As of: 14 July 2026
Summer nightlife in Wrocław is full of excitement and activities. Wrocław’s Old Town Market Square changes character after dark during the New Horizons Film Festival. The historic Town Houses become part of the backdrop, and about 1,000 seats face a giant cinema screen on the western part of Poland’s second-largest Main Square.
During July and August, free outdoor cinema returns across Wrocław throughout summer 2026. It’s officially the summer vacation in Poland. Screenings range from the New Horizons cinema to films beside the Wrocław Multimedia Fountain, on city-centre rooftops, beside the Odra and in neighbourhood parks. It is one of the most popular free things to do in Wrocław during summer.
This guide brings together the confirmed films, dates, starting times, locations and practical information for Wrocław’s free open-air cinemas. From 24 July to 2 August 2026, the 26th TAURON New Horizons International Film Festival will present a free film every evening in Wrocław Market Square. A second outdoor cinema will operate at OPT Zamek in Leśnica during both festival weekends.
Most screenings begin around 21:30
Admission is free
Seating is generally available on a first-come, first-served basis.
New Horizons Outdoor Cinema in Wrocław 2026: Updated Information
Wrocław’s Old Town Market Square cinema is considered one of the largest outdoor cinemas in Europe. For the 26th New Horizons Film Festival, the city hall with OPT Zamek (also known as Leśnica Castle, 13km from Rynek) has decided to create an outdoor film screening for the residents and tourists. Leśnica Castle is a special sceening place because it’s a cultural center within the centuries-old castle, hosting Polish artists & illustrators. The venue offers approximately 300 deckchairs. It is a more atmospheric alternative, with screenings held in the castle amphitheatre beside its surrounding park.
Wrocław’s free outdoor cinema programme spreads across eight locations in summer 2026. The longest-running series takes place every Thursday at the Pergola beside Centennial Hall, while the New Horizons Film Festival brings nightly screenings to Wrocław Market Square from 24 July to 2 August and two festival weekends to OPT Zamek in Leśnica. Rooftop cinema in Wrocław returns to Wdech/Wydech at Concordia Design on Tuesdays and dACH! Dominikańska on selected Wednesdays. More screenings are planned at St Damian de Veuster Square in Szczepin, the riverside Odra-Pany beach bar, and locations across western Wrocław organised by Centrum Kultury Nowy Pafawag. This is Wrocław nightlife at its finest!
Free Outdoor Cinema in Wrocław Main Market Square: Full Schedule
The selection showcases Scandinavian cinema, Polish film history and crowd-friendly classics. David Bowie appears in Jim Henson’s fantasy Labyrinth, Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze return in Kathryn Bigelow’s Point Break, while Cinema Paradiso offers perhaps the most fitting film for an open-air festival screen: a story built around the communal experience of going to the cinema.
Two important Polish films are also included. A Generation, Andrzej Wajda’s 1955 feature debut, examines young resistance fighters during the German occupation. Agnieszka Holland’s The Secret Garden, meanwhile, remains one of the most internationally recognised films from the director’s early American career.
Schedule:
| Date | Film |
| 24 July | Labyrinth (Labirynt) |
| 25 July | Sentimental Value (Wartość sentymentalna) |
| 26 July | The Secret Garden (Tajemniczy ogród) |
| 27 July | A Generation (Pokolenie) |
| 28 July | The Salt Path (Ścieżki życia) |
| 29 July | Point Break (Na fali) |
| 30 July | Dreams (Sex Love) (Sny o miłości) |
| 31 July | Father Mother Sister Brother |
| 1 August | Cinema Paradiso |
| 2 August | The Love That Remains (Miłość, która zostaje) |
Outdoor Screenings at OPT Zamek in Leśnica
The second festival cinema is located in the amphitheatre at OPT Zamek, a historic cultural venue in western Wrocław. Its programme runs over two weekends, with approximately 300 deckchairs available for the audience.
Schedule:
| Date | Film |
| 24 July | Donnie Darko |
| 25 July | By the River That Isn’t There (Nad rzeką, której nie ma) |
| 26 July | Picnic at Hanging Rock + Peter Weir’s Dream Within a Dream |
| 31 July | The Duke of Burgundy |
| 1 August | Farewells (Pożegnania) |
| 2 August | Monty Python and the Holy Grail |
On Saturday, 25 July, the screening of By the River That Isn’t There will be preceded at 20:00 by a free performance from the Dominik Gawroński Quartet, organised as part of the Vertigo Summer Jazz Festival. The best film setting combo is likely to be Donnie Darko beside the castle after dark and Peter Weir’s hypnotic Picnic at Hanging Rock, presented with Jakub Duszyński’s short documentary about the director. Wojciech Jerzy Has’s Farewells provides a valuable introduction to the Polish Film School, while the final evening belongs to the unmistakable absurdity of Monty Python.
