There’s so much going on in Krakow at Easter- check out our guide of what to do. But if you’re here on the Monday after Easter- every year in the Salwator neighborhood- the streets are closed off and the party begins! [Important Side Note: This year (2024) the festival will be taking place on the Błonia Meadows instead.] 

What is Emaus? 

Emaus (that’s the Polish spelling) refers to a town that was written about in the bible- and is the name of this festival, which will be repeated many times over in smaller villages and districts of the city in the months to come. Essentially they are all what is known as “odpust” which translates into indulgence.  And so that was always the main focus, an indulgence fair after a period of deprivation during lent, dating back centuries. The Emaus Festival held on Easter Monday is the most famous of all the Odpust (Indulgence) Fairs in the city.

What can you expect at the Emaus Fair in Krakow? 

Rides for kids, and endless stalls selling toys and candy, fill the streets. They’ve even got cotton candy bigger than your head. If you’re lucky you’ll catch some live folk music- or even get to meet the infamous Lajkonik! It’s just a really fun fair to walk around, do some eating, and of course some shopping. 

When many other places might still be closed due to the holiday, this is the perfect spot to go when you’ve had enough quality time with your family over Easter and want some attractions. But watch out- because the Monday after Easter is also Śmigus–dyngus which means there may be a loaded water gun lurking behind every corner! 

Where is Emaus in Krakow held? 

Normally it is held in the neighborhood called Salwator- and that’s where our photos and video are from. But this year (and we’ll have to wait and see about next) they are holding it on the Błonia Meadows instead.  We’ll see how this goes, but our guess is, this is a great alternative space to hold the fair, while the Salwator neighborhood undergoes some construction. And for you- it will be even easier to get to. You can easily walk from the city center to the Błonia Meadows.

What should I buy at Emaus in Krakow? 

• Sweets: Be on the lookout for candy! Everyone has their favorite. I love the long gummy strings that are curled into a circular shape- my husband loves the gummy raspberries, and my sister-in-law is a huge fan of the cream-filled bears.
• Pretzels: You’ll notice many stalls are set-up with strings of circular pretzels- almost bagel-like, ranging in all sorts of sizes. While it’s not my favorite thing to eat it is tradition to have a necklace of them of course!
• Handicrafts: Local craftsmen from all over will come to sell their handmade goods at this festival- my favorite thing to buy are the wooden spoons, and knives, but there will be endless stalls with lots of options.
• Toys: Cheap and probably not very durable- give into your inner child and pick out something silly for the little kids in your life. Last year I got a magnetic fishing-rod game, that has surprisingly made it through the year.
• Jewish Figurine: Traditionally speaking, for the past few decades (maybe even since the 1800s), one of the most popular things to buy at Emaus was a figurine of a Jewish man holding a coin. Local tradition claimed that buying a “lucky Jew” at Emaus promised a year of good luck and good fortunes. These have been criticized  due to their stereotypical representations of the community (and restrictions have been placed against their sale)- but you will find other figurines of Polish Jewish people participating in less controversial activities, like playing a musical instrument or reading a book for sale now. While everyone has their own opinion on whether these should be promoted or not, I’ll leave that to the experts in the field, and encourage you to read about it on your own so you can understand the history behind these figurines and what they mean.

Keep in mind there are Emaus Festivals in other locations over the next several weeks after Easter- so if you miss this one, you very well could run into another somewhere else in the city.