Gdańsk's 766th St. Dominic's Fair opens with 715 stalls and nearly 300 events over three weeks
The 766th St. Dominic's Fair, one of Europe's oldest and largest open-air events, opens in Gdańsk on 25 July 2026 with over 700 stalls, nearly 300 cultural events, and 17 world cuisines.
A tradition spanning eight centuries
The 766th edition of the St. Dominic's Fair begins in Gdańsk on 25 July 2026 and runs for three weeks, until 16 August. Organisers have prepared 715 stalls (a figure confirmed by organisers, though one early report cited over 700), with more than 250 exhibitors from the Pomorskie voivodeship and almost 150 from Gdańsk itself. The fair, which traces its roots back over 760 years, transforms the historic city centre into a sprawling marketplace of crafts, food, music, and performance.
This year's motto, "Tu każdy ma swoją historię" ("Everyone has their story here"), ties into efforts to inscribe the craft and merchant traditions of the St. Dominic's Fair on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. An application has already been submitted to the National Heritage Institute. Robert Niemiec, a long-time participant and exhibitor, is the main depositary in those efforts.
Opening ceremony and parade
The official inauguration takes place on Saturday, 25 July at noon on the forecourt of the Arthur's Court (Przedproże Dworu Artusa). Artists from Gdańsk's Teatr Młodych will stage a musical-theatre spectacle combining actors, dancers, acrobats, and a choir, inspired by the memories of Robert Niemiec. Following tradition, a representative of the Gdańsk city authorities will hand a symbolic key to the city gates to the merchants. A colourful opening parade will then proceed through the streets of the Main Town, drawing thousands of spectators.
- Opening ceremony at Arthur's Court, musical-theatre performance by Teatr Młodych, symbolic key handover, parade through Main Town.
- 31st Bread Festival (Święto Chleba) with traditional baking displays and local specialities.
- Pomeranian Festival of Folk Bands (first edition), intergenerational dances, silent disco, sea shanties, jazz and Chopin concerts, volleyball zone.
- Polish Armed Forces Day concert with the Maritime Border Guard orchestra and the Gdańsk carillon.
- Fair concludes. Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe leads Dominican retreats during the indulgence period.
Three weeks of music, dance, and sport
Close to 300 events are scheduled across the three weeks, spanning music, theatre, culinary showcases, and sport. The programme includes intergenerational dance parties, silent disco, sea shanty concerts, jazz and Chopin recitals, and a volleyball zone promoting the upcoming men's World Volleyball Championship. The Polish Volleyball Day (Święto Polskiej Siatkówki) also features.
All fair-related events will end by 10 p.m. at the latest.
A highlight on 15 August is a concert for the Polish Armed Forces Day, performed by the orchestra of the Maritime Branch of the Border Guard in Gdańsk together with the Gdańsk carillon. For the first time, the Pomeranian Festival of Folk Bands will take place as part of the Folklore Day, and a Baroque music concert plus evenings of organ music are planned by the Dominican friars.
Thematic zones and global flavours
Organisers have built out a system of themed zones called "przystanki" (stops), each with its own programme of concerts, shows, workshops, and family attractions. Zones include the Adventure Stop with AmberSky, the Flavours Stop, the Retro Stop, the Port Gdańsk Under Sail Stop, the Equality Stop, and the Dominican Stop. The fair also hosts dedicated days: Social Economy Day, Crafts Day, Equality Day, and Kociewie Day. The 31st Bread Festival (Święto Chleba) is among the earliest highlights, showcasing traditional baking and local specialities. Visitors can sample 17 world cuisines.
Heritage bid and closing
Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe will visit Gdańsk for the Dominican indulgence feast, leading retreats alongside Father Łukasz Popko. The fair concludes on 16 August 2026. The application to list the fair's craft-merchant tradition as intangible cultural heritage remains under consideration by the National Heritage Institute.
