Bydgoszcz Christmas Fair 2023 – this is what the opening looked like. There were plenty of attractions, we have photos
The ceremonial lighting of the Christmas tree and Christmas illuminations, followed by a march with a brass band, stilt walkers and dancers from the Old Market Square towards the Old Town Bridge – on Saturday (November 18), the Bydgoszcz Christmas Fair officially began. It will last 35 days.
You can already feel the Christmas atmosphere in Bydgoszcz. Stalls with handicrafts, decorations and delicious food opened at 13, but only on Saturday afternoon did the ceremonial opening of the fair take place.
It was then that the mayor of Bydgoszcz, Rafał Bruski, and the chairwoman of the City Council, Monika Matowska They ceremoniously turned on the lights on the Christmas tree, which had been erected in the Old Market Square a few days earlier. The Christmas illuminations also lit up. A moment later, accompanied by a brass band consisting of students of the Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz, stilt walkers and dancers, the festive procession marched across the bridge towards ul. Foch, where the ribbon was symbolically cut and official opening of the fair.
– We want this fair to be one of the best in Poland – says Łukasz Krupa, director of the Promotion and International Cooperation Office of the Bydgoszcz City Hall. – This year we took care of new illuminations. At the Old Market Square or ul. Illuminated figures appeared on Mostowa Street, with which residents can take souvenir photos. Light garlands were prepared over the bridge and houses. Additionally, some exhibitors also took care of the decoration of their stands.
Everything to make it magical and colorful. There were plenty of attractions waiting for fair participants that day. You could watch the performance of the “Planeta Tańca” band on stage from Joanna Ossowska’s dance school, who presented wonderful dance routines. There were also fire shows and live music. The band Cynamony, Adela Konop with her band, Karolina Kwiatkowska and Mateusz Szalkiewicz performed on stage. Visitors were greeted by stilt walkers-elves ready to take souvenir photos. One of the surprises was a 360 photo booth, a platform for recording Christmas-themed shots.
At the stands, exhibitors prepared a wide range of handicrafts and Christmas decorations. There were also delicious dishes, including regional products. In 28 specially decorated houses, you could buy, among others, oscypek cheese from Zakopane, homemade jam, juices, cold meats, dumplings with cabbage and mushrooms, fish in jars, meads and hot meals: bigos, pork knuckles and borscht.
It was also a nice time to spend there in a winter amusement park. Here, those interested could take advantage of numerous attractions, e.g. the Ferris wheel, which is 33 meters high, 24 gondolas and can take 144 people on board at the same time, Christmas trains, a palace of fear and a maze. A several-decades-old one was also erected in the Old Market Square Venetian carousel with city coats of armswhich she visited in the first years of its operation.
– In total, we have 60 exhibitors at this year’s fair – says Łukasz Krupa. – We started talking to them and preparing for the fair in the summer, because it is a big logistical challenge. Guests came to the fair from Zakopane, but also from the Netherlands and Germany. We hope that the residents will like the offer of our exhibitors.
The Bydgoszcz Christmas Fair will last 35 days until December 22. It will be open from Sunday to Thursday from: 1-8 p.m., on Fridays and Saturdays 13-21.
The organizer of the fair is the City of Bydgoszcz.
