The St. Dominic's Fair 2024 will enchant with its festival atmosphere, with trade and gastronomic zones interwoven with elements of surprise, educational and cultural values, as well as diverse events, where everyone will find something interesting. The Festival of Wonders will launch in Gdańsk on 27 July and will last until 18 August. There will be 613 merchants on the streets of the Old Town, and there will be no shortage of new features.
The St. Dominic's Fair is taking shape, so that from next Saturday one of the largest and coolest outdoor events in Europe can once again delight the residents of Gdańsk and tourists.
The St. Dominic's Fair is, of course, a centuries-old tradition of fairground markets. However, in Gdańsk, seeing what's happening in the modern world, we try to adapt it so that it is attractive to the residents of our city and numerous guests from Poland and around the world. Last year's St. Dominic's Fair was visited by over a million people. That's a great result! – says Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, Mayor of Gdańsk.
The St. Dominic's Fair features over 700 stalls and more than 600 exhibitors. Almost a quarter of them are entrepreneurs from Gdańsk, who will be able to offer visitors their daily work, what they do best. Therefore, the fair has the character of an economic event. It is an element that stimulates our Gdańsk, Pomeranian and Polish economic life. However, it is not only a celebration of trade, but also a social event. For many years, as part of events such as 'Przystanek Równość' (Equality Stop), the Children's Zone, or various other places where you can learn about our Gdańsk culture or economy, we also try to talk about important social issues. All of this is created in partnership with our councils, such as the Youth City Council or the Gdańsk Senior Council. – adds President Dulkiewicz.
Among 613 exhibitors, who will occupy 760 stands, there will be 210 traders from Pomerania, including 130 from Gdańsk. There will be guests from other regions of Poland, as well as from abroad, including from: Lithuania, Ukraine, Great Britain, Hungary, France, the United States, and Italy. From the very first day of the St. Dominic's Fair, the Cities and Regions Zone will be active in Skwer Świętopełka. This is a space where regions and cities will present themselves, inviting tourists and residents of Pomerania to visit them. The hosts of the Zone will include, among others, the Pomeranian and Lublin voivodeships, the Kuyavian-Pomeranian voivodeship, and the Żuławy and Cyprus Association.
It is a tradition of regional government to promote our brand – Pomorska Street – during St. Dominic's Fair. We cordially invite you to discover the craftsmanship of our artisans and taste delicious products. We particularly encourage and urge you to visit the stands of social economy entities, which combine craftsmanship with social sensitivity. We invite you today, on August 2nd, to the Pomeranian Social Economy Day. said Leszek Bonna, Deputy Marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship.
I do hope that the Pomerania Development Agency is starting a new tradition and we will try to be present at the St. Dominic's Fair every year. However, with a slightly different message: through its most colourful brand, Live more Pomerania, we will try to communicate what we, as residents of Gdańsk and Pomerania, know perfectly well - that life here is phenomenal, work here is phenomenal, and rest here is phenomenal. We will encourage those who come to this space to perhaps make a wild decision and consider that it's worth living here. Because there is plenty of work here, and I don't need to talk about the quality of life. – says Piotr Ciechowicz, Deputy Chairman of the Pomeranian Development Agency.
The fair is not just about shopping and food stalls. It also boasts a rich, festival-style daily programme. This is intrinsically linked to the fair's stopping points, which will serve as zones where visitors can combine pleasure with productivity.
With every edition, we try to provide new, interesting experiences and attractions. What is important and what we are also proud of is culture. We place a great emphasis on its level. This does not mean that there should be big, loud concerts, because we do not want to cause inconvenience to the residents of Gdańsk, but on the other hand, we want to touch upon true culture. We also want St. Dominic's Fair to be a festival, so that we all have here to do with the wonders that have always accompanied the Fair historically, but also so that we all have joy and pleasure in being in these beautiful, wonderful places in the City Centre. said Andrzej Bojanowski, President of the Gdańsk International Fair.
The market stops will be integrated into the urban space in such a way as to form a kind of haven between the retail and gastronomic zones. The thematic zones will attract not only those thirsty for rest, but also those looking for interesting activities and cultural events.
The St. Dominic's Fair is an event that brings together the people of Gdańsk, Pomeranians, and tourists. It is our promotional anchor, allowing us to establish ourselves on the tourist map of Europe and the world. The million people who visited Gdańsk last summer were a mix of the local community and tourists. Thanks to the fair, we make ourselves known. We showcase what is local, Pomeranian, and from Gdańsk, and in doing so, we build authenticity. We can reach out to the world, presenting Gdańsk as a place where not only is it good to live, but it's also a fantastic place to spend time and experience wonderful cuisine. – considers Łukasz Wysocki, president of the Gdańsk Tourist Organisation.
