An Extraordinary City of Weaves Celebration

Bielsko-Biała Days, an annual gala weekend, has always offered the residents of Bielsko-Biała and our guests a great time. This year, however, the celebration proved to be exceptional. Whilst enjoying ourselves in the City of Weaves it felt as if we were in the European Capital of Culture (ECoC).

When people celebrate together, it means that they feel good together and want to interweave their emotions. This is exactly what happened during Bielsko-Biała Days this year. During this extraordinary time together we were able to experience a city that offers us shelter, work, relaxation, entertainment and takes care of our needs. We make this city. 

These three days were particularly special this year. We partied for the first time under the banner of City of Weaves, a perfect description of Bielsko-Biała’s DNA, and which guides us in our efforts to become the European Capital of Culture in 2029. This is both a goal and a path that we shall take to elevate the city collectively to an even higher level.

There were many times during Bielsko-Biała Days when we felt as if we were in the European Capital of Culture. In his address this was stressed by the City’s Mayor, Jarosław Klimaszewski. Individual events also reflected the directions in which we are going to become ECoC 2029. 

Bielsko-Biała Days was opened by the Parade of Weaves, testifying to the fact that we are in the City of Weaves – weaves that are historical, cultural, just human weaves really, and that our intent is to connect together regardless of age, views and inclinations. Nothing symbolised this better than a macramé woven roof unveiled during the parade over the bridge that joins Bielsko and Biała. Macramé is the art of weaving together strings and proves that braiding individual threads can bring about beautiful results. Many people were involved in this project.

There were many other opportunities to forge further weaves between us. These included exhibitions that opened in the BWA Bielsko-Biała Art Gallery, a city game in English in the centre of Bielsko-Biała, the Rose Festival in the Sixta Villa gardens and the spLATA Family Picnic. The opening at Punkt 11 of the Wellbeing exhibition reminded us that wellbeing constitutes our main objective.

There is absolutely no doubt that wellbeing flowed through the audience during the marvellous Avenue of Stars concert held in front of the Polish Theatre. There, once again, we felt as if we were in the European Capital of Culture, something that was highlighted by host Artur Orzech. Celebrations like this ought to carry on all year round in our city.