Some 100,000 fans are expected to flock this year to the Country Picnic, the biggest country music festival in this part of Europe, held in the northeastern Polish city of Mrągowo. Cowboy costumes, motorcycles, off-road cars and music create a unique atmosphere in the city during the festival. The concerts are held at the local amphitheater and music fans can also take part in free additional events-the Country Parade ("cowboys" on horseback, American trucks, old amphibious cars, motorcycles, jeeps and a colorful and singing crowd), a show of cowboy dress, strongman competitions, a competition for the best country-style shop window and a swimming marathon.

The festival's stars this year include Lonstar & Hollywood Cowboys from Poland and Gail Davies from the United States.

A few days before the festival, a special "Pass to Mrągowo" event will be held July 19. The aim is to pick out talented musicians who have never performed at the main Mrągowo Country Picnic stage before and those who have not performed their own show at the festival since 2004.

Folk roots
Country and Western music is a popular music genre that evolved from a blend of folk and blues music in the early 20th century in the United States. Simple, based on a three-chord pattern and using an acoustic guitar, violin and a simple drum set, it roots stretch back to the folk music of the Appalachians. Brought to Poland in the 1970s, it became popular in the 1980s, when the first Country Piknik festival was held in Poland. This international country music festival has been held annually since 1983 in late July/early August in Mrągowo. It features Polish and foreign artists. The driving force behind the development of this genre in Poland is Michał "Lonstar" Łuszczyński, a singer and guitarist who has written numerous musical hits. He promotes festivals and concerts and country music and its ethos as a whole.

28th Mrągowo Country Picnic Festival 2009
July 24-26, amphitheater in Mrągowo

Tickets: zl.40-150, depending on the day and audience zone

Festival program and detailed ticket information available at www.festiwalpiknikcountry.pl

Organizer: PERFORMANCE Marketing Group

Tickets can be purchased online, with payments made to Centrum Kultury i Turystyki, Ul. Warszawska 26, 11-700 Mrągowo; BS Mikołajki o/Mrągowo
account number: 269 350 000 102 154 907 207 20 001

Please mark "Bilety na Piknik Country" in the transfer title.

The tickets can be collected from the Culture and Tourism center in Mrągowo.

D.S.