Each successive edition of the St. Dominic's Fair brings equally great interest to the collectors„ zone. Antiques and items with ”soul„ are a magnet not only for those who want to buy unique things. The popularity of the zone has meant that this year it will gain a new section. This will be the Retro Stop, where professional auctions of valuable items will be held. A series entitled ”From the Life of a Collector„ is also planned. It will include interviews with stars of the show ”Treasure Hunters„. It is also worth paying attention to the ”Young Collector's Guide", which will teach us, among other things, how to distinguish a valuable find from a dud and how to look after one's treasures through restoration and conservation. The collectors' zone and Retro Stop will be located at Długie Ogrody Street.
The Retro Stop will be one of five stops during the 764th St. Dominic's Fair. Where can the others be found?
During the St. Dominic's Fair, there will be celebrations of Equality, Craftsmanship, Social Economy and Volunteering. One part of the Fair will be the jubilee 30th International St. Dominic's Run, for which registrations are being taken on the website https://www.biegdominika.com/rejestracja/.
Visitors will also encounter special, themed streets. The Graphic and Poster Zone – Digital Art will be located on Tkacka Street, and the Polish Fashion Designers Street will be situated on Straganiarska Street. The Artistic Podwale Street will, of course, be on Podwale Staromiejskie, and the Collectors’ Zone – historic wonders – on Długie Ogrody. At Świętopełk, you will be able to visit the Pomeranian and Lithuanian streets. The Pomeranian Street on Szeroka Street is a unique place that will entice everyone with regional delicacies and natural products. You will be able to meet Pomeranian craftspeople with their beautiful handicrafts. There will also be stalls with products and services from entities that combine economics with social sensitivity.
There will be no shortage of premieres here either. One of them will be the Grand Prix Dobre Jadło, which on August 2nd will bring excitement and culinary struggles during a gastronomic competition. The Fair exhibitors will compete for the prestigious award. A professional jury, made up of experienced chefs such as Andrzej Polan and Sebastian Cichy, will examine each dish with the utmost care. They will scrutinise not only the taste, but also the dish's story and its aesthetic appearance. This is a unique opportunity to discover the most creative and exquisite flavours that regional cuisine has to offer.
The permanent, valued highlights are, of course: the St. Dominic's Fair Opening Ceremony – 27 July, 12.00 p.m. in front of the Artus Court – which will not only be crowned with a parade but also with the opening of each stall, and the event's Closing Ceremony – 18 August, 4.00 p.m.
All programme items, and there will be over 150 of them, can be found on the website https://jarmarkswdominika.pl/program/.
From 15 July to 25 August, market-style traffic management is in effect. Details regarding changes to the functionality of Old Town streets are available on the website https://jarmarkswdominika.pl/dla-mieszkancow/. Also, on July 15th, the assembly of the fair's infrastructure began. It is currently taking place on the grounds by the Motława River and on Ołowianka. On July 18th, Rajska Street was closed, and from July 22nd, the organisers will begin preparing the collectors' zone on Długie Ogrody. The closure of Podwale Staromiejskie is planned for July 25th.
The fair will last until August 18th, the dismantling of the infrastructure will take place between August 19th and 25th, so that from August 26th the holiday traffic management will resume.
Listening to the voices of residents who share their living space with the St. Dominic's Fair during the holiday season, the Gdańsk City Hall and the event organisers are trying to introduce amenities that will allow for enjoyment of the days spent together at one of Europe's coolest outdoor events. Among these is a resident car park located at Targ Węglowy. This also includes the relocation of the Park and Ride zone from the Polsat Plus Arena stadium to Plac Zebrań Ludowych – a free tram ride to and from the Fair will be included in the parking ticket price.
Dinner:
Ticket valid for a maximum of 5 people.
Ticket valid for travel on the route (return journey):
Numerous positive exchanges of opinions and suggestions come from meetings with residents of Śródmieście, which take place before and after each edition of the Fair. Residents are informed about the changes occurring in the Old Town via banners on information poles, posters distributed to housing communities and kindergartens, or through the Resident's Card newsletter, as well as a special section on the jarmarkswdominika.pl website.
Considering the discussions about the Market's location, similar to last year, the stalls will not be located on Długie Pobrzeże and Rybackie Pobrzeże. This area is intended for walks and is ideal for admiring the beautiful Gdańsk. Instead, as in previous years, the stalls will appear on Podwale Staromiejskie Street and Grobla IV.
Every day of the Fair's operation, the organisers also listen to the Gdańsk Contact Centre, with which they have been cooperating for years.
The Market organisers also work for the benefit of the local community. After last year's event, some benches in Heweliusz Square were replaced. Lawns in selected squares are also being replaced..
