The Sunday concert started the The 53rd International Festival of Highland Folklore with the sound of trembitas played by Janusz Haniaczyk together with the students from Orawa and members of the Golec Brothers Foundation. The Festival is one of the most popular events bringing together the highlanders from all over the world who present their wonderful culture. The festival ends on August, 26.

In the artistic part of the show the audience could admire the hosts of the Festival – the Klimek Bachleda group and the Giewont group – who presented the scenes from the lives of the women of the Podhale region. The show followed this year's theme of the Festival – the motherhood and the part of a woman in the household.

The official part of the concert was introduced by the Mayor of the City of Zakopane Mr.Leszek Dorula, the Deputy Mayor of the City of Zakopane Mr.Tomasz Filar and the Artistic Director of the Festival – Mrs.Hanka Rybka. During the opening ceremony all the participating groups and individuals were greeted and welcomed with bread – the traditional way of welcoming people in Poland.

I think that our Festival shows that the City of Zakopane is a place where people come to unite. The festival is a proof of connection between the people from all over Europe, between the people from all over the world. We are proud that you are coming over to us, that we can rejoice with you, that you are showing your culture and the most important values here - said the Mayor of the City of Zakopane Mr.Leszek Dorula to the groups and guests who gathered on the stage.

The musical part of the evening was opened by the Sądeczoki guest stars. The group is behind another big festival of traditional art– the Children of the Mountains Festival in Nowy Sącz. Next the stage belonged to the highlanders from all over the world - Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, the Czech Republic, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovakia, Serbia, India, Mexico, Turkey, and a few Polish representatives - the 'Dolina Duajca' band, the 'OwCoK' band and the 'Białodunajcanie' group. The audience had the first opportunity to admire the bands that will compete for the most important prizes of the Festival – the Golden, Silver and Bronze Axes. Those who watched will confirm how difficult it is going for the jury to vote for the winners.

The inaugural concert was attended by: Mayor of the City of Zakopane - Leszek Dorula, Deputy Mayor - Tomasz Filar, Secretary of the City of Zakopane - Grzegorz Cisło, Chairman of the City Council of Zakopane - Jan Gluc, City authorities, Artistic Director of the Festival - Hanka Rybka, the Grand Jury of the Festival with Dr. Bożena Lewandowska, Deputy Director of the Małopolska Cultural Center in Nowy Sącz - Piotr Gąsienica, the Tatra Region authorities, Head of the Culture Department - Joanna Staszak, Honorary Consul of Romania in Krakow - Ignat Timar, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates - Eman Ahmed AlSalami together with an official delegation, Mayor of the City of Negrenia in Romania - Dorin Constantin Manea, delegations of Zakopane's partner cities from Stryj in Ukraine and from Saint-Dié-des-Vosges in France, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow – priest prof. Michał Drożdż together with an official delegation.

The concert was hosted by: Zofia Kubiniec-Stanuch, Maria Kukuc-Frączysta, Katatrzyna Lassak, Andrzej Jakubiec, Marcin Zubek, Maciej Czernik, and Stanisław Łukaszczyk.

Photo by M. Stępień / Press Office 53. MFFZG


The International Festival of Highland Folklore has been organized under the Honorary Patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland Mr. Andrzej Duda and the President's Wife, Mrs. Agata Kornhauser-Duda.


The organizers of the event are the City of Zakopane, Zakopane Cultural Center

The event was co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund - a state special-purpose fund

Main Partner – Małopolska

Festival Partners -PGNiG, LOTTO Brand

The partner of the event is the National Institute of Rural Culture and Heritage, Polskie Tatry Inc., the Association of Highlanders - Zakopane Branch, the Dr.Tytus Chałubiński Tatra Mountains Museum.

The event is under the honorary patronage of the National Center for Culture

The event is under the Scientific Patronage of the Jagiellonian University and the Pontifical University of John Paul II.

Media Patrons: POLSKIE RADIO PROGRAM PIERWSZY, RADIOWE CENTRUM KULTURY RODZIMEJ, TVP, TVP 3 , TVP KOBIETA, TVP KULTURA, TVP3 KRAKÓW, TVP 3 KATOWICE, Radio Kraków, Radio Dla Ciebie, Polska Press Grupa
Gazeta Krakowska, Dziennik Polski, Kwartalnik TATRY, Elity, Gość Niedzielny, Tygodnik Niedziela, Pismo Folkowe, Folk 24, Kultura Ludowa, Tygodnik Podhalański, 24tp, Góral Info
Kultura Podhala, Małopolska Online, Nowy Targ 24, Serwis Informacyjny Watra, Podhale24, TV Podhale, Zakopiec Info

Special thanks to: Społem Zakopane, Gama Zakopane, Top Brand