What is Fat Thursday (Tłusty Czwartek)?
Poland’s favourite pastries, particularly on Fat Thursday, are pączki - large deep-fried doughnuts typically filled with rose jam (or other marmalades), glazed with sugar, and sometimes topped with candied orange peel. Another Fat Thursday favourite are faworki - thin dough ribbons, fried until crispy and sprinkled with powdered sugar. The number of these baked goods consumed annually on Fat Thursday is truly astronomical, but you can buy them any day of the year in most bakeries.
When is Fat Thursday 2025?
In 2025 Fat Thursday falls on February 27th.
What is Herring Night (Śledziówka)?
But wait - there's another day to cram your face with local delicacies before Lent begins! The Tuesday following Fat Thursday (also known as the day before Ash Wednesday) is actually the last day before the Wielki Post (The Great Fast/Lent) begins. It's also the day that marks the end of the Karnawał (Carnival) period, which in many other countries is the day people will celebrate before the forty days of fasting and religious observance should begin. In Poland this is known as Śledziówka or Śledzik (literally Herring Night) and you'll find the traditional pickled herring washed down with shots of vodka in many homes, bars and restaurants. Be warned this can get messy despite the fact most people are supposed to be at work or university the following day.
