A show featuring a thousand drones, a fairy-tale story about Gdynia in 3D Video Projection Mapping technology, the longest shared table, concerts, performances, a grand street spectacle, free transport to cultural events, start of Tour de Pologne, the Polish tennis championships, the centenary editions of Open'er Festival, Polish Film Festival, Ironman and many other attractions have been prepared by Gdynia for its 100th birthday.
After regaining independence and, at the same time, the access to the sea, Poland wanted to reopen its window to the world. However, the small strip of Baltic coastline that we received under the Treaty of Versailles did not have a port. The mobilisation of the nation was so great that both the city and the port were built in less than a decade. This is how, exactly one hundred years ago, Gdynia was founded.
Gdynia is the story of generations of people for whom it is not just a point on the map. It is home, a shared identity and pride. The people who built Gdynia did it for the future of their homeland and for the future generations. They came here from different places, but they fell in love with this place and settled here permanently. Gdynia's heritage also includes the people who lived here long before the city was founded. We remember them too. Today, successive generations are creating the contemporary Gdynia. Together, we will make this anniversary year an unforgettable experience and a memory passed on to the next generations, says Aleksandra Kosiorek, Mayor of Gdynia. We invite everyone, from near and far, to celebrate with us!
Although 10 February is the most important date, Gdynia will celebrate the 100th anniversary of being granted city rights throughout 2026, which the Senate of the Republic of Poland has proclaimed the Year of the City of Gdynia.
The first anniversary events are already planned for January. These include a Kashubian performance based on songs by Olo Walicki with lyrics by Damroka Kwidzińska, Dorota Masłowska and Tymon Tymański, entitled ‘WANOŻNICË’ at the Musical Theatre, which will premiere on 24 January.
February will obviously be the most eventful month. At the beginning of the month, there will be: the Birthday Run, which has already attracted over six thousand participants, and another show, this time for children, entitled ‘Majka z Kajtkiem jadą trajtkiem’ (“Majka and Kajtek are travelling by ‘trajtek’”), where ‘trajtek’ refers to a trolleybus, which has been associated with Gdynia since its very beginnings. The birthday itself will begin with a grand artistic show on 10 Lutego Street. It will be a colourful, travelling multimedia show. It will start at 7 p.m. The evening will end with a concert entitled ‘It all started with the sea – the 100th Anniversary of Gdynia’, at Skwer Kościuszki, and everyone is invited. The orchestra conducted by Jan Stokłosa and artists Natalia Kukulska, Margaret, Natalia Szroeder, Andrzej Piaseczny, Tomasz Organek, Natalia Muianga, Wiktor Dyduła and Szczyl will sing their greatest hits and symbolic songs in special arrangements. The performers will take the audience through the history of Gdynia – from a Kashubian village, through the construction of the port, dynamic development in the interwar period, the communist era, to the present day and a look into the future. Between performances, specially prepared film materials will be presented, showing archival images, history and the contemporary face of Gdynia. The concert will be hosted by Paulina Sykut-Jeżyna and Tomasz Wolny. A unique stage will be created, inspired by the architecture of Gdynia. The main media patron of the event is Polsat Television. The entire concert will also be broadcast on Polsat Television on 20 February, at 9 p.m.
The events held as part of the celebrations on 10 February are held under the patronage of Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
On that day (10 February), we can travel free of charge on buses and trolleybuses in Gdynia.
On the weekend of 14 and 15 February, between 5:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., a spectacular film show is planned – a story about Gdynia, presented using 3D Video Projection Mapping technology on the City Hall building on Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego Avenue.
This weekend, Polsat Plus Arena Gdynia will host unique birthday parties full of joy, music and fun. On 14 February, the birthday party ‘In the realm of seas and oceans’ will be a magical journey into the underwater world prepared especially for children – full of animation, colours and surprises. On 15 February, the birthday dance ‘Bal na Batorym’ (Ball on the Batory') will be an elegant and sentimental meeting for seniors, inspired by the atmosphere of the legendary transatlantic liner, with music and dancing.
On 18 February, the GDYNIA X 10 exhibition will open in the Senate of the Republic of Poland. It is a chronological, time-reversed journey through the history of our city from the present day to 1926, prepared by the Gdynia City Museum.
The performance ‘Historia Gdyni piosenką pisana’ (‘The History of Gdynia Written in a Song’) is a joint birthday gift for the residents of our city from the Marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship, the Musical Theatre and Gdynia. The history of the city, from its legendary and fairy-tale prehistory to its dynamic present, will be told through the language of art – music, singing, words, stage design, projections, light and dance (including acrobatics). This extraordinary musical spectacle dedicated to the centenary of Gdynia will touch upon the most important themes related to the life of our city. Thanks to this project, theatre art, and through it the extraordinary hundred-year history of Gdynia, will have a chance to reach a wide audience.
As the theme of the celebrations is Community, the second key moment of the celebrations will be on 22 August, when a kilometre-long birthday table will be set up along Marszałka Piłsudskiego Avenue, running from the famous Świętojańska Street to the sea. There has never been such a feast in Poland before! During this time, films about Gdynia will be shown in Central Park. There will also be dance and music zones. The latter will be made available to Gdynia's music clubs, musicians and young people from Gdynia's cultural centres.
One of the August nights will be lit up by an extraordinary show of over 1,000 drones in a show about Gdynia. The city is preparing this event together with Gdańsk Airport.
