After 23 days full of emotions, meetings, and shopping, the 765th St. Dominic's Fair has come to an end – the largest outdoor event in Poland and one of the largest in Europe. This year's edition once again attracted residents and tourists from home and abroad, who for three weeks could enjoy a rich commercial, cultural, and entertainment offering.
Summer Gdańsk once again became a colourful stage for encounters, where the city's history intertwined with modernity, and each day brought new reasons for delight. Although we will know the exact figures in a few weeks, we can already state that, similar to last year, around 1.5 million guests strolled through the fair streets, tasted delicacies from all over the world, participated in concerts, workshops and artistic events, all in a unique, festive atmosphere. The organisers ensured that this year's edition impressed not only with the diversity of its offerings but also with the colourful, joyful setting of the space.
Closing Ceremony
The St. Dominic's Fair traditionally „went to sleep” after the Closing Ceremony, which took place on 17 August at Artus Court. We heard the fair's song again, which was composed for the 765th anniversary of the St. Dominic's Fair, and its premiere took place on 26 July, during the event's opening.
We are concluding the exceptional St. Dominic's Fair, which has been gracing the streets of Gdańsk for 765 years. For 23 days, the streets pulsed with the rhythm of a festival of wonders, and visitors gathered at six stops: Flavours, Adventure with AmberSky, Port of Gdańsk Under Sails, Equality, Retro, and at the Dominicans' – says Izabela Kuś, Treasurer of Gdańsk.
– We visited 745 stalls, with 662 exhibitors, of which 275 were from Pomerania, including 168 from Gdańsk. Among the stalls were, among others, 18 world cuisine stands, handicrafts, various types of art, collectibles, antiques, and fashion. The fair also includes an artistic and cultural segment with around 300 items on its daily programme. We invite you now to the Christmas Market, which will start on 21 November, and also to the St. Dominic's Fair in 2026 – from 25 July next year – he adds.
After a short artistic performance, the audience was presented with pillows and lavender. This officially marked the end of this year's St. Dominic's Fair, although the stalls could remain open until 8 p.m. on 17 August.
– The jubilee St. Dominic's Fair brought many innovations, such as the appearance of the Przystanek Port Gdańsk pod Żaglami (Gdańsk Harbour under Sails stop) – a modern structure, referencing Gdańsk's port atmosphere. It seems it was well-received, as Ołowianka was visited in large numbers. We are pleased that the gastronomic and handicraft zones were once again popular with visitors. During the Fair, we had seven celebrations, we marked anniversaries, including 10 years of cooperation with our main partner AmberSky, the 80th anniversary of Lechia Gdańsk, the 80th anniversary of the Pomeranian Chamber of Crafts, the 30th anniversary of the Bread Festival, and many others. – says Mateusz Nowaczyk, a board member of Międzynarodowe Targi Gdańskie, the organiser of the event.
During the Closing Ceremony, the Cultural Centre award was also presented to the representatives of the Baltic Theatre of Diversity.
The Wish of the AmberSky Dream Circle was also awarded. This year, PLN 10,000 for the needs of their charges was received by the Gdańsk-based Koty Spod Bloku Foundation.
Over 300 events and hundreds of inspirations, A new edition of Przystanek Port Gdańsk under Sails
The Closing Ceremony was one of over 300 events: concerts, performances, workshops, film screenings, and meetings with artists and creators. Additionally, a „fairytale” locomotive travelled around Poland promoting Gdańsk events, and a unique mural created by Gdańsk artist TUS appeared in the fairground – a rooster that has been crowing for 765 years. During the anniversary St. Dominic's Fair, which featured a remarkable 9 special parades, we also celebrated the aforementioned anniversaries. There were 52 theatre and film events, 77 music events, and 95 events for children. The fair's celebrations also included: Pomeranian Social Economy Day, Kociewie Day, Equality Day, Pomeranian Craft Day, and finally, Volunteer Day, which took place at the Equality Stop. This is also where generations connected, in collaboration with the Youth City Council of Gdańsk and the Gdańsk Senior Council, for whom the Green Salon became a place of relaxation.
At the „refreshed” Port Gdańsk Żagle stop, we experienced Chopin Concerts, partnered by Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport. Tradition was upheld when the first notes of the Jazz na Wyspie series, partnered by Eurostyl, began to play. On August 15th, a special concert by Wave Orchestra was held to celebrate Polish Army Day, and on the last Saturday of the events, the band Chrust performed on the stage of the container stop. Visitors were also drawn to the Magical Night with AmberSky, Summer Cinema, and the Football Film Festival.
For 23 days, the ‘Przystanek Smaków’ (Taste Stop) by Skwer Świętopełka was filled with the aromas of various world cuisines, with as many as 18 different stands at the fair. This was also the venue for the Gdańsk Flavours Festival, during which the Grand Prix culinary winners were announced and a charity event was held, combined with a live cooking demonstration by renowned chefs Sebastian Cichy and Andrzej Polan. It was also an opportunity to celebrate Gdańsk being awarded the title of European Capital of Gastronomic Culture; in collaboration with the Gdańsk Tourist Organisation, events full of culinary inspiration, tastings and unforgettable experiences were organised, including tastings of dishes based on old Gdańsk recipes and cheese-making workshops. It was at Przystanek Smaków that, thanks to a partnership with ORLEN Paczka, visitors could send their purchased delicacies to loved ones with a 40% discount. We also celebrated Energy Day at Przystanek Smaków.
