Pacta sunt servanda!
In the final days of May and the early weeks of June, as the greenery of Mazovian gardens reaches its peak, a remarkable initiative blossomed once again around Warsaw for the twenty-first time — the Open Gardens Festival. Garden cities like Podkowa Leśna, Milanówek, Brwinów, Józefów, and other nearby towns were filled with art, music, conversations, and encounters, opening their gates to guests, neighbors, artists, and passersby. This year, the event took on special significance — Podkowa Leśna celebrated its 100th anniversary, and the festival became a grand tribute to the space, history, and people of this extraordinary place. From May 30 to June 1, nearly every corner of the town pulsed with life. The opening ceremony at the historic Kasyno Palace transported participants into the past — Grzegorz Grątkowski spoke about the architecture of old Podkowa, while Marek Ziarkowski’s watercolors softly revealed its soul through color and light. Visitors wandered the streets and peeked into private gardens hosting concerts, art openings, workshops, and author meetings — all free and seamlessly woven into everyday life.
The official program featured over 50 events — from intimate lectures to theatrical performances under apple trees. In one garden, young people debated the future of garden cities; in another, older residents reminisced about the days when the first festival posters were printed by hand. This rich diversity is reflected in the festival schedule available on the CKiIO Podkowa Leśna website.
In the green alleys of Milanówek, from June 13 to 15, 2025, the 20th anniversary edition of the Open Gardens Festival bloomed. Residents opened 40 private gardens, turning their garden-city into a vibrant stage and art gallery. The festival began with “Believe in Yourself” art therapy workshops, a fire brigade demonstration, and a lecture by Krystyna Paszek on digital safety. Highlights included the “Friday the 13th” happening, a concert by the duo Ania Krysiak & Manito, and the play Parisian Triumph in the garden of Villa Waleria. In the following days, Milanówek’s open gardens offered attractions like the “Fairytale Garden” with puppets and soap bubbles. Nature and culture enthusiasts took part in the “bio-path” experience and met actress Emilia Komarnicka. Each evening, Villa Waleria became the musical heart of the festival, hosting performances by YAMAHA Music School teachers, film soundtracks, piano pieces, and interpretations of Edith Piaf’s songs. The detailed program and coverage are available on the Milanówek Cultural Center’s website.
Neighboring Podkowa Leśna, Brwinów joined the festival from June 13 to 15, offering audiences music and humor. The band Blue Ramblers performed on stage, while a local gallery presented an exhibition of musical instruments and underwater photography — surreal, dreamlike images blending silence and color. A standout moment of Brwinów’s edition was a concert by chamber music masters — pianist Paweł Kowalski and the Prima Vista quartet. The full Brwinów program is available on the Centrum OKej website.
Meanwhile in Józefów, between June 6 and 8, the festival took on a romantic and nostalgic tone. In the garden near the graduation tower, piano music floated through the air as passersby stopped by literature and handicraft stalls. Celebrations included tributes to great Polish writers such as Reymont, Żeromski, and Tischner, alongside readings by young poets and students reciting their own verses under birch trees. The Józefów Cultural Center ensured a rich variety of events — from a fashion show and a concert by the band Żuki to family ceramics workshops. The full program can be found on the center’s website.
The idea behind the Open Gardens Festival, which began in 2004 in Podkowa Leśna, has now flourished in many other towns — Konstancin, Nałęczów, Komorów, and Warsaw’s Sadyba, among others. Yet its essence remains unchanged: transforming private spaces into places of public encounter. Not for profit, not for mass entertainment, but out of respect for the places we live in, for art harmoniously connected with nature, and for strengthening bonds between people. In a time when so many events are top-down, standardized productions, Open Gardens remains a celebration of authentic, grassroots, free culture.
Tomasz Domański
The Garden Tricity
Featured photograph: MOK Józefów
© Copyright-protected material – all rights reserved.
Reproduction without the author’s permission is prohibited.
If needed, please get in touch.
