Today, Warsaw proved that you can combine soccer, politics, show business, and the Midsummer tradition into one giant festival.
Imagine a stadium where the score was of secondary importance. The main thing was that no one lost their suit, microphone, or voters, and that the money kept flowing for the kids. Artists and politicians met on the pitch. The artists played with flair—every pass looked like a choreography rehearsal for a music video. The politicians, on the other hand, used a well-known tactic: they deliberated at length before every play. When the ball went out of bounds, they could always form a committee to investigate the circumstances. The referee had an exceptionally tough job. He had to tell the difference between fouls and public speeches. Every few minutes, someone demanded an instant replay. It just wasn’t clear if it was about a scoring opportunity or a speech to the cameras. The fans had a blast. Some cheered the artists for their flashy dribbling, others cheered the politicians for… consistently promising that “the next play will be a breakthrough.” Luckily, after the final whistle, everyone was in agreement—regardless of the score, the charity goal and having fun were the most important things.
When the soccer excitement died down, we moved to the Vistula River for Wianki (the Midsummer wreath-floating festival). There, instead of offsides, there were flaming torches, instead of corner kicks—wreaths floating with the river’s current, and instead of stadium chants, concerts and the laughter of participants rang out. The younger crowd looked for the best spot near the stage, the older ones reminisced about St. John’s Eves of the past, and lovers smilingly let their wreaths float on the water, hoping the tradition would bring them luck. The more practical ones, however, checked to make sure their wreath wasn’t floating away with their car keys. The smell of grilled treats hovered over the Vistula, and the music blended with the sounds of the city. When dusk fell, fireworks lit up the sky. For a moment, it looked as if the capital itself had decided to celebrate the start of summer in full swing.