Free Outdoor Cinema at Pergola, Centennial Hall
Courtesy: Wrocław Official Portal
Film Thursdays at Pergola combine free cinema with one of Wrocław’s most distinctive summer settings: the greenery surrounding the Centennial Hall complex and the Multimedia Fountain. Screenings begin every Thursday at 21:30. If poor weather prevents an outdoor screening, the film will be moved inside the Centennial Hall complex. The screenings are a part of the Lato na Pergoli cinema program from Hala Stulecia.
Schedule:
| Date | Film |
| 16 July | Bez wyjścia |
| 23 July | Rocznica |
| 30 July | Marty Supreme |
| 6 August | Surfer |
| 13 August | Pomoc domowa |
| 20 August | Ścieżki życia |
| 27 August | Drama |
Rooftop Cinema in Wrocław at Wdech/Wydech, Concordia Design
Wdech/Wydech hosts free Tuesday-night films on the roof of Concordia Design at Wyspa Słodowa 7. Screenings begin at 21:00, combining open-air cinema with elevated views across the Old Town and the Oder islands. Concordia Design is one of the best event venues in Wrocław.
Schedule:
| Date | Film |
| 14 July | Sirât |
| 21 July | Cudowne życie |
| 28 July | Ostatni wiking |
| 4 August | Ścieżki życia |
| 11 August | Pomoc domowa |
| 18 August | Wartość sentymentalna |
| 25 August | Together |
| 1 September | Father Mother Sister Brother |
| 8 September | Rocznica |
Free Outdoor Cinema at dACH! Dominikańska, Wrocław
The roof of Galeria Dominikańska becomes another central Wrocław cinema on selected Wednesday evenings. Screenings begin at 21:30 at Plac Dominikański 3. Places are limited and cannot be reserved. Outside food and drinks are not permitted, while visitors under 18 must be accompanied by an adult after 20:00. Weather-related cancellations are announced through the venue’s social-media channels.
Schedule:
| Date | Film |
| 15 July | Mamma Mia! |
| 22 July | Forrest Gump |
| 29 July | Wanda Rutkiewicz. Ostatnia wyprawa |
Outdoor Cinema on St Damian de Veuster Square
The eighth edition of W letnim kinie na Szczepinie brings two free screenings to St Damian de Veuster Square near Zachodnia Street. Both screenings take place beside the hill on the square and are organised by Serce Szczepina and the Wrocław Film Foundation.
Schedule:
| Date | Film |
| 18 July | Innego końca nie będzie |
| 19 July | Życie Chucka |
Outdoor cinema by the River at Odra-Pany
Odra-Pany hosts free Wednesday screenings beside the Odra near Kładka Zwierzyniecka and the Japanese Gate of Wrocław Zoo. The riverside location makes it one of the best open-air cinema locations in Wrocław. Keep an eye on Odra-Pany’s social-media channels for additional announcements.
Schedule:
| Date | Film |
| 15 July | Kneecap. Hip-hopowa rewolucja |
| 22 July | Emilia Pérez |
Family Outdoor Cinema with Nowy Pafawag
Centrum Kultury Nowy Pafawag organises family-oriented outdoor screenings in western Wrocław. Importantly, the films do not necessarily take place at the cultural centre itself.
Schedule:
| Date | Film | Location | Time |
| 2 August | Babe – świnka z klasą | Park Tysiąclecia | 20:30 |
| 22 August | Madagaskar | Kuźniki; precise location to be confirmed | 20:30 |
Tourists Looking for Free Activities in Wrocław
The Market Square programme is particularly accessible to international visitors. English-language films such as Labyrinth, The Secret Garden, The Salt Path and Point Break are shown in their original language with Polish subtitles. The Polish-language A Generation has English subtitles. Sentimental Value, Dreams, Father Mother Sister Brother, Cinema Paradiso and The Love That Remains are officially listed with both Polish and English subtitles.
Leśnica also brings options for English speakers. Donnie Darko, Picnic at Hanging Rock, The Duke of Burgundy and Monty Python and the Holy Grail are English-language films. The two Polish classics, By the River That Isn’t There and Farewells, are listed with English subtitles.
