Cinematic Kujawy Pomorze: Night Cycling Rally Along the Film Trail
The Fern Flower Cycling Rally has been organized by the Alumni Programme of Nicolaus Copernicus University (UMK) in Toruń since 2009. This year’s edition will have a film and literary theme dedicated to the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region. Every year in June, on the longest night of the year or on the nearest Saturday, UMK alumni set off in the evening from Toruń and its surroundings in search of the legendary fern flower, believed in Slavic folklore to bring luck and love. The participant who finds the flower in the forest earns recognition and receives a prize. The tradition of the June rally also includes team-building games and a bonfire.
This year’s event will be particularly special as it coincides with the anniversary of the UMK Alumni Programme. The rally will begin with a lecture by Agnieszka Majek, author of the Film and Literary Guide to the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region and a UMK graduate. Hosted at the Copernican Library, her presentation will explore the Kujawy and Pomorze Region through the lens of cinema and literature.
Following the lecture, participants will embark on a cycling tour of Toruń, visiting locations featured in films shot in the city as well as sites connected with literary heritage.
The Film and Literary Guide to the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region is a unique combination of travel guide, film history, literature, and regional heritage. It leads readers through places associated with cinema and literary creativity in Kujawy and Pomorze. Intended for enthusiasts of film, literature, regional history, and cultural tourism, the publication invites readers to discover the region through cinematic scenes and literary narratives.
The guide features, among others, Bydgoszcz, Toruń, Włocławek, Ciechocinek, and Grudziądz – places that have appeared on screen or inspired writers. Readers learn not only about specific locations but also about their cultural and historical significance.
The rally will conclude at the Copernican Integration Centre on the UMK campus, where participants will take part in a knowledge quiz based on information presented during the event. The evening will end at midnight with a communal barbecue and sausage roasting.
The Fern Flower Cycling Rally will take place on 27 – 28 June 2026.
Department of Promotion
Paweł Jankowski
10 June 2026