Most people stayed home on New Year’s Eve and celebrated only with their immediate family, heeding calls from health officials and experts, news outlets reported.
Under a coronavirus curfew, free movement was restricted throughout the country from 7 p.m. on December 31 to 6 a.m. on January 1.
A New Year's Eve light show at Warsaw's iconic Palace of Culture and Science. Photo: PAP/Mateusz Marek
Scores of events around the nation had been canceled or moved online. Instead, various media organizations provided audiences with a variety of entertainment.
Polish state TV greets 2021 with virtual bash
State television broadcaster TVP greeted 2021 with a virtual bash. Its "New Year's Eve with TVP 2" event was held without an audience at an open-air theater in the northern town of Ostróda.
At one point, the festivities were watched by more than 8 million viewers on their television screens, according to TVP CEO Jacek Kurski.
The concert featured a long lineup of performers including veteran Czech singer Helena Vondráčková and the multinational pop group Bad Boys Blue.
Other acts included the popular Polish band Golec uOrkiestra and German musician Thomas Anders of Modern Talking fame, alongside Polish pop singer Cleo, “Disco Polo King” Zenon Martyniuk, and teenage stars Roksana Węgiel and Viki Gabor.
Meanwhile, private TV broadcaster Polsat aired a concert featuring performers including veteran Polish pop singer Maryla Rodowicz, who has been on the music scene for almost six decades.
New Year's Eve with Polish Radio
Polish Radio offered some special treats for music lovers this New Year's Eve as the world ushered in 2021 amid the COVID-19 gloom.
The Polish public radio broadcaster aired music by a variety of domestic pop acts as well as classical music courtesy of Warsaw’s National Philharmonic.
Attractions included a multimedia concert featuring performers such as Polish 1980s stars Izabela Trojanowska and Małgorzata Ostrowska.
At midnight, Polish Radio CEO Agnieszka Kamińska extended New Year's greetings to everyone listening.
Polish Radio CEO Agnieszka Kamińska. Image: polskieradio.pl
"As we bid farewell to a difficult 2020, we head into 2021 with great hope," she said.
"My New Year’s wish for us all is that 2021 is a year of prosperity, health, joy and dreams come true," she added.
Poland on December 28 entered a three-week “national quarantine” in a stepped-up effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
Gatherings of more than five people have been forbidden under measures aiming to contain the COVID-19 epidemic, which has killed more than 28,500 nationwide.
The country on Thursday reported 13,397 new coronavirus infections and 532 more deaths, bringing its total number of cases to 1,294,878 and fatalities to 28,554.
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Source: TVP Info, PAP, IAR, polskieradio.pl