A Picnic at Court 2026 - a day of theatre, music, and ummer attractions
June 27, 2026
The Royal Castle Gardens, The Royal Castle in Warsaw
Hours: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Free admission
Tickets only 1 PLN per person for:
• touring the Royal Castle along a special route available
exclusively on the day of the Picnic,
• touring the Tin-Roofed Palace,
• the temporary exhibition The Great Play. The Opera of Ladislas IV,
• the temporary exhibition The Last Castle. Polish Castle-ness:
from Wawel to Stobnica,
• educational walks with Castle educators titled A Visit to the King
and Secrets of the Royal Theatre.
The Royal Castle in Warsaw invites you to the latest edition of the Picnic at Court. On Saturday, June 27, the Castle Gardens will once again come alive with music, engaging encounters, and a range of attractions, inviting everyone to gather in a unique summer atmosphere. The picnic program includes live music, interactive happenings, theatrical performances, meetings with special guests, and activities designed for the whole family.
Since 2019, the Castle Gardens picnics have attracted an ever-growing audience, becoming one of Warsaw’s most recognizable summer outdoor events. For one special day, the Castle Gardens—among the city center’s most beautiful green spaces—will serve as a spectacular backdrop for the festivities.
This year’s Picnic, inspired by the temporary exhibitionThe Great Play. The Opera of Ladislas IV, draws from the world of 17th-century royal theatre and opera. As a result, theatrical experiences will infuse the Castle Gardens throughout the event—through outdoor performances, interactive happenings, music, dance, and artist encounters. In the late afternoon, the gardens will resonate with live music, culminating in a concert by Mitch & Mitch with their Incredible Combo. Visitors can enjoy the performances, dance, and celebrate the first weekend of the summer holidays in unforgettable style.
Picnic Program
STAGE
11.00 am Opening event: Classical music concert – Amabile
12.00 pm The Art of the Duel – Tomasz Mleczek and Antoni Olbrychski*
1.00 pm The Spectacle of Nature floral demonstration – Sylwia Bednarek and Zbigniew Dziwulski*
2.00 pm Shakespeare Under the Stars: Behind the Scenes of A Midsummer Night’s Dream*
3.00 pm Special guest event: Opera at Court – Wiesław Ochman and Friends*
4.00 pm Cracovia Danza – Dance in the Theatre of Władysław IV
8.00 pm Concert: Mitch & Mitch with their Incredible Combo
CASTLE GARDENS
10.00 am Opening of the Gardens
11.00 am – 5.00 pm Games, activities, and animations for the public: Work in the Theatre
11.00 am – 5.00 pm The Dream Trail interactive theatrical walk
11.00 am – 5.00 pm The Rose Atelier workshops (Polish Rose Society, Kutno – City of Roses)
11.00 am – 5.00 pm Children’s workshops: Become a Royal Gardener
(led by Daria Szarejko-Worobiej, Pracownia Pastwisko team)
11.00 am – 5.00 pm Fragrance exploration and creation: The Royal Perfume Atelier
(led by Daria Szarejko-Worobiej, Pracownia Pastwisko team)
11.00 am – 2.00 pm Floral Stained Glass (compositions made of dried flowers;
led by Violetta Chmielewska, Pracownia Mała Łąka)
11.00 am – 3.00 pm The Theatre of Nature workshops and activities
by the Environmental Protection Department of the Capital City of Warsaw
11.00 am – 2.00 pm Floral Studio: theatrical and floral masks
(led by Agnieszka Ligowska, Forest Studio)
12.00 pm and 3.00 pm Powder Boxes and Pantaloons performance-happening – Teatr Akt
2.30 pm – 5.00 pm Floral Studio: wreaths and hair clips (led by Agnieszka Ligowska, Forest Studio)
2.30 pm – 5.00 pm Drawing workshops: Bouquets for the Royal Chamber
(led by Jolanta Drozd, Joligraf, and Izabela Wolska-Kuśmider, Greenart)
5.00 pm Live music – Brass Federacja brass band
6.00 pm Dance party – Soul Service
KUBICKI ARCADES
10.00 am – 4.30 pm Ticket offices (special ticket prices)
11.00 am – 4.30 pm Intergenerational walks around the Castle with an educator
12.00 pm and 2.30 pm Educational walks interpreted into PJM (Polish Sign Language)
12.00 pm and 2.00 pm Children’s performance: Star, Wars and Sawa – Teatr Sztuka Ciała
TIN-ROOFED PALACE
12.00 pm – 4.00 pm Outdoor game: In the Footsteps of Prince Pepi
*event interpreted into PJM (Polish Sign Language)
The Organizer reserves the right to make changes to the event program.
Theatrical attractions
This year’s Picnic draws inspiration from the vibrant world of theatre—on stage, in costumes, movement, and open-air spectacles. Teatr Akt will perform their happening, Powder Boxes and Pantaloons, twice in the Castle Gardens, with a special appearance by the King himself. Characters reminiscent of figures from historic courts and theatrical stages—colorful and brimming with Teatr Akt’s trademark humor—will mingle among the audience and along the garden alleys.
Teatr Sztuka Ciała will present the family-friendly performance Star, Wars and Sawa twice in the Kubicki Arcades—a tale inspired by a Warsaw legend, blending movement theatre, mime, and creative paper costumes.
