What is the Juwenalia Festival?
This is a festival held in Poland and is an annual holiday celebrated by the Polish university students. Along with the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, there are many other institutes and academies that make Poland a main center for education. Every year, particularly in the second week of May the students at Krakow celebrate Jurewanalia, one of the biggest festivals of the season. Juwenalia event starts on Tuesday or Wednesday and ends on Sunday. Its timing is just prior to the summer exams.
Many concerts, special events or parties take place here. Juwenalia goes back to the 15 century when this three day event was filled with music, partying and lots of drinking. The festival commences with students dressed in colorful costumes parading from their college campus to the city’s main square in Rynek. This is a very significant and symbolic action. Since the president of Krakow will hand over the city gate’s keys to the students who are marching there. The celebrations take place mainly in the area for the AGH University of Science and Technology. There is loud music, a crowd dancing all over the city, barbecues and beer spilling all over these three days.
Happenings at the Juwenalia Festival
This is the time that the students engage in fun activities and music galas. It is just before they immerse themselves in an intense studying regimen for the exams in June. Many of the universities in Poland’s major cities have their personalized versions of the Juwenalia festival. There are tickets for purchasing and dining halls open all over the city for socializing. People who belong to the University departments get a special discount on the tickets. The event is celebrated by university students primarily. Each university has its organizing team that handles all the work load. Their tasks range from dealing with artist managers to convincing potential sponsors for their contribution. The event is welcoming for everyone be it the student body or anyone else. Just be vigilant to purchase your tickets well before time. Since tickets are limited and get pre-booked early on.
Depending on the type of university and what it specializes in, the activities offered will all be different. One example of this is that art schools will focus more on artistic events like portrait exhibitions, theatre and movie screenings or poetry. Music schools will showcase use of instruments and organize concerts. The agriculture-based universities will try to hold flower festivals and displays relating to nature. While the sport schools would be willing to sponsor competitive games and friendly inter-school matches for students to participate. Finally, the culinary-oriented universities will make use of their students’ forte for food quality. They can hold Master Chef contests judging the perfect cuisine and tastes at Juwenalia. Moreover, at any edition of this yearly celebration you can expect lots of drinking and eating. Rich Polish cuisines are available at food trucks and people love to relish them.
History of the Festival
The Juwenalia festival dates back to the Emperor Nero who coined this term. It originally meant Roman Games. The first ever Juwenalia took place in 1964 in Krakow. It was to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the Jagiellonian University in the three days that the festivals lasted. The activities that occurred here have become integrated with the culture that the students represent. This is because musicians, mime experts, artists and many others excelling in their field performed at Juwenalia. This three day event is celebrated in many prominent Polish cities now due to its popularity amongst the younger generation. However, the one held at Krakow still remains the most recognizable of them all.
Some of the traditions at Juwenalia remain embedded within the celebrations. Such as when Krakow’s President hands over the city gate’s keys to the students. From here on the students can take over the city and begin the festivities. This is follow by a colorful parade. Everyone who has ever been to the Juwenalia festival is well aware how important this parade is for the holiday season. One perspective to this is that its significance is mark by the fact that it is a day off from all academic activities.
Young People:
Young people enthusiastically adorn vibrant costumes that they creatively make themselves. Each year they surprise the spectators with their imagination and artistic skills. The parade then marches from the AGH university area to the Main Market Square in Krakow. The main highlight of the event is the venue that takes place on Friday morning at around 10:00 to 12:00. This march is for a duration of two hours and all participants are dress up as characters or motifs. This gives it a feel of a carnival with the vivid display of colors and joy. Over the entire weekend the pubs and clubs in the city are overcrowd with youngsters. Thus, when visiting Krakow do check the dates when Juwenalia weekend falls for it is an experience which is worth attending.
Why is the Juwenalia Festival important?
It is a close-knit community of students organizing Polish music and shows for fellow students. May is the month of spring and nature. For Polish students it is also the time of the arrival of their June examination series. This is the perfect time when Juwenalia preparations seem to be around the corner. This holiday weekend for higher education students helps them get together and know each other on a better footing. They can build close connections and lifelong friendships. Although the name of the festival might change depending on the university that is organizing it. Juwenalia Krakowskie took place on the 21st to 26th May in Krakow.
The old Polish capital is the place where the first celebration for this youth festival took place. This is one of the highly anticipate student events in Poland. It has more than 35 artists announce that will be performing. What is interesting is that although drinking alcohol in public is not permit in Poland, no one really cares about Juwenalia. People dress up like cows or fairies and beg for money at the traffic signals. Except the money is not gives for donation but use to purchase more alcohol.
