Juwenalia (Polish, from Latin Iuvenalia - Juvenalia) is an annual higher education students' holiday in Poland, usually celebrated in May, before the summer exam session, sometimes also at the beginning of June.[1]
The first Juwenalia were celebrated in the 15th century in Kraków. Juwenalia are celebrated in all colleges in Poland, with different names depending on a school or a city. At Medical Academies, they are called Medykalia, at Academies of Economy - Ekonomalia. At the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, they are called "Kortowiada", at the University of Opole they are called Piastonalia, at the Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice - Igry, at the Gdańsk University - Neptunalia, at the University of Zielona Góra - Bachanalia.
Juwenalia start with a triumphant parade of colorfully dressed students. The participants march from a college's campus to the city's main square, where in a symbolic gesture, the mayor of a city hands keys to the city's gates to the students. The three days are free from lectures and filled with concerts, parties, sports events as well as drinking.
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