Name: Poland: This is Dziady — Night of the Ghosts
Uploaded: 2025-11-27T09:52:32.397Z
Duration: 4 min 10 s
Description: In Olsztyn, a city in northeastern Poland, the ancient Slavic ritual of Dziady is still alive and well. It is marked by the Night of the Ghosts: a dark, mystical festival that really has to be experienced live.

In Olsztyn, a city in northeastern Poland, the ancient Slavic ritual of Dziady is still alive and well. It is marked by the Night of the Ghosts: a dark, mystical festival that really has to be experienced live.

Olsztyn

The city of Olsztyn in Poland has launched the Night of the Ghosts festival to revive and promote the ancient Slavic tradition of Dziady, which dates back to pre-Christian times. The festival, first held in 2024, features medieval crafts, art, and a central ritual performance scripted by an expert in ancient traditions.

A highlight of the event is the dramatic emergence of water demons from a lake, performed by real cold-water swimmers, adding authenticity to the spectacle. In addition to celebrating local folklore, the festival donates all proceeds to the Regional Children's Hospital, blending cultural preservation with charitable support.

Poland: This is Dziady — Night of the Ghosts

Dziady is an ancient Slavic tradition that dates back to pagan pre-christian times. It's sometimes described as a kind of Slavic Halloween. One group of people decided that the time had come to promote Dziady and make it known to more people. This is how the Night of the Ghosts festival in Olsztyn was born in 2024. The opinions we received from people were so motivating and positive that we could not give up and continue. Halloween is a very secular holiday, a very new holiday. It is based on the old Celtic tradition, and Slavic Dziady, our local folklore, can reveal a lot of interesting and individual things that do not exist anywhere else. The festival is a whole new lease of life. It draws large crowds with its focus on medieval crafts and art and its unique blend of history, mystery and performance. The highlight of the festival is the Dziady ritual itself, which starts after sundown. The script for the festival's central performance was written by Emris Cossack, an expert in ancient rituals. Darkness is such a key sphere, connected with the unenlightened, mysterious, something that has aroused fear for centuries. We will reveal it a little today, that is, we will show that there is a place of transformation in this darkness, a discovery of what is a little beyond our control, but at the same time is also an element of our life. In the Slavic tradition, the Feast of the Dead was celebrated at least twice a year, once in May and again on the night of October 31st, which was considered the most mystical night of the year. Across Poland, Dziady is celebrated locally on different dates. The most startling moment of the performance is when the water demons emerge from the lake and pass through the audience in wet clothes. The visible steam is authentic. These actors are real cold-water swimmers, making the scene chillingly authentic. We will take them back to the lake. When the evil spirits appeared from the lake, and suddenly they said, make room, and suddenly they shouted, and you know where to look. The creatures in Polish folklore are among the most terrifying in Europe, but nothing compares to seeing them come alive in Olsztyn. Help us! Help! A lot of people have gathered. It's very cold here, so it's very nice. I think it's a Slavic holiday. But the festival isn't just about scaring people. These ghosts and demons very definitely have a heart, because all proceeds from the performance are donated to the Regional Children's Hospital. In short, this ancient tradition is brought to life in Olsztyn, shining a light in the darkness in more ways than one.

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