The Rawa Blues Festival is an annual music festival held in Katowice, Poland that celebrates blues music and culture. Katowice is located in the Silesia region of southern Poland, about 50 km west of Kraków. The festival has taken place every year in October since 1981, making it one of the longest running and most well-known blues festivals in Europe. It attracts dozens of musicians from all over the world and thousands of attendees each year.
Background on Katowice
Katowice is the largest city in the Silesia region and the capital of the Silesian Voivodeship. It has a population of around 300,000 residents. Katowice has a long history as an industrial and mining center, which greatly expanded under Prussian and later German control in the 1800s. Coal mining was a major industry in the city for many years.
After World War I, Katowice became part of the Second Polish Republic in 1922. Following Germany’s invasion during World War II, Katowice returned to Poland in 1945. Heavy industry continued to dominate the local economy throughout the communist period from 1945 to 1989. Since the end of communism, Katowice has undergone major transformations, with revitalization projects replacing many former industrial areas with new commercial and cultural sites.
Culture in Katowice
Today, Katowice has a thriving cultural scene. There are theaters, museums, music venues, galleries, cinemas and other attractions. Annual festivals cover film, music, street art, beer and more. The city also has a large student population, being home to several universities and colleges. This gives Katowice a youthful, creative vibe.
The city is still known for its industrial heritage, best exemplified by the area known as Nikiszowiec. This neighborhood contains rows of uniform red brick houses built for mining families in the early 1900s. But many former mines and factories have been given new life as cultural spaces.
History of the Rawa Blues Festival
The Rawa Blues Festival was founded in 1981 by the Rawa Blues Association. Their goal was to create a space for blues musicians from Poland and beyond to play, promote their music, and grow the local blues scene.
The first Rawa Blues Festival took place at the Rawa Blues Club. It was a small event featuring mostly Polish bands. Over the next decade, as the festival grew, it moved to larger venues throughout Katowice.
By the 1990s, the Rawa Blues Festival welcomed artists from all over Europe and North America. The event earned a reputation as one of the top destinations for blues fans in Central Europe.
Festival Growth
In 1993, the festival moved to its current main venue, the Spodek Arena. Spodek is a large dome-shaped multipurpose arena that can accommodate around 11,000 spectators. Using Spodek allowed the Rawa Blues Festival to bring in even bigger international acts.
The 1990s saw performances from blues legends like Buddy Guy, Junior Wells and Gary Moore on the Rawa Blues stages. The festival continued expanding dramatically in the 2000s and 2010s. In 2019, the last Rawa Blues Festival before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the lineup included 120 bands playing on 4 stages over 3 days.
Festival Details
The Rawa Blues Festival usually takes place in early October each year. It runs from Thursday through Saturday. There are indoor and outdoor stages hosting nonstop blues acts during the day and late into the evening. Blues bands and solo artists from Poland are well-represented. But each year’s lineup also includes blues masters from the US, UK and beyond.
In addition to the concerts, the Rawa Blues Festival offers workshops, jam sessions, an international blues contest, exhibitions and more. Fans can browse vendor stalls to shop for instruments, albums, clothing and other blues-related items. The festivals draws more than 20,000 attendees annually.
Festival Location
The Rawa Blues Festival takes place at several venues clustered in downtown Katowice. The locations allow attendees to walk between the various indoor and outdoor stages spread throughout the city center.
Spodek Arena
Spodek Arena is the main concert hall and the site of the headline evening performances. Spodek is located at ul. Korfantego 35 in Katowice. The unique UFO-shaped building opened in 1971 and can hold around 11,500 people. Spodek has hosted sports, concerts and other major events over the past 50 years.
Spodek Arena Facts | |
---|---|
Address | ul. Korfantego 35, Katowice, Poland |
Capacity | ~11,500 |
Opened | 1971 |
Katowice Cultural Center
The Katowice Cultural Center building contains two concert halls used heavily during the Rawa Blues Festival. The large hall holds around 1,800 people while the small hall holds 300. The center is right in the heart of Katowice at plac Sejmu Śląskiego 2.
