The annual St. Dominic’s Fair, known as the Jarmark Dominkański, is one of the main highlights on Gdansk’s cultural calendar and will dominate the city’s old town for the next 3-4 weeks. Here, 1stopJamboree takes a brief look at what makes it so popular with tourists and locals alike.
When it comes to cultural crowd pleasers in Poland, you’ll be hard pushed to find one as comprehensive and engaging as the Jarmark Dominikański (St. Dominic’s Fair), which kicked off in Gdansk on 31st July and will dominate the city’s old town for nearly a month.
During that time, the renowned tranquillity of the city gives way to a beehive of activity as hundreds of stalls, selling everything from WW2 pistols to massage chairs, are erected along the cobbled streets attracting bargain hunters from all over the world. For anyone with an eagle eye and a knack for haggling it is a treasure trove of epic proportions and, with an abundance of food & drink stalls to choose from, there is always the possibility to take a well-earned break and sample the local cuisine.
However, the 756 year old Jarmark isn’t just about buying and selling and all manner of concerts, performances, demonstrations, competitions & other cultural events are intertwined with day-to-day proceedings to create a cultural extravaganza. This year’s programme includes folk music groups from Serbia, Ukraine & Germany, an open air fashion show, a “Bread Day Parade” and the biggest drum in the world!
As a local once observed, “People don’t come to the Jarmark for an hour, an afternoon or even a day – that’s not the Jarmark – they come here for a couple of days at least and really experience it!” It’s a hard statement to argue with, given that the hotels enjoy full houses throughout, and there is no doubt that the atmosphere and experience linger long in the memories of all “Jarmarkers”.
The Jarmark Dominikański runs from 31st July to 22nd August. For more details visit:
For more information about things to do in Gdansk or any of our other polish destinations, please contact the main office.
