Off to a Good Start
The first step is always the hardest, so luckily this orchestra always puts Poland on its feet!
This year, the finale of the 26th Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, held on 14 January, focuses on neonatology. Over the last quarter of the century, the campaign has raised over 825 million zlotys for medicine in Poland. This time it is raising funds for improving care of newborn infants, such as providing state-of-the-art equipment (for example incubators) for hospitals.
Make sure you head to the Main Market Square by 4pm, where the stage set up between Sukiennice (the Cloth Hall) and the Church of St Adalbert hosts rock groups Batalion d’Amour, Killsorrow, Pull The Wire and Krzywa Alternatywa. Stars of the evening will be Elektryczne Gitary and their frontman Kuba Sienkiewicz (who is a neurologist in his day job) and the exuberant Enej – impossible not to dance to! There will also be a first aid village and a medical centre where you can measure your blood pressure, glucose levels or fat tissue content. You can also donate blood or get listed on the blood marrow donation register. The Sukiennice branch of the National Museum in Krakow serves as the orchestra’s headquarters where you’ll be able to watch them as they work. Traditionally, the finale culminates with the light towards the heavens illuminating Kraków from 8pm.
If you’re thirsty for sporting emotions, test yourself during the sixth Great Heart Run. Or, if you’re after something a little more extreme, come along to the Bagry reservoir where you can take a dip in the chilly water under the watchful eye of the winter swimmers from Kraków’s Kaloryfer winter swimming club.
Events at the M1 shopping centre include the MotoOrkiestra, where fans of motor racing get to enjoy classic cars, race demos, concerts and auctions. The Nowa Huta Cultural Centre is also holding its own finale (4pm-6pm).
Last year, the event raised a total of 1,920,400 zlotys in Kraków, and we certainly haven’t heard the last word yet! (Artur Jackowski, "Karnet" monthly)
