On August 15-21, 2025, Zakopane will once again become the folklore capital of the world. For the 56th time, the International Festival of the Highland Folklore will be held on the Górna Rówień Krupowa (Upper Rówień Krupowa) - an event of unique character, which for years has been bringing together highland bands from the remotest corners of the globe. The City of Zakopane and the Zakopane Cultural Center invite you to participate in this unique festival - a meeting with tradition, folk art and culture passed down from generation to generation.

Golden, silver and bronze ciupagi (axes) - prestige and value

The Zakopane festival is not only an artistic feast - it is also a prestigious folklore competition in which ensembles compete for the Golden, Silver and Bronze Ciupaga. Considered one of the most important and demanding reviews of folklore in the world, for years it has maintained a high artistic level thanks to strict criteria and the work of an international Jury. To date, nearly 700 foreign groups from dozens of countries and more than 200 groups from Poland have participated in the festival.

Authenticity and heritage

What distinguishes the Zakopane Festival is its special approach to tradition. Today, the Zakopane Festival is not just a prestigious competition - it is a living “museum of tradition,” a multicolored mosaic of cultures and a testament to the enormous power of heritage.

The festival is invariably guided by the same idea: to nurture and promote traditional, unprocessed folklore - music, dance, costumes, dialect and rituals. For many ensembles, participation in the Zakopane competition is not only an honor, but also a huge responsibility - as they show the world the authentic values passed down in their communities from generation to generation.

Only original forms of folklore are presented on stage - unprocessed dances, songs, rituals and costumes, nurtured in local communities often for centuries. The ensembles not only show artistic performances, but share what is most precious - the living, authentic culture of their regions, reflecting local values, beliefs and history.

Highland folk art - theme 2025

The theme of this year’s edition - “Folk Art of the Highlanders of the World” - directs attention to the richness and diversity of the work of mountain communities. Folk art, an expression of identity, has survived in remote areas of the world as a carrier of memory, tradition and craftsmanship. The festival will focus on unique aspects of this art, such as:

- “Traditional Architecture in the Mountains of Europe” - a review of construction adapted to difficult conditions and local materials,

- “Traditional Painting in Podhale” - presentation of the symbolism and aesthetics of highland painting art,

- “Construction of Carpathian chordophones” - workshops and demonstrations of folk instruments characteristic of the Carpathians.

International stage - a mosaic of folklore

In 2025 in Zakopane we will see groups from Sicily, Slovakia, Cameroon, Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece, Romania, France, Macedonia, Nepal, Cyprus and Spain, as well as representations from Poland. Their presence means not only stage performances, but also participation in accompanying events, such as the Władysław Trebuni-Tutka International Competition of Folk Bands, Instrumentalists and Singers, workshops and animations and National Days. The program is also complemented by Concerts on a Folk Note, Folk Art and Handicraft Fair and visits to the Open Studios of Zakopane Artists. All of these activities are opportunities for close encounters with festival audiences and with cultures from different regions of the world.

Festival concerts - musical excitement

The festival is also an open stage for artists from the borderland of folk and ethno music. This year we will hear:

- “The Carpathian Arc in a Contemporary Arrangement”- a superb Slovak project with Polish vocalist Agnieszka Siemaszko, under the baton of exceptional Slovak violinist Barbora Botošová - the leader of the band

- Kayah & Bum Bum Orkestra & Fiśbanda - an energetic fusion of Balkan, highland music and electronic sound.

Previous editions of the festival included performances by Roby Lakatos with the Beethoven Orchestra, Fanfare Ciocarlia, the Urmula Quintet, Trebunie Tutki, Kapela ze Wsi Warszawa (Band from Warsaw village), Zakopower with the Atom String Quartet and Krywań.

Tradition with a future

The International Festival of the Highland Folklore is not only a cultural event - it is also a mission. Zakopane, as a city with a deep artistic and folklore heritage, creates a space for the preservation and promotion of authentic highland heritage, which in the face of globalization and mass tourism requires special protection.

We invite you to Zakopane - to celebrate the richness of folk culture together with ensembles from all over the world, experience it live, listen, dance and discover what is most precious in it.