The Adventure Stop with AmberSky attracted visitors with new attractions such as Gold Rush – Treasure Hunter, a slide styled as a pirate ship, the Fairytale Theatre Festival, and various animations, including Foam Party. Sports attractions were also held here every weekend, with a total of 835 children participating. The Adventure Stop with Ambersky also offered opportunities to acquire new skills in a variety of workshops – including Conjure Treasures with Ambersky and Workshops with Żywiec Zdrój.
Przystanek Retro once again transported us on a sentimental journey and allowed us to take a piece of it home with us. Meanwhile, the debut Przystanek u Dominikanów became a place of respite, where one could rest in silence and view a photography exhibition presenting the history of the church. The programme of Przystanek u Dominikanów included, among other things, a spectacle celebrating the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, which took place in the only church that survived the war, namely St. Nicholas' Basilica. Organ concerts, church tours, and an organ demonstration also took place here.
This year's culinary hits: the taste of tradition and modernity
The St. Dominic's Fair is also a real feast for the palate. This year, not only traditional delicacies but also original gastronomic novelties enjoyed particular popularity, winning the hearts (and stomachs) of visitors. Among the most crowded stalls were those serving:
Naturally, there were regional specialities – from Kashubian fish, through Żuławy cheeses, to homemade cakes and preserves. Such a wide selection of world and regional cuisine meant that everyone could find something for themselves – from classics to culinary experiments.
Grand Prix St Dominic's Fair 2025 – wonders and trinkets selected!
An important item on the agenda was the resolution of the prestigious St. Dominic's Fair Grand Prix competition, which for 24 years has been promoting the best exhibitors and improving the quality of the offered products. This year, the jury awarded:
The winners received statuettes, vouchers for purchasing a stand at next year's event, commemorative diplomas, a cruise to Sweden from Polferries, and gifts from Lubiana Tableware Factory.
Colourful Fairground Decor – Roofs, Gates, and Insta-Spots
An important element of the fair's scenography was also five grand gates, which welcomed guests in various parts of the city: by the fair's Pomorska street, on Heweliusz Square, in the Collectors' zone, on Rajska street, and on Długi Targ. These symbolic entrances emphasised the event's importance and encouraged guests to discover further stops of the Fair.
This year, as many as five imaginative canopies awaited visitors, lending the streets a unique atmosphere: colourful pennants fluttered on Rajska Street, openwork ribbons and fringes adorned Podwale Staromiejskie, vibrant ribbons decorated Rybny Market, an impressive umbrella installation appeared on Stągiewna Street, and a canopy stretched over the dance floor accompanied the dancing rhythms on Heweliusza Square. Each of these decorations not only pleased the eye but also created a perfect backdrop for memorable photos and family strolls.
With photography and social media enthusiasts in mind, five original Insta-spots were also prepared, which were real hits of this year's edition: the yellow and pink benches attracted those eager for photos, the underwater Insta-spot at Przystanek Smaków delighted with its creativity, the „Jarmark” sign in Heweliusza Square was a must-see for every visit, and the swing in Skwer Świętopełka guaranteed great fun and unforgettable shots. Thanks to them, St. Dominic's Fair also lived online, and colourful photos and reports from the event spread across social media throughout Poland and beyond.
The fair also online
The contemporary St. Dominic's Fair is not only about events in the streets of Gdańsk, but also a significant activity in the digital world.
Influencers talked about the Fair: Where to go in Poland for a weekend, About Gdańsk, Vloglola, Fooflovepeople, Trójmiejscy wyjadacze, Typowy Gdańszczanin, Foodies in travel, 44stt, Sztuka Polskiego Designu and Whynotgdansk.
Our 10,000th follower has joined the Market's Instagram account. Posts from all the Market's platforms reached almost 3 million accounts.
The official fair website attracted significant interest, with as many as 202,000 unique users visiting and generating over 305,000 page views in total. This indicates that information about the programme, competitions, and attractions was also popular among people who followed the St. Dominic's Fair from other cities and countries.
Traditionally, the largest group of visitors were internet users from Poland, but users from abroad are also playing an increasingly significant role. The most frequent visitors to the website were from Germany (6,700 visits), Great Britain (3,200), Sweden (2,700), the United States (2,000), and the Czech Republic (1,900). We are also delighted by the presence of users from such exotic locations as: the Isle of Jersey, Bahrain, Macau, Martinique, Madagascar, as well as Guadeloupe, Saint Helena, and Guam. This clearly shows that the St. Dominic's Fair brand is known worldwide, and its unique atmosphere also attracts those who cannot be in Gdańsk in person.
Thank you and invitation to the next edition
The organisers – Międzynarodowe Targi Gdańskie – thank the residents, exhibitors, partners and all guests for creating a unique atmosphere and for celebrating the 765th St. Dominic's Fair together.
More information, pictures and reports from the event on the website: jarmarkswdominika.pl.
St. Dominic's Fair 2025 took place thanks to the support of the Fair's Partner – Energa from the PKN Orlen Group and the titular partner of the Adventure Stop with AMBERSKY - AmberSky Ferris Wheel and the Gdańsk Carousel. Thank you for celebrating together!
