Editor's Note: These are courtesy translations of local news provided by the U.S. Army Garrison Poland Public Affairs team for the benefit the military community stationed here. Views or opinions are not endorsed by USAG Poland or the U.S. Army.
Ice sculptures return to the Poznan Old Market Square
A year ago, the Ice sculptures were created on Święty Marcin Street, and two years ago on the MTP grounds. After a few years of wandering, the event is returning to the Old Market Square, and it is already known that it will take place on December 6-8.
This will be the 18th edition of the event, which attracts the best ice sculptors from around the world. 24 participants have announced their participation, including from Mexico, Australia, Japan and the USA. The start in Poznań is one of the stops for them as part of the World Ice Sculpting Championships.
The event schedule is already known. On Friday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. there will be a small sculpture competition. Speed ice carving is planned for Saturday, which means a timed competition. The start is at noon, and the winner will be announced in the evening. The main competition will take place on Sunday. Participants will start carving their chosen design at 9:00 a.m. and will finish at 5:00 p.m. The winners will be announced at 6:00 p.m. Ice workshops for children are also planned that day.
Cargo Bike Experiment
Poznań will be one of five European cities where the so-called transition experiment will take place. Its aim is to test solutions that will make cycling more attractive.
Poznań is taking part in the Specific project. It aims to investigate how cycling can contribute to the 15-minute city concept in suburban and low-density districts.
The idea of 15-minute cities is an urban concept proposed by French urban planner Carlos Moreno. According to it, the most important life needs of residents (work, education, shopping, health or recreation) should be available within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from their place of residence.
In Poznań, in line with the idea of 15-minute cities, networks of bicycle paths and pedestrian infrastructure are being developed, thanks to which residents can move freely without using a car. The Specific project, carried out at the Institute of Anthropology and Ethnology of Adam Mickiewicz University, under the leadership of dr hab. Aleksandra Lis-Plesińska, aims to examine how cycling can contribute to the implementation of this idea in suburban and low-density districts. It is much easier to meet all daily needs during a walk or a bike ride in city centers than in the suburbs and outer areas. And yet it is in the latter that the most people live.
Transitional experiment
The 15 SPECIFIC project partners will conduct so-called transient experiments in five cities: Bellinzona (Switzerland), Bristol (UK), Graz (Austria), Maastricht (Netherlands) and Poznań (Poland).
The aim of the experiments will be to design and test solutions that make short bicycle trips more attractive, taking into account the needs of commuters, visiting friends and couriers delivering parcels or meals.
"In Poznań, as part of the project, we will focus on cargo bikes, which make it possible to transport people or larger loads. The project will examine the potential of using this type of bike in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises located in Poznań and the Poznań district. Researchers, in cooperation with the city office and the Poznań manufacturer of cargo bikes, Hazay, will check to what extent this means of transport can be useful in various industries and what institutional and infrastructural support is needed for its effective implementation. As part of the planned transitional experiment, Poznań entrepreneurs will be able to test cargo bikes in their companies," inform the organizers.
You can read more about the project on the Specific project website .
Cycling Climate Study
While the Specific Poznań program will focus on cargo bikes, the "Bicycle Climate Study" is intended to gather opinions on the quality of cycling conditions in Poland. It will last until the end of 2024.
The results of the study will show a multidimensional picture of the situation of people using this means of transport in individual cities and municipalities, providing an opportunity to support arguments for improving cycling conditions and the quality of public spaces.
The survey will be conducted until December 31, 2024. The survey is available on the website rowerowyklimat.pl . The questions will cover 5 thematic areas, such as: road traffic climate, evaluation of bicycle use, safety, ride comfort and infrastructure.
Christmas markets have arrived in Poznan!
In Poznań, you can already feel the Christmas spirit. Christmas fairs were officially opened at the Freedom Square and at the Poznań International Fair over the weekend. Both Poznań residents and tourists can enjoy stands where they can eat delicious food and buy handicrafts, decorations and Christmas gifts. There will also be cultural attractions - concerts, shows, workshops and competitions. The youngest can visit Santa Claus and ride the carousel. Children and adults can also enjoy the mill wheel, from which you can admire the panorama of Poznań.
The Christmas Market at the Poznań International Fair can be visited 6 days a week, from Tuesday to Sunday - from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday) and from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (Friday and Saturday).
Many attractions await visitors at MTP - including a large mill wheel, which will allow you to admire the panorama of Poznań and an ice rink, which will provide entertainment for the whole family, as well as weekend concerts. The youngest will certainly be delighted by the house with Santa Claus, who awaits children with stories and gifts. For the young inhabitants of Poznań and tourists visiting our city, charming carousels have also been prepared, which add to the Christmas atmosphere. Marcin the Moose has returned to the fair, who - speaking in a human voice - entertains visitors with Christmas stories.
The organizers have also prepared a food zone. Visitors can enjoy mulled wine, hot chocolate, delicious winter tea, a wide selection of grilled dishes and Christmas treats. At the handicraft stands, you can stock up on Christmas decorations and Christmas gifts for your loved ones. There is also a stage on site, where concerts will be held on weekends. The audience will be able to listen to both Christmas melodies and performances by popular stars.