This year will also see the return of Gdynia's regular events, which always attract large crowds, such as the Open'er Festival, Energa Ladies' Jazz, the Polish Film Festival, the National Meeting of Travellers, Sailors and Mountaineers, and Globaltica - The World Culture Festival and Gdynia Design Days, as well as sporting events: after a year's break, Ironman is back, and there will also be Road to the World - Gdynia Sailing Days, the Gdynia Birthday Run and the PKO Half Marathon. This year, the Tour de Pologne starts in Gdynia, and one of the key battles in the World Cup basketball qualifiers will also take place here – the Polish national team will play Latvia, and the Polish Tennis Championships will be held in Gdynia. The Sea Festival in June will also have a special anniversary edition.
After a 20-year break, the World Kashubian Congress will also return to Gdynia on 11 July. In July, several thousand Kashubians will come to the ‘city of the sea and dreams’, some of them arriving on the famous Transcassubia train. One of the many attractions planned for that day is a concert – among the guests on stage will be Natalia Szroeder, a singer with Kashubian roots.
To avoid getting lost in the rich centenary calendar of events, visit the website 100.gdynia.pl to plan at least a few trips to Gdynia.
Media patrons: Onet, Polskie Radio, Helios, STROER, Trójmiasto.pl. Radio Gdańsk, Dziennik Bałtycki, Prestiż, TVP 3 Gdańsk.
Honorary patronage of the celebrations on 10 February:
Prime Minister
Honorary patronage of the 100th anniversary of Gdynia
Pomeranian Voivode Beata Rutkiewicz, Marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship Mieczysław Struk, Polish Tourist Organisation
Sponsor
Port of Gdynia, PGE Polish Energy Group, OPEC
Main partner:
PGZ War Shipyard, Stena Line
Partners of the celebrations on 10 February:
Institute of National Remembrance, SKM, Mercure Gdynia Centrum Hotel, Gdynia City Museum, NDI Nieruchomości, Baltona, Spółdzielczy Instytut Naukowy, Smile Rezprezent, Military Property Agency, TextilMar, Finarto Investments, Parkowa Bistro&Sky Group, Polsat Plus Arena Gdynia, ‘Bankowiec’ Mini Museum, Batory Shopping Centre, Kwiatkowski Centre, Bank Polski Hotel, Baltic Hotel, Howinnga, Karuzela Pasji, Gdynia Consulate of Culture, Versus, Cech Rzemiosła i Przedsiębiorczości w Gdyni, Drukarnia Contrast, Gaja, MDK Gdynia, Mira Art, GAP Gdynia, Mosaic Events, ArtMusic, SetLight, BedMet, Avanti Facepainting, Mamadoo, My Story Gdynia Hotel
Programme of events in February 2026:
7 and 8 February
Birthday Run with the Port of Gdynia
This year's Gdynia Birthday Run with Port Gdynia is something that will surprise every runner. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the city of the sea and dreams, participants will set off on a completely new, unique route, leading through the most characteristic streets of the city.
10 February 2026
A ceremonial roll-call celebrating the 100th anniversary of Gdynia being granted city rights, with the participation of the Military Honour Guard.
Venue: ORP Błyskawica, Nabrzeże Pomorskie.
10:00 a.m.
‘GDYNIA STO*RY’: a grand artistic spectacle on 10 Lutego Street, dedicated to the centenary of Gdynia. An event combining street theatre, various visual activities, unconventional choreography, as well as lighting and multimedia elements. Projections on facades, mobile scenographic forms, rhythms inspired by the city and the sea, and the use of light will create an impressive narrative set in the open space of the city.
Venue: 10 Lutego Street
7 p.m.
Birthday Concert ‘It all started with the sea – 100th anniversary of Gdynia’
Performers: Natalia Kukulska, Margaret, Natalia Szroeder, Andrzej Piaseczny, Tomasz Organek, Natalia Muianga, Wiktor Dyduła, Szczyl, actors from the Musical Theatre: Maja Gadzińska, Krzysiek Wojciechowski and Karolina Trębacz, and Jan Stokłosa's 30-piece orchestra
Hosts: Paulina Sykut-Jeżyna and Tomasz Wolny
Organiser: City of Gdynia
Media patron: Telewizja Polsat
Venue: Kościuszki Square
8 p.m.
14 and 15 February 2026
‘It All Started with the Sea’ – a story about Gdynia
Multimedia show using 3D Video Projection Mapping technology
Projection location: façade of the Gdynia City Hall building
Audience location: Central Park (opposite the Gdynia City Hall)
5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
First screening: 5:30 p.m., last screening: 9:30 p.m. (screenings every 30 minutes)
14 February 2026
Ball for children celebrating the 100th anniversary of Gdynia ‘In the realm of seas and oceans’
Venue: Polsat Plus Arena Gdynia, 8 Kazimierza Górskiego Str.
10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Admission to the ball is free but ticketed - REGISTRATION REQUIRED, details at gdynia.pl
15 February 2026
Ceremonial Holy Mass for the residents with the participation of a military honour guard
10:30 a.m.
Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Poland, 26 Armii Krajowej Str.
Ball for seniors celebrating Gdynia's 100th birthday ‘Ball on the Batory’
- concert and dance party with DJ Wika and DJ Skorp
- beauty and style zone
Venue: Polsat Plus Arena Gdynia, ul. Kazimierza Górskiego 8
1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
(invitations available at the Senior Activity Centre, ul. 3 Maja 27)
10 February
To celebrate the city's 100th birthday, public transport in Gdynia (within the Gdynia fare zone) will be FREE OF CHARGE.