The program also includes a meeting with the creators of the Shakespeare Under the Stars project, giving audiences a behind-the-scenes perspective on preparations for the upcoming outdoor production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, to be staged in the Castle Gardens this summer. The Dream Trail—an outdoor game spanning the Gardens—will also draw inspiration from the world of Shakespearean comedy.
The theatrical theme extends to workshops and family activities. Children can create their own puppets and perform on a custom-built stage, design stage sets using large building blocks, and craft floral masks inspired by historical court styles and the rich variety of garden flowers.
Artistic and Nature Demonstrations and Workshops
Nature, Floral, and Theatre-Inspired Workshops will take place in the Castle Gardens throughout the day. These artistic workshops and activities will be scattered throughout the Gardens, creating an outdoor space filled with flowers, fragrances, and creative energy.
At The Rose Atelier, organized by the Polish Rose Society and Kutno – City of Roses, participants will discover various rose varieties, their scents, and the history of one of the most royal garden plants.
During the Become a Royal Gardener workshop, children and adults will prepare their own plant seedlings to take home. Meanwhile, in The Royal Perfume Atelier, participants will explore historical scents, aromas, and ingredients used in perfume-making. The sessions will be led by Daria Szarejko-Worobiej and the Pracownia Pastwisko team. The program will also include workshops on making wreaths, hair clips, and theatrical floral masks with fresh flowers, led by Agnieszka Ligowska (Forest Studio). In the Floral Stained Glass workshop, participants can create unique compositions from dried flowers and plants under the guidance of Violetta Chmielewska (Pracownia Mała Łąka).
Drawing activities for all ages are also planned. In the Bouquets for the Royal Chamber workshop, participants will create illustrations inspired by flowers, historic interiors, and the royal apartments’ unique aesthetics. These sessions will be led by Jolanta Drozd (Joligraf) and Izabela Wolska-Kuśmider (Greenart).
At The Theatre of Nature workshops, organized by the Environmental Protection Department of Warsaw, participants will become costume and set designers, creating nature-inspired decorations and theatrical accessories—fascinators, headbands, pins, and bird masks inspired by species native to the Vistula River.
One of the program’s highlights will be The Spectacle of Nature, a floral stage demonstration by master florists Sylwia Bednarek and Zbigniew Dziwulski. Rather than a traditional flower arranging showcase, the audience will help create the Bouquet of Emotions—a composition shaped by the viewers’ moods, associations, and choices.
Special guests
The Opera at Court event with Wiesław Ochman, combining music, anecdotes, and song, will bring the world of grand opera closer to the audience. Alongside the Master, soloists from Polish opera stages will perform: Renata Dobosz and Jakub Milewski, with Janusz Tylman at the piano.
During the meeting with the creators of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which will be staged in the Castle Gardens this summer, the audience will get a behind-the-scenes look at the work of the playwright, composer, and actors, and hear how the world of an outdoor production comes to life.
Historical and Educational Attractions
On the day of the event, visitors can tour the Royal Castle along a special route available only during the Picnic, explore the Tin-Roofed Palace, and visit the exhibitions The Great Play: The Opera of Ladislas IV and The Last Castle: Polish Castle-ness from Wawel to Stobnica. Each attraction will be available for a special price of 1 PLN per person. Guided walks with Castle educators will be held in the Kubicki Arcades, featuring the themes A Visit to the King and Secrets of the Royal Theatre. Walks will depart every half hour, with two sessions—at 12:00 pm and 2:30 pm—offered with interpretation in Polish Sign Language (PJM).
The Picnic program also includes a spectacular historical dueling demonstration. Audiences will witness a range of bladed weapon combat styles—from 16th-century longswords, to the rapiers and main-gauches (left-hand daggers) of 17th-century musketeers, to the sabers made famous by the heroes of Sienkiewicz’s Trilogy. The showcase is prepared by stuntman and stage combat coach Tomasz Mleczek and world champion historical fencer Antoni Olbrychski.
For the first time, the Tin-Roofed Palace is part of the Picnic program. Here, the In the Footsteps of Prince Pepi outdoor game invites participants to uncover the story of Prince Józef Poniatowski by solving puzzles and following clues throughout the palace grounds.
Family and Children’s Attractions
Children and their families will be able to take part in activities created by the Castle’s education department in collaboration with the creative agency Ale Granda. The animation zone will feature outdoor games, creative projects, and sensory activities—from hobby-horse obstacle courses and juggling lessons to set-building and puppet-making.
One of the highlights will be a collaborative project to decorate a large-scale version of the Royal Castle’s new logo.
Musical attractions
The Picnic will open with a concert of waltzes and Viennese melodies by the Amabile ensemble. Later, audiences will be able to enjoy opera and operetta music at a special meeting with Wiesław Ochman and guest artists. The Cracovia Danza ensemble will perform baroque court dances and teach participants the basics of the minuet and sarabande.
The evening program will begin with Brass Federacja, who will perform first on Castle Square and then in the Castle Gardens. Later, Soul Service, DJ Roma Leopard, and Zura will invite guests to dance with their vinyl-only sets. The Picnic’s musical finale will feature a concert by Mitch & Mitch with their Incredible Combo—one of the most unpredictable acts on Poland’s alternative scene.
Additional attractions
Partner and sponsor zones, as well as a food court with food trucks, will be set up in the Castle Gardens. Around the Castle—on Castle Square and the Vistula Boulevards—stilt walkers will roam, inviting the public to join the festivities.