The fair at MTP will run until December 31. Current information is posted on the website of the Poznań International Fair .
Record-breaking long fair at Wolności Square
The Christmas atmosphere can already be felt at Wolności Square. The Christmas Market there is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
In the heart of the city, over 50 exhibitors from many corners of Europe are hosted - for example, Lithuania, Italy, Germany, Spain, Hungary, France, the Netherlands and various parts of Poland. A real feast of the senses awaits residents and tourists. They can taste local and traditional delicacies, such as aromatic bigos, pyra z gzikiem or rogal świętomarciński as well as dishes and snacks from other parts of the world - Spanish churros, American corndogs and many others. Bethlehem Poznańskie is not only a place where you can discover new flavors, but also a treasure trove of ideas for original Christmas gifts, decorations and everyday objects.
The Christmas atmosphere can also be felt thanks to the Venetian carousel, which will allow lovers of tradition to travel back to times gone by. The classic train, the reindeer carousel and the mill wheel have also returned, thanks to which you can admire the city center from a height of 33 meters.
The organizers of the fair also took care of a wide cultural program, which consists of over 50 events - concerts, shows and special theme days. On Mondays, seniors can take advantage of the offer at promotional prices. Wednesdays are days for families, i.e. attractions prepared with the youngest and their guardians in mind - shows, workshops and interesting promotional offers, as well as a novelty - the wheel of fortune, i.e. animations with prizes. Thursdays are dedicated to students. On these days, the Christmas Silent Disco will take place. Discounts are also waiting for students.
Bethlehem Poznańskie also cooperates with non-governmental organizations, creating a space conducive to joint actions for the benefit of those in need.
This year's fair at Wolności Square will last a record-breaking 52 days - until January 6, 2025.
You can read about what else will be happening in the heart of Poznań on the Poznań Bethlehem website.
This is not the end of surprises. This coming weekend - on Saturday, November 23 - the Poznań Bethlehem will be opened in the Old Market Square. There will be an ice rink with an area of almost 400 square meters and a 19th-century Venetian carousel.
A festive bimba will take you to the Christmas markets
Like every year before Christmas, a tram illuminated by thousands of lights and smelling of gingerbread travels around Poznań. This year it is special because... in a Santa Claus hat. The Christmas bimba in a completely new version runs on line 24. Its route has been planned so that you can get from one fair to another by public transport.
“Absolutely surprising, providing truly spectacular effects that will certainly attract attention and add shine to the urban space. Thanks to the technology we have, we have created dynamic, synchronized lighting effects with unprecedented precision,” says Hubert Krzywdziński from Smart Lights, which supported MPK Poznań in the project. Smart Lights is a company specializing in providing intelligent decorative lighting, which has gained recognition for its unique technologies. Thanks to them, each point of light can be independently controlled, which allows for the creation of spectacular, multi-dimensional lighting effects, adapted to individual needs and spaces.
This year's Christmas bimba features nearly a kilometer of strings with 7,000 LED diodes.
“A tram decorated in this way will illuminate the streets, showing impressive patterns and animations. Our lighting offers full control over the intensity and color of the effects, which makes each tram ride a unique spectacle that will add a festive atmosphere to the daily rhythm of the city,” announces Hubert Krzywdziński
The atmosphere of the approaching holidays will also be felt inside the carriage. All this thanks to decorations - prepared together with the partners of the project - stuck on, among others, the walls and floor of the carriage and aromatization in the tram (thanks to modern devices, a pleasant smell of gingerbread will spread around the vehicle).
Line 24 will run around Poznań from November 16 to January 6, 2025.
Route of line 24: GÓRCZYN PKM - Głogowska - Roosevelta - Rondo Kaponiera - Św. Marcin - MARCINKOWSKIEGO - Plac Wolności - 27 Grudnia - Gwarna - Św. Marcin - Rondo Kaponiera - Roosevelta - Głogowska - GÓRCZYN PKM
Departures from the Górczyn PKM loop at: 16.06, 17.06, 18.06, 19.06, 20.06, 21.06;
Departures from Marcinkowskiego stop at approx. times: 16.25, 17.25, 18.25, 19.24, 20.24, 21.24.
On tram line 24, fares will be charged in accordance with the ZTM ticket tariff in Poznań.
Flying to Valencia? Now you can from Poznań airport this spring
Poznan Airport will offer a direct flight from Poznań to Valencia.
The new route is scheduled for the spring/summer season of 2025. On Wednesday, the Ryanair airline's reservation system officially opened this route. Flights will start from March 31, 2025. Flights will operate twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays.
"This is the debut of this city in the Ławica schedule. Along with Alicante, Malaga, Barcelona-Girona and Palma, it is the 5th destination in Spain from Poznań. 3 hours of flight and a city of contrasts awaits you, with a charming old town and futuristic buildings. In Valencia, full of culture, you can go for a walk along the streets bustling with life or to the Mediterranean beach. You should definitely try the most important dish, paella and "clóchinas" (mussels) or "horchata" (a type of cold drink)," recommends Błażej Patryn, spokesman for Poznan Airport.
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