It has been two years since the multi-use complex in Warsaw’s Wola district began to live its second life. It opened its doors in September 2021 and almost immediately became one of the favourite spots of Varsovians and tourists visiting the capital city. On the occasion of its second birthday, the Norblin Factory invites children and adults to a weekend full of surprises. Concerts, circus shows, games and entertainment with prizes, a birthday city game – all this and much more awaits guests of the complex at Żelazna Street during the weekend of 23 and 24 September.
The birthday celebrations will open with a theatre performance for the youngest visitors of the Norblin Factory: “Mission Albertine – Journey to the Future”. The heroine sets off on a lonely mission to the present day to save a factory threatened with destruction and regain a family treasure. Little spectators will help her understand the new reality and find the precious keepsake. The play directed by Kuba Nieścierow presents the history of the Norblin Factory in an amusing way and encourages children to actively participate in the performance. The title role is played by Anna Lipińska. The performance will be shown at noon on Saturday and Sunday.
At the same time, Saturday’s series of attractions for younger visitors will also begin, prepared by Smart Kids Planet and the Norblin Factory Museum. Preparations for the big celebration will begin with face painting from 12 noon in the zone provided by Smart Kids Planet in the Plater building. This will be followed by a host of creative activities and attractions, including drawing on glass, workshops on making eco candles and Slime! Lots of puzzles and competitions with prizes prepared by the Norblin Factory Museum will be waiting for the children. The fun will be topped off with a party to the rhythm of the greatest children’s hits: a mini disco.
The afternoon and evening attractions will begin with a Modern Circus show, which will take off at 6 p.m. on level -1 of the Plater building. This will be followed by the Music MasterClass scholarship holders taking to the stage in the roofed Teodor Werner Passage. This will be just the beginning of musical delights. The star of the birthday concert in the Werner Passage will be the band LemOn. Admission to the concerts is free but ticketed. Reservations must be made via the Norblin Factory app. The after party in the Gimlet Hall will be hosted by DJ Envee. The party will last until late into the night.
With puzzle lovers in mind, the Norblin Factory has prepared a special birthday city game introducing the complex and its history. Participants can fill in an interactive form and solve 15 puzzles on the birthday Saturday and Sunday. The first ten people who bring correctly completed cards to the information point will receive prizes: vouchers to be redeemed on the premises of the Norblin Factory.
The theme of the birthday Sunday will be RETRO. Throughout the afternoon, between 12 noon and 4 p.m., visitors can tour the Retro Warsaw exhibition at the Art Box Experience and learn about the history of the Żelazna Street complex and the Norblin and Werner families at the Norblin Factory Museum. If you travel back in time, do it with class. To feel like a lady from the past, the girls will make retro headbands, decorated with feathers, colourful thread and sparkling stones. Little gentlemen will make and wear their own elegant bow ties. There will be more souvenirs of the birthday weekend: photos from the photo booth will be turned into personalised magnets.
From 4 p.m., Werner Passage will be transformed into a retro space, starting with a fashion show of yesteryear led by Grupa Bluszcz, which will transport the audience to the Warsaw streets of decades past. The Group’s creators will reconstruct outfits in their full variety: they will present everyday fashion, visiting, ballroom, sports, and occasional wear. The retro fashion show is an opportunity to share knowledge about fashion, the situation of women and their role in society, as well as the values and manners which were in force in the first half of the 20th century and which are often forgotten today. It will be an unforgettable journey into the past. After the show, the Teodor Werner Passage will turn into a stage featuring a performance of the Warsaw Sentimental Orchestra. The evening will close with a modern circus show, Breath. Movement. Rhythm, starting at 6 p.m. in the Plater building.
Registration is required for selected attractions, which can be done using the Norblin Factory app or forms available on the complex’s website.
Lots of birthday gifts will be offered by Norblin Factory’s tenants. Throughout the anniversary weekend, promotions and discounts will be waiting for guests of the complex, as well as free delicacies such as organic apples from BioBazar, fresh and fragrant croissants from The Bakery, birthday drinks from Food Town. For a full list of the weekend’s surprises and a schedule of events, visit: https://fabrykanorblina.pl/en/second-birthday-of-norblin-factory/
It will be a special weekend for the Norblin Factory family, full of music, joy, smiles and fun, as befits a birthday celebration.
Timetable of events:
Birthday Saturday – 23 September 2023
12:00 – 13:00 – Performance for children “Mission Albertine – Journey to the Future” (Plater Building, level 0)
12:00 – 16:00 – Attractions for children from Smart Kids Planet and Norblin Factory Museum (Plater Building, level -1)
12:00 – 19:00 – Birthday city game with prizes
16:00 – 16:30 – Musical finish to attractions from Smart Kids Planet – Mini Disco
18:00 – 19:00 – Modern Circus Show – HUMANS (Plater Building, level -1)
19:00 – 20:00 – Concert by Music MasterClass scholarship holders (Teodor Werner Passage)*
20:00 – 20:30 – Competitions with prizes on the concert stage (Teodor Werner Passage)*
20:30 – 22:00 – Norblin Factory’s birthday concert – LemOn (Teodor Werner Passage)*
22:00 – 02:00 – After Party – DJ Envee plus Live Act (Gimlet Hall, Food Town)
*Admission ticketed, reservations to be made via the Norblin Factory application
Retro Birthday Sunday – 24 September 2023
12:00 – 13:00 – Performance for children “Mission Albertine – Journey to the Future” (Plater Building, level 0)
12:00 – 16:00 – Tour of the Norblin Factory Museum (start – Ticket/Info point, Ludwik Norblin Street)
12:00 – 16:00 – Tour of the “Retro Warsaw” exhibition (Art Box Experience, Plater Building, level +2)
12:00 – 16:00 – Retro attractions for children (Teodor Werner Passage)
12:00 – 19:00 – Birthday city game with prizes
16:00 – 16:30 – Retro fashion show (Teodor Werner Passage)
16:30 – 17:30 – Concert of the Warsaw Sentimental Orchestra (Teodor Werner Passage)
18:00 – 19:00 – Modern Circus Show – Breath. Movement. Rhythm. (Plater Building, level -1)
