You’ve probably never heard of Kostrzyn nad Odrą, located on the border between Poland and Germany. This small town of 20,000 residents usually leads a quiet life with few tourists—except for the 700,000 people who flood the area once a year. The reason? A free music festival called Woodstock.
As you might guess, it’s inspired by the original Woodstock held in the United States in 1969. Ironically, due to legal issues with the American festival, the Polish event was renamed Pol’and’Rock Festival in 2018.
However, the name Przystanek Woodstock ("Woodstock Station") is still used by fans. And it’s no wonder—the festival has been taking place since 1995 under the motto “love, friendship, and music.” Despite its huge success, it has remained true to its principles.
Why is Pol’and’Rock so special?
Woodstock is the largest non-commercial festival in Europe. This August marked its 25th edition, and the numbers are impressive: three days with over 100 performances and 200 workshops for an audience of 700,000 people.
The Prophets of Rage concert at Pol'and'Rock in 2019 (photo: Stanislaw Wadas/Pol’and’Rock)
The lineup featured major names like Prophets of Rage, Ziggy Marley, and Gogol Bordello. However, many Polish artists always get their deserved space across the festival’s five stages—including new musicians who earn a chance to perform through a competition organized by the festival.
A festival for everyone
As mentioned, Pol’and’Rock is entirely free—and that includes camping. There are no fences, VIP areas, or gated sections. Just bring your tent, find a spot, set it up, and enjoy. There are chemical toilets everywhere, showers, a Lidl supermarket, and numerous stalls selling food and drinks at very reasonable prices. For example, a 0.5-liter beer costs just zł4
Photo by Igor Kohutnicki/Pol’and’Rock
Above all, Woodstock stands out because festival-goers truly embrace its ideals. As a result, it’s rare to see fights, even in queues or in front of the stages. People are always ready to help, whether by sharing information, helping set up a tent, or even sharing food.
This friendly and safe atmosphere makes families feel welcome at the festival. It’s not uncommon to see small children running around the campsite or cooling off in inflatable pools while their parents enjoy a barbecue.
Photo by Pawel Krupek
As expected, festival-goers with disabilities also receive support from the organizers. The venue offers accessible toilets, platforms in front of the stages, and sign language interpreters.
Who organizes all this?
Jerzy Owsiak, or Jurek, is the man behind Pol’and’Rock. If you attend the festival, you’ll likely see him on stage between performances, sharing messages and hyping the crowd. He is also the founder of Poland’s largest NGO, the Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy ("Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity") or WOŚP, which donates medical equipment to hospitals and funds courses and medical programs.
Jerzy Owsiak, a.k.a. Jurek, the creator of the Pol'and'Rock Festival (photo by Agnieszka Janowska/Pol’and’Rock)
What does an NGO have to do with this? Well, Woodstock was created by Jurek as a way to thank WOŚP volunteers. The festival’s funding comes from sponsors, the team is made up of volunteers, and all event profits are donated to the organization.
This is why Pol’and’Rock goes far beyond music, opening its doors to dozens of NGOs that showcase their work and offer workshops to festival-goers—all in a very special space.
The Academy of the Most Beautiful Arts
On a hill overlooking the main stage is the Akademia Sztuk Przepięknych (ASP), a space for learning and cultural exchange. The “Academy of the Most Beautiful Arts,” as it’s called in English, offers discussions, workshops, and insights into the missions of various NGOs.
At the ASP, festival-goers can meet public figures such as authors, activists, religious leaders, politicians, and artists. There are also yoga sessions, craft workshops, jazz shows, and theater and comedy performances—something you certainly won’t find at just any festival.
Photo: Marta Szpakowska/Pol'and'Rock
The organization also promotes other initiatives, such as blood donations and bone marrow donor registrations. In 2019 alone, 756 liters of blood were collected, and 1,013 bone marrow donors were registered.
Music and activism go hand in hand at Pol’and’Rock. Unfortunately, this is precisely what threatens its existence.
Living each year as if it were the last
Not everyone appreciates the social engagement of Woodstock. And the resistance comes from the top: “Every year, we’re amazed at how the State tries to make organizing the festival as challenging as possible,” said Jurek Owsiak in an interview with Pollstar.
According to him, the government not only tried to prevent additional trains from being made available for the festival but also wanted to shut down Kostrzyn nad Odrą’s main station. Requirements for security and medical services are also becoming stricter, even though the festival has always excelled in these areas.
Since 2015, Poland has been governed by the Law and Justice party, a nationalist conservative group. Owsiak doesn’t understand how a government can have issues with a festival that represents “an island of freedom and tolerance,” but this tension always leaves the future of Pol’and’Rock uncertain.
Still, this doesn’t discourage Jurek, and the dates for the next edition of the self-proclaimed “Most Beautiful Festival in the World” have already been announced: July 30 to August 1, 2020. We hope Pol’and’Rock has many more decades ahead.
Photo: Damian Mekal/Pol’and’Rock
Our heartfelt thanks to the festival team for providing the images for this article. If you’re interested, you can follow Pol’and’Rock and WÓSP on Facebook.
Update: A few years ago, Pol'and'Rock moved from Kostrzyn nad Odrą and in 2025 is gonna be hosted in the town of Czaplinek.
Filipe Mendonça
Filipe has a degree in Advertising, works as a software developer in Germany, and is the creator of O Guia Nativo. The idea for a website offering non-touristic tips came about in 2014 but only became a reality in 2019.
