Form of the festival: Official
Type: Urban Highline
Place: Oleśnica, Poland
Date: second week of August
Length of lines15-163m
Height range: up to 35m
Distance to spots: 3-10 min
Availability of spots: flip-flops
Safety:daily check of highline spots and anchors, with each line there is a person responsible for buddy check
Additionally: pay attention to spots working hours. There is a break during the day
Two weeks after the crazy vibes and hurly-burly of the Urban Highline Festival, you are getting the real holidays are within reach. You are at the OFCA Festival, founded in 2014. Festival held in Oleśnica, like the one in Lublin, is a circus-artistic-highline party, but the similarity ends there. Well, the slackline part is also an urban highline but that’s it.
Oleśnica is not a small town. However, it seems that even non-advanced meditation apprentice can achieve ZEN in the heart of the city. Well, more graphically…
Have you ever played the iconic Silent Hill? Maybe you saw a movie or poster? So we have our dark and mysterious town of Silent Hill. Skip the survival horror fragment (creatures don’t kill us, we don’t kill creatures). Inhale the mist with your nose. Add more colors, highlines, sharpen the image … and you are on the Silent OFCA Highline.
I think I went too far. These lanterns are not similar at all. Okay, I’m coming back to the topic.
At the festival, you will rest, relax, calm your psyche and gain perspective. You will pass pedestrians only on the other side of the street, and if the side is the same, the impression of the other side will remain. Here, even a tornado seems harmless and will not disturb your peace. In an extreme case, the whole camping will sleep in the castle (as it happened in 2017). Very old and solid as a bunker. Isn’t that what you need today?
But hey, this is a festival of course!!!
If you feel like it, you can go to places where the energy is high and the crowd truly energetic. There will be a parade, concerts till dawn, exhibitions, various workshops, trickline contest. Also artistic and circus performances will take place almost constantly in several places at the same time … not necessarily under the lines.
Whatever you like, you can choose it. I will not help you, the festival brochure will.
Transportation:
You can take a flight to Wrocław. From there, regional trains run to Oleśnica from the Main Railway Station every 40-50 minutes. The travel time is ~ 40 min. Price ~ 2.5 Euro. You can also take a bus at a similar price (travel time is also similar). Timetables and tickets can be found HERE. Alternatively, you can ask at Slackline Wrocław group. Someone may pick you up by car or accompany you on your journey. From the Oleśnica PKP station to the Oleśnicki Dukes’ Castle, where you live, it takes 20 minutes on foot.
Accommodation:
Magic. Only during the Festival, a campsite is being built on the grounds of a Renaissance castle. However, unlike UHF, the campsite adheres tightly to the defensive walls, thanks to which you can get to it through the castle courtyard. This passage itself enables you to feel the atmosphere already. When entering through the main gate, the ancient castle absorbs you in its arms. The horizon closes. The air smells of a bleak old wall. Above you – lines, in front of you – light in the tunnel. A light to another world. Camping gate. All artists and festival participants live behind it. There is also a “Bar Żongler” (“Bar Juggler”) tent. Located in the center of the campsite, more intimate, a smaller version than the one in Lublin. There are shortlines, longlines, and rodeos. If not, feel free to rig one. What will happen there? Can you imagine?
Toilets and showers can be found in the castle. Plastic toi toi (portable toilets) are available at the camping. There is also an Infopoint at the castle, where you can pick up festival bands (tickets) or register for the Festival. To save time (your but also other people) do it online now: REGISTRATION.
Food:
When it comes to snacks and breakfasts, you don’t have to go far. The Bar Żongler here is also a breakfast bar, music place, and night club. More specific food can be found in the city. Food trucks located in the old city (5 min), restaurants, cheap lunch bars, pizzerias (5-15) min.
If you’re really hungry, go to Bar Mleczny on ul. Okrężna 11 (tasty, fresh, cheap, huge serving portions).
If you cook at camping, you won’t have any problems with supplies. Near the castle, there is the “Biedronka” supermarket.
Surroundings:
While being at the Festival, remember that Oleśnica is a historic city, which dates back to the 13th century. All lines are in the historic part of the city (Oleśnica Dukes’ Castle, Town Hall, Minor Basilica). Don’t destroy, explore.
A spot you can come across while going to brush your teeth.
Spot with the three longest official urban highline lines in Poland (each over 100m long).
Town Hall (market square)
The festival’s lowest spot. Great contact with passers-by.
Can’t get enough of sightseeing? Visit Wrocław, one of the most beautiful Polish cities.
Not enough lines? Ask at the campsite about Kantyna Highline Afterparty. Maybe you will be lucky. Fingers crossed!
