Sea Festival in Niechorze. There will be a lot going on!

The Mayor of the Rewal Commune, Konstanty Tomasz Oświęcimski, invites you to participate in the Sea Festival in the Rewal Commune, which will take place on Sunday, June 29, 2025 in Niechorze. The event entitled "We keep watch over the Baltic Sea" in the form of a military historical picnic referring to Polish maritime traditions and with the aim of emphasizing maritime culture and the ethos of the sea, will be held under the Honorary Patronage of the Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.

The aim of the organizers is to refer to the rich tradition of celebrating the Sea Day in the Second Polish Republic. We want to draw attention to the values ​​of the sea and fishing culture.

The Sea Festival was initiated by Dr. Andrzej Wachowiak, a member of the Gdynia board of the Maritime and Colonial League, who proposed that fishing cutters and boats be solemnly blessed at the end of June each year. This initiative turned into an annual celebration dedicated to the sea. This happened on the wave of great patriotic intensification after Poland regained Pomerania on February 10, 1920 and the Wedding to the Sea in Puck by General Józef Haller.

The first Sea Festival took place in independent Poland on July 31, 1932 in Gdynia and was attended by almost 100,000 people! It was a great mass event of the Second Polish Republic. The Sea Festival celebrations were a huge success and entered the canon of Polish holidays. They were held every year on June 29, in reference to the celebrations of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (patrons of fishermen and sailors), until the outbreak of World War II. Now, for the third time, we are returning to organizing the Sea Festival in the Commune of Rewal.

Sea Festival Program in the Rewal Commune:

10:00 – Mass for fishermen and seamen – Parish Church in Niechorze of Our Lady of Mercy, ul. Krakowska 22; 72-350 Niechorze 11:45 – arrival of participants, including official delegations, including from the wedding cities, to the square at ul. Pomorska – technical meeting at the fishing pier. 12:00 – march of the column of participants to the fishing pier and beginning of the ceremony - speeches by the organizers and invited guests • blessing of the boats and fishing cutters by Rev. Canon Józef Czujko – parish priest of the Parish of St. Stanislaus the Bishop and Martyr in Niechorze 12:30 – departure of the fishing parade to the sea and laying of a wreath in the depths of the sea: To the heroes of the fishing sea – To those who did not return from the sea

• taking a commemorative photograph against the background of the naval escort consisting of Navy ships, boats of the Maritime Border Guard Unit and ships of the Maritime Office

13:00 – the parade of participants with the Military Orchestra of the 8th Coastal Defense Flotilla from Świnoujście through the center of Niechorze to the park for the historical and military picnic "We keep watch over the Baltic Sea!" The event will include artistic performances by shanty bands and a symbolic sea baptism. 17:00 – end of the event

During the event, local manufacturers and exhibitors will be present, historic vehicles, there will be promotional and information stands of the Polish Army and uniformed services. There will be no shortage of the closest military units defending our coast.

At the picnic we will see military equipment, including two PSR-A Pilica short-range anti-aircraft missile-artillery systems, light off-road vehicles of uniformed services and a military armoured vehicle MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected).

On the beach by the fishing pier, the Coastal Rescue Station from Dziwnów and the Volunteer Fire Department from Niechorze and Pobierowo will set up their educational and promotional stand. On the outdoor stage in the Niechorze park, the military orchestra from Świnoujście and the shanty Puzon Band will perform, while animators from the Museum of Sea Fishing in Niechorze will lead maritime-themed entertainment. At the stands, you will be able to taste the specialties of fishing and regional cuisine and learn the story of Baltic amber and fishermen.

After the ceremony of blessing the fishing boats and laying a wreath in the water, a sea parade will take place, in which invited vessels will take part. The commune invites the watermen's community - owners of yachts, motorboats or smaller vessels to join the event program and take part in the sea parade and assist during the ceremony.

(reg)