What is the Polish midsummer festival traditionally known as Kupala Night?

The story behind the answer

The Polish midsummer festival traditionally known as Kupala Night is called Noc Kupały.

Noc Kupały is a Slavic midsummer observance associated with the summer solstice. Traditional customs include lighting fires, gathering herbs and flowers, and floating wreaths on water. The celebration’s name refers to Kupala, a figure or seasonal tradition whose interpretation varies across historical and regional sources.

In modern Poland, the related festival Wianki is especially visible in public celebrations, particularly in Kraków, where wreaths are floated on the Vistula. Noc Kupały and Wianki are connected but are not exact synonyms in every context. Andrzejki, by contrast, is a separate Polish divination night held near Saint Andrew’s feast in November.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

Add question to a list

Choose a list to keep this question in: