The International Irena Santor "Vistula Sounds" Festival is an annual 5-day event attracting international and Polish contestants, guests, and judges. The first four editions of the event were held in Ciechocinek, Poland, while starting from 2026 the project will be continued in the city of Bydgoszcz. The Festival boasts an extremely high level of organization combining top quality artistic performances with a varied intercultural program. The unique character of the event is firstly due to an exceptionally broad international exposure (over the first four editions the Festival attracted guests from 31 countries), and secondly to the integration of top-level cultural features and entertainment, as well as stage and vocal performance education. The "Vistula Sounds" format, consistently delivered since the first edition, combines 14 different events making for a uniform concept to effectively fulfill the Festival's mission.
The festival events are held across four venues, attracting thousands of attendees both on site and online. As a non-commercial undertaking, admission to all Festival events is free. One of the key objectives of the "Vistula Sounds" is to promote the Polish culture and Polish song which, as a result, serve to grow the tourism, economic and investment potential of the city of Bydgoszcz and the entire Kuyavian-Pomeranian region throughout the year and around the world. The "Vistula Sounds” additionally promotes and nurtures the artistic achievements of its patron, Irena Santor, while offering Polish singers a unique opportunity to present their performances to wide international audiences. The event’s high profile is further enhanced by the participation of prominent artists and specialists from Poland and other countries joining as special guests and judges.
A testament to the Festival's mission and its highest quality is the patronage of many prestigious Polish institutions and media.
We make every effort to ensure that our contestants, guests, and viewers eagerly await the next edition of the "Vistula Sounds."
As of 2025 the “Vistula Sounds” bears the name of the Queen of Polish Song, Irena Santor. The naming ceremony, attended by the artist, took place on November 25, 2024 in Ciechocinek.
See you in Bydgoszcz, in the heart of Kuyavia and Pomerania, at the Festival!
Video made by the City of Bydgoszcz
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
