About

Every two years, at the beginning of July, in Gdańsk takes place one of the most important and oldest folk festivals in Poland – the “Sounds of the North” Festival. Its idea is to present tradition in a vivid and modern form and the musical culture of the Baltic Sea region. “Sounds of the North” is not only phenomenal concerts in the historic St. John’s Centre, but also dance, singing, instrumental and handicraft workshops, film projections, meetings, theatre and culinary presentations and dances with live music.

For the organiser of the Festival – the Baltic Sea Cultural Centre in Gdańsk – this is a flagship project, but also an adventure! For over 30 years we have been popularizing contemporary music inspired by the traditional culture of Poland and the Baltic countries. We study musical tropes, we follow trends on the Polish and Scandinavian folk scene, we listen and invite the most interesting phenomena to Gdańsk. We are joined by both in crudo artists and those who read the tradition anew, combining it with contemporary music experience, giving it a new dimension.

So far, the festival stage has hosted, among others Warsaw Village Band, Kimmo Pohjonen, Vołosi, Adam Strug, Urszula Dudziak, Maria Kalaniemi, Vassvik, Nordic, Harald Haugaard, Kapela Maliszów, Maarja Nuut, Kroke, Valkyrien Allstars, Sutari, Wimme, Bastarda or Radical Polish Ansambl.

We invite you to Gdańsk!