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.
Lech Poznań championship celebration to take over city May 23
Poznań is preparing for one of the biggest football celebrations the city has seen in years.
On Saturday, May 23, Lech Poznań will officially celebrate winning the 2025/2026 Polish championship title after securing first place in the Ekstraklasa for the second consecutive season. It is the club’s 10th national title — an important milestone that allows the team to add a symbolic golden star above its crest next season.
The final league match against Wisła Płock at Enea Stadion is already completely sold out, with around 40,000 supporters expected inside the stadium. However, the celebrations will continue far beyond the match itself.
After the official medal ceremony, players and staff are expected to travel through the city on an open-top bus before heading to the grounds of Poznań International Fair (Międzynarodowe Targi Poznańskie / MTP), where a massive public celebration with fans will take place later in the evening.
Entry to the MTP celebration area will be free, with gates opening around 8:00 PM from Bukowska Street. Large crowds are expected to gather there until late at night, and the team may not arrive until approximately 11:00 PM or even midnight.
People staying near the fairgrounds, Bukowska Street, Głogowska Street, or central Poznań should expect:
- very large crowds throughout the evening,
- heavy traffic and public transport delays,
- loud chanting and singing late into the night,
- fireworks and flares commonly used by football supporters,
- significant noise between the night of May 23 and the early morning hours of May 24.
While the atmosphere is expected to remain celebratory, it may feel intense for people unfamiliar with Polish football culture. Supporters of Lech Poznań are known for creating loud and emotional matchday atmospheres, especially during championship celebrations.
Anyone planning to join the celebrations is advised to stay aware of their surroundings, travel with friends or companions when possible, and avoid walking alone late at night in the busiest areas around the stadium, MTP, and the city center.
For those who want to experience local football culture, however, this could be one of the most memorable nights of the year in Poznań.
And the celebrations likely will not end at the fairgrounds. After the official events conclude, many fans are expected to continue partying across the city — especially at popular nightlife spots such as Młyńska 12 and X-Demon Poznań, where championship-themed parties are expected to continue into the early morning hours.
Poznań program gives books 2nd life
Have you read a book and know you probably won't return to it? Instead of putting it away, swap it for another one. You can do so this Thursday at Freedom Square.
On Thursday, May 21st, Freedom Square will be filled with literature. It's all thanks to a book exchange organized by the Waste Management Plant in cooperation with the Raczyński Library and the environmental education website Edu4Eco.pl . The event aims to promote reading and the idea of recycling.
Freedom Square will be open to visitors from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The campaign will feature books from the Second Life of Things collection points located in Poznań Gratowiska and from the collections of the Raczyński Library.
How will the campaign work? Simply bring your own books and exchange them for others. The number of copies you bring will equal the number of books you can take home.
The organizers request that books brought for exchange be in good condition – clean, dry, and free of significant damage. Multi-volume encyclopedias, dictionaries, school textbooks, and foreign-language books will not be accepted.
Participation in the campaign is free of charge.
Poznań unveils monument to Przemysł II
On Wednesday, May 20, at the intersection of Franciszkańska and Góra Przemysła Streets, the ceremonial unveiling of a monument to King Przemysł II will take place. The monument is intended to commemorate a ruler associated with Poznań.
The monument commemorates Przemysł II, Duke of Poznań, Greater Poland, and Kraków, and King of Poland from 1295 to 1296. The ruler was born in Poznań and played an important role in the reconstruction of the Kingdom of Poland after a period of feudal fragmentation.
The monument will be available for viewing in the Old Town, at the intersection of Franciszkańska and Góra Przemysła streets, in the immediate vicinity of the Royal Castle and Przemysła Hill.
Monument to Przemysł II
The ceremonial unveiling of the monument is scheduled for May 20 at 12:00 noon. Representatives of the city and regional authorities, the scientific community, cultural institutions, social organizations, and Poznań residents will participate in the event.
The event program includes performances by the Dysonans Chamber Choir and a symbolic wreath-laying ceremony at the monument. Professor Tomasz Jasiński will discuss the historical significance of Przemysł II's coronation.
The sculpture was created by Stanisław Szwechowicz. His design won second prize in the competition for a monument to King Przemysł II, the results of which were announced in June 2021.
The project involved the construction of a plinth upon which the figure of the ruler would stand, as well as the reconstruction of the retaining wall while preserving the existing vegetation on the slope. The section of the plinth facing the slope was planted with creeping vegetation, allowing the monument to blend harmoniously into its surroundings.
Work began with archaeological excavations at the site of the future monument. Following this, construction of the plinth, which forms the foundation for the entire structure, began. The entire project was carried out under the supervision of the Municipal Conservator of Monuments, ensuring the preservation of the site's historical character and landscape values.