Which Open-Air Cinema in Wrocław to Choose
For the full Wrocław experience: Cinema Paradiso
Watching Giuseppe Tornatore’s celebration of cinema in the middle of Wrocław’s Market Square is the most natural headline screening of the programme. It takes place on Saturday, 1 August, making it one of the evenings most likely to fill early.
For families: Labyrinth or The Secret Garden
Labyrinth opens the outdoor programme with David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly and Jim Henson’s fantastical creatures. Agnieszka Holland’s The Secret Garden follows on Sunday and is the most obvious family-oriented literary adaptation in the schedule.
For a cult-film evening: Donnie Darko
The darker surroundings of the Leśnica castle amphitheatre should suit Richard Kelly’s cult drama particularly well. It opens the OPT Zamek programme on Friday, 24 July.
For Polish cinema: A Generation or Farewells
A Generation marks the beginning of Andrzej Wajda’s career and includes early appearances by several future figures of Polish cinema. Farewells, directed by Wrocław-born Wojciech Jerzy Has, combines romance, social observation and the approaching collapse of Poland’s pre-war world.
For something contemporary: Sentimental Value
Joachim Trier’s family drama brings together Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas and Elle Fanning, with music composed by Polish pianist Hania Rani.
Tips for Attending Free Outdoor Cinema Wrocław 2026
Arrive early. Friday and Saturday screenings, recognisable classics and films with major international casts are likely to attract the largest audiences. Bring an extra layer. Even after a hot day, sitting still in the Market Square or a park amphitheatre can feel cool by the end of a two-hour film. Check the weather and festival announcements. The published programme does not establish one universal weather policy for every screening. Check the official festival channels on the day when rain or storms are expected.
I recommend public transport, including bus 148 or Koleje Dolnośląskie regional trains from Wrocław Główny. Check the final evening connection before the film begins. OPT Zamek is at pl. Świętojański 1, 54-076 Wrocław. The screenings take place outside in the amphitheatre.
Accessibility at the Wrocław Market Square Cinema
Six Market Square screenings will provide audio description, SDH subtitles and introductions translated into Polish Sign Language: Sentimental Value, A Generation, The Salt Path, Dreams, Cinema Paradiso, The Love That Remains.
Three Leśnica screenings will provide audio description and SDH subtitles: By the River That Isn’t There, Picnic at Hanging Rock and Farewells. Audio-description receivers will be available at the venues. The festival also offers reserved places and assistance for visitors with disabilities when arranged in advance.
About the 2026 New Horizons Film Festival
The 26th TAURON New Horizons International Film Festival takes place in Wrocław from 23 July to 2 August 2026, with part of the programme remaining available online until 9 August. The full edition includes 283 films from 92 countries, shown at Kino Nowe Horyzonty, the Lower Silesian Film Centre, Wrocław Market Square and OPT Zamek. The wider programme also includes retrospectives, exhibitions, concerts, industry events and the festival club at the city’s historic Arsenal. New Horizons has been associated with Wrocław since 2006. Its 2025 edition attracted a record audience of 169,737, confirming its position as one of Poland’s most significant annual cultural events.
Planning more time in the city? Read my complete Wrocław Travel Guide 2026 for local attractions, activities, restaurants and practical tips beyond the Market Square.
Frequently asked questions: Free Outdoor Cinema Wrocław
1. Is the New Horizons outdoor cinema in Wrocław free?
Yes. All screenings in Wrocław Market Square and at OPT Zamek in Leśnica are free.
2. Do I need a ticket for the Market Square screenings?
No standard ticket is required. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so arriving early is recommended.
3. What time do the New Horizons outdoor cinema screenings in Wrocław begin?
Every screening begins at 21:30. The jazz concert at OPT Zamek on 25 July begins earlier, at 20:00.
4. Are the films accessible to people who do not speak Polish?
Yes. Many films are in English, while the Polish and other non-English productions generally provide English subtitles where stated on their official festival pages.
5. How do I reach OPT Zamek from central Wrocław?
Use public transport, including bus 148 and regional trains from Wrocław Główny towards Leśnica.
Looking for a local Wrocław Guide? Planning a private walking tour, food experience or day trip from Wrocław? Send me your dates, group size and interests through my tour enquiry form, and I’ll suggest the best option for your visit.
Event information and selected images are courtesy of Wrocław Official Portal, the city’s official portal. I’m a Wrocław-based local tour guide, sharing practical city updates, cultural events and local recommendations throughout the year.
