The cultural heart of Melbourne will be pulsing with a Polish beat this November, when the Polish Festival @ Fed Square hits its 21st anniversary – a birthday celebration of culture, heritage, and community. Once more, the city will turn into a festive color exploding on Sunday, 16 November 2025, and provide Melburnians with an opportunity to have an authentic piece of Polish culture, without cost.

You are either a foodie who can follow the smell of freshly prepared pierogi, a music lover who wants to be entertained by live folk music, or just a person who enjoys the atmosphere of multicultural Melbourne, this is a festival that you should put in your diary.

🇵🇱 A Celebration 21 Years in the Making

The Polish Festival @ Fed Square is one of the favorite cultural events in Melbourne that has been going on for more than 21 years and that the 21st anniversary will be held in 2025. Started as a small community event in 2005 it has since grown to one of the largest cultural festivals in the city with tens of thousands of attendees annually.

Inspired completely by the passionate volunteers of the Polish community in Victoria, this kind of event is a living testimony to the commitment and the spirit of multicultural and collaboration that characterises Melbourne. The festival is an annual event that has more than 200 volunteers who dedicate their time, energy and love of the Polish heritage to make the festival a success.

Music, Dance, and Art in the Heart of Melbourne

Anticipate the Main Square of Fed Square (Swanston and Flinders Streets, Melbourne) to be filled with colorful Polish folk dances, traditional costumes and live music. The stage of the festival will feature all-day performances, including folk bands, modern bands, and so on, so there will be an atmosphere to listen to.

Art enthusiasts will have an opportunity to experience Polish-themed exhibitions, crafted items as well as elegant designs that will reveal the innovation and the pride of the culturally rich Polish heritage. In the case of children, the festival provides amusing and participatory activities that give it an ideal phenomenon to families.

A Feast of Polish Flavours

There can be no Polish fest without food and this is a foodie heaven. Savor an irresistible list of pierogi (dumplings), kielbasa (smoky sausages), and paczki (jam-filled doughnuts) – a bite of each dish is a revelation of pure Polish flavor.

These are not dishes but recipes that have been taken across generations. Each and every pierogi or paczki you taste tells you a story about Polish families, their traditions and the joy of sharing good food with people.

More Than a Festival — A Community

Fundamentally, the Polish Festival @ Fed Square is a matter of affiliation. It will be an opportunity for the Polish community to show its rich traditions to the rest of the population in Melbourne, and the guests will be able to see how food, music, and art could gather people together regardless of their cultural background.

Since its inception, the festival has had more than half a million visitors and has gone to become a part of Melbourne cultural identity enabling communities to understand and appreciate each other.

Get Involved – Be Part of the Celebration

Want to be more than just a visitor? The festival welcomes everyone to get involved — whether by volunteering, showcasing your Polish-inspired products, or simply helping spread the word.

Expressions of Interest for stallholders are now open for 2025! From handcrafted treasures and Polish art to traditional foods and sweet treats, stallholders are the heart of the festival.

If you’re passionate about sharing Polish culture or supporting Melbourne’s vibrant community scene, this is your chance to shine.

To learn more or apply:
admin@polishfestival.com.au
polishfestival.com.au

Follow the Polish Festival on Facebook and Instagram for updates, sneak peeks, and announcements.

Getting There

Location: Fed Square, Swanston St & Flinders St, Melbourne 3000
Date: Sunday 16 November 2025
Time: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Entry: Free (No booking required)

Public Transport:
Fed Square is easily accessible via train, tram, or bus.

• Trams: Routes 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 16, 64, 67, 70, 72, and 75 stop directly nearby.
  
• Train: Just across the road from Flinders Street Station.
  

Parking:
Fed Square Car Park is accessible via Russell Street or Batman Avenue (Exhibition Street extension). Weekend and public holiday rates apply.

Cycling:
Bike racks are available throughout the area, including near ACMI and Transport Hotel.

Accessibility:
The festival offers accessible toilets, mobility access, quiet spaces, and allows service animals. Mobility equipment (scooters, wheelchairs, canes) is available through the Travellers Aid Access Service.

Why You Shouldn’t Miss It

The Polish Festival @ Fed Square is one of the events that depict the spirit of multiculturalism in Melbourne. It is vibrant but family oriented, pre-modern but modern and it is all run by enthusiastic people who like to share their heritage.

The 21st anniversary of this year is set to be the largest celebration ever to date – more performances, more stalls, and more chances to experience everything that is warm and happy about Polish culture.

So, whether you’re Polish by heritage or simply Polish at heart, mark your calendars for Sunday, 16 November 2025, and get ready to experience the sights, sounds, and tastes of Poland in the heart of Melbourne.

Event Recap
Where: Fed Square, Melbourne
When: Sunday 16 November 2025, 10 AM – 5 PM
Cost: Free Entry
Highlights: Music, Dance, Art, Food, Family Fun
Don’t Miss: Pierogi, Kielbasa, and Pączki!

And the Polish Festival at Fed Square is not an event, it is a sense of unity, heritage and happiness. Head to the Polish community in Melbourne and they recreate a bit of Poland in Melbourne. Come hungry, come curious, and leave inspired.

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