Spaces “Open City” – 22 June – 20 July
• East of Culture – Different Sounds Art’n’Music Festival – 5-9 July
• The Ignacy Wachowiak International Folklore Meetings – 15-21 July
• European Juggling Convention 2017 – 22-30 July
• Magicians’ Carnival – 27-30 July
• Polish Festival of City Bugle Calls– August
• “A Dream about the City” – open air performance – August
• International Lubliners’ Reunion– 10-15 August
• Jagiellonian Fair – 12-15 August
• 32nd Polish Convention of Fantasy Fans POLCON 2017 – 24-27 August
More information: Polish Tourist Organisation | Lublin
Photo © Anna Karahan