Poland is a safe destination for visitors. Army Days 2026, being held for the first time in Kielce from 11 to 13 September, demonstrates why Poland is well worth discovering. Poland is a modern country with significant economic potential – clean, technologically advanced and forward-looking, while remaining strongly connected to its history and traditions. It is also a country capable of protecting its borders through continued investment in a modern armed forces.
Kielce, the host city for this year’s Army Days festival, is located in central Poland and has a population of just under 200,000. It is an excellent base for visitors exploring the nearby Świętokrzyskie Mountains, regarded as the oldest mountain range in Europe. Kielce also has a long military tradition. More than a century ago, the city played an important role in Poland’s path to independence, while during the Second World War the region was home to resistance movements fighting against Nazi Germany.
Today, Kielce is involved in training soldiers for international United Nations missions, while the 8th Home Army Infantry Division is currently being established in the city. Kielce is also home to Targi Kielce (Kielce Trade Fairs), whose exhibition halls host one of the world’s major defence industry trade shows – the International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO, which in 2026 is being held for the 34th time.
To demonstrate that Poland is a safe country, capable of protecting itself and providing visitors with a secure and comfortable stay, the three-day Army Days festival has been organised for the first time.
Army Days offers visitors and tourists – particularly those interested in military tourism – three days of attractions and experiences. Guests will be able to visit the largest open-air exhibition of military equipment free of charge and sample one of Poland’s best-known military dishes, traditional pea soup.
Throughout the three-day festival, Poland will showcase the strength and potential of its economy in Kielce. On the second day, organisers will invite visitors to attend a training demonstration featuring Marcin Gortat, the renowned Polish basketball player who competed in the American NBA. The third day will feature a major patriotic concert with leading Polish music stars at the Kadzielnia Amphitheatre. The performers will be accompanied by the Representative Artistic Ensemble of the Polish Armed Forces.
The concert will be recorded in one of Poland’s most spectacular amphitheatres, located within the Andrzej Litwin Kadzielnia Geological Reserve in Kielce. The venue accommodates more than 5,000 spectators. The concert will subsequently be broadcast by Poland’s public broadcaster, Telewizja Polska.
Army Days also provides an attractive complementary programme for exhibitors and guests attending MSPO, extending the experience beyond the defence industry trade show itself. Many exhibitors are expected to take advantage of the increasingly popular workation format by extending their business stay in Kielce to include the weekend festival. Organisers will also provide interested exhibitors with complimentary invitations to the patriotic concert, offering them another opportunity to discover that “Poland. More than you expected.”
The Army Days project is co-financed by the Polish National Foundation.
