The Beskid Culture Week

Due to the growing interest in tradition, handicraft and folk culture, there are many folk festivals. Throughout the country there are numerous exhibitions and regional fairs. Their aim is to promote local produce and identity.

A Beskid Culture Week, whose roots date back to pre-war times, is organised here. At that time, it was called the Feast of Mountains. The festival in its current form, will be held for the 50th time in 2013, and is one of the oldest events of this type in Poland and in Europe. It is organised in late July and early August in Żywiec, Wisła, Szczyrk, Maków Podhalański and Oświęcim. Every year, about 100 bands from around 30 countries on different continents take part in the festival. Slovaks, Czechs, and representatives of other European nations traditionally come to the festival, but also bands from such countries as Mexico, Thailand, Georgia or New Zealand are invited.

The Beskid Culture Week includes: the Mountain Folklore Festival in Żywiec, the International Folklore Meetings in Wisła, the Feast in Jabłonków, the Fair in Istebna and 'Wawrzyńcowe Hudy' in Ujsoły. There are also numerous street parades, exhibitions, fairs - also Folk Art Fairs.