FotoPortal launches May photo competition in Poznań
Residents of the capital of Greater Poland and photography enthusiasts once again have the opportunity to show the city from their own perspective. The May edition of the "Spring Poznań" competition has launched on FotoPortal. Participants will receive cash and in-kind prizes, and the winning photos will be featured on the website's homepage and will advance to the next round of the competition, where the jury will select the photo of the year.
The competition runs until May 31st. The organizers encourage submissions of photographs depicting Poznań in its springtime glory – both well-known landmarks and everyday, less obvious shots. Images should be submitted in thematic categories. Twelve times a year, the jury selects the "Photo of the Month" and the "Special Mention of the Month." The winner will receive a cash prize of PLN 1,000, and the authors of the featured photos will receive prizes. The selected shots will appear on the FotoPortal homepage and will then advance to the Photo of the Year competition, which will be judged by the jury.
How to participate?
To submit a photo, create an account on FotoPortal and submit it via the form available on the competition website. Simply capture Poznań in its springtime atmosphere – the parks, streets, events, and everyday moments that shape the city's character.
What photos can be submitted?
The competition rules clearly state that photographs must be taken by the photographer and should depict Poznań. Basic photo editing is permitted, such as adjusting brightness, contrast, white balance, saturation, and cropping. However, photomontages and any intervention that alters the captured image of the city are prohibited. The organizers also emphasize that submissions cannot be submitted for works generated or modified by artificial intelligence. Only JPG files can be uploaded to FotoPortal. For photos depicting third parties, image protection and copyright regulations apply. The organizer reserves the right to reject any images that violate the rules available on the website.
What is PhotoPortal?
FotoPortal is a photography platform run by the City of Poznań. For years, the website has been collecting images from artists and amateurs and promoting local creativity. The competition aims to encourage documenting and presenting the capital of Greater Poland from various perspectives, including its architecture, events, and everyday life. In recent years, the organizers have increasingly focused on developing artistic initiatives. A new competition theme is revealed each month; previous titles include chiaroscuro, windows, and movement. In addition to FotoPortal, the Poznań Photography Award is also organized – a nationwide plebiscite for documentary and reportage photography, the aim of which is to create a contemporary archive of the city and region.
More information and full competition rules are available on the FotoPortal website .
Smart City Poznań app features zero-waste map
Where are the best clothing rental shops, cafes, repair shops, and libraries in Poznań? Now, finding them has become even easier, with all the necessary addresses at your fingertips. Or rather, right under your thumb, on your smartphone.
The Poznań Zero Waste Map is now available in the city's Smart City app . You can use the tool by selecting a waste module and then clicking one of the app icons.
The Poznań Zero Waste Map is a map of the capital of Greater Poland, marked with repair and exchange points, rental companies, and charity depots. This means that all the addresses that can help residents give things a second life or simply reduce waste generation are gathered in one place.
The facilities were divided into five categories:
- the second life of things,
- food points,
- charity shops and stores,
- repair services,
- rentals.
The map is a tool that can be continuously developed and expanded. Each user can submit a new zero-waste point. Submissions are accepted at: eko-edukacja@um.poznan.pl.
Poznań Airport hosts world's first runway event
Last week, for the first time ever, golfers played in the Longest Drive night competition on an airport runway.
For the first time in history, golfers played a nighttime Longest Drive competition on the runway of Poznań-Ławica Airport. On May 9th, players competed using glowing golf balls, and David Shinto won the PKO Bank Polski Night Longest Drive final with a score of 395 meters. Previously, 35 players participated in qualifying rounds on the Black Water Links course, with the top five advancing to the final.
"The inspiration for organizing this event came from a meeting with Emanuele Canonica – one of Europe's most famous long hitters and former record holder for the longest shot on an airport runway. It was then that we first thought that a similar project could be implemented in Poland. Golf is a sport with enormous promotional and tourism potential. In many countries, it is an important part of the economy and effectively attracts tourists from around the world. This is a very good sign that Poland – currently the 20th largest economy in the world – is beginning to increasingly develop this sport, which is characteristic of developed economies. Events like the PKO Bank Polski Night Longest Drive Poznań Airport allow golf to be showcased to a wide audience in a modern and attractive way," says Łukasz Tomkiewicz, Sports Director of the competition and Vice President of PGA Poland.
Organizing the event in the restricted area of the airport posed a significant logistical and operational challenge. The scenario and the technical crews' work schedule had to be meticulously crafted, down to the last second. Nearly 70 people were involved in the project.
"I'm glad we could invite the players and guests right to the middle of the runway, where planes had been landing just moments earlier. This event showed that Poznań Airport is innovative not only in energy management and creating amenities for passengers, but also when the idea of organizing a golf tournament in such an unusual location for this sport comes up," says Grzegorz Bykowski, CEO of Poznań-Ławica Airport.
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