Outdoor Stages
There are also outdoor stages set up on streets and squares in the vicinity. Świdnicka Street, Dworcowa Street and Rynek are sites that have hosted outdoor concerts during the festival. Using outdoor spaces allows for more of a street festival vibe.
How to Get to Katowice
For international travelers, flying into Katowice Airport is the most convenient option. Katowice Airport is located about 30 km north of the city center. It’s a small regional airport with connections around Europe. Major airlines like Lufthansa, Ryanair and WizzAir offer direct flights to Katowice.
The airport has rental car agencies, taxis and buses to downtown Katowice. You can reach the city center in around 45 minutes by car or taxi, less via public transportation.
You can also reach Katowice by flying into Kraków, Warsaw or Prague. But getting to Katowice would then require taking a bus, train or renting a car for the longer overland journey.
Traveling Within Katowice
Fortunately, once in Katowice, getting around the compact city center is easy. The Rawa Blues Festival venues are all located near each other downtown. Walking between the concert halls and outdoor stages only takes 5-15 minutes.
Katowice also has an extensive public bus and tram network. There’s even a free city bus that does a loop connecting Spodek Arena with the train station and other key spots. Taxis are readily available as well.
Driving around Katowice is also an option, although parking can be challenging in busy areas. If traveling from further away in Poland, Katowice is connected via rail, bus and expressways.
Where to Stay
Katowice has many lodging options suiting different needs and budgets. Choices range from hostels to luxury hotels. The most convenient places to stay for the Rawa Blues Festival are right in the city center.
Downtown Hotels
Downtown Katowice hotels within walking distance of Spodek Arena and other key music venues include:
- Hotel Monopol – Historic 5-star hotel in a landmark building on Rynek
- Vienna House Easy Katowice – Modern mid-range hotel near Spodek
- Best Western Hotel Katowice – Affordable chain hotel downtown
- Moxy by Marriott – Budget-friendly hip hotel close to train station
Apartments
Katowice also has many short-term apartment rentals available via sites like Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo. Apartment rates are generally cheaper than hotels. This makes them a good option for groups splitting costs.
Centrally located apartment listings are the most convenient choice during the Rawa Blues Festival. But apartments a short bus or tram ride from downtown can also work well.
Hostels
For solo travelers or groups on a tight budget, Katowice hostels like Smok Smoczy, 3rd Floor Hostel and Soul Hostel provide cheap dorm beds and private rooms. Most are located just outside the main city center but are still accessible.
What Else to See and Do in Katowice
When not attending the Rawa Blues Festival concerts, there are many things to experience in Katowice:
Nikiszowiec Neighborhood
– Historic workers’ housing district with interesting architecture
Silesian Museum
– Large museum chronicling the art, history and culture of the Silesia region
Mariacka Street
– Charming cobblestone street lined with restaurants, bars and shops
Katowice Street Art
– Murals and graffiti scattered throughout the city center
Coal Mining Museum
– Interactive museum focused on the coal mining heritage of Upper Silesia
NOSPR Concert Hall
– Ultramodern venue for orchestral performances
Valley of Three Ponds
– Lovely urban green space with walking trails
Conclusion
The Rawa Blues Festival takes place each October in the heart of Katowice, Poland. It’s one of Europe’s largest blues music events, happening annually since 1981. The festival utilizes multiple concert venues across Katowice’s city center including the Spodek Arena. Attendees can walk between the indoor and outdoor stages set up at various downtown locations.
Katowice is an urban hub with a fascinating history and culture beyond just industry. The city offers plenty of lodging choices and transportation options for blues fans traveling to the festival. Beyond the concerts, Katowice provides lots of sights to take in from Nikiszowiec’s unique architecture to fascinating museums. Heading downtown during the Rawa Blues Festival is an amazing opportunity for blues aficionados to see top musicians from around the world perform live.