Stryszawa is located near Sucha Beskidzka. This small village is one of the places where folk toys have been made since the 19th century. It belongs to the Żywiec and Sucha Beskidzka Toy production Centre which is considered as the oldest one but still working. This kind of handicraft was also popular among the inhabitants of Lachowice, Koszarawa, Jeleśnia, Hucisko, and Kurów. The tradition of making toys is passed from one generation to another and the flagship toy is a colorful bird. In 2016 Żywiec and Sucha Beskidzka with their toy production was enlisted on the National List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

In 2011 the local Rural Commune Culture Centre was moved to a new, renovated building of former forester’s lodge. The Beskidian Centre of Wooden Toy has its seat here. Numerous workshops for children (and not only) are organized here during which they learn how to make toys, which are later painted and decorated by them. Every year during the first Weekend of June the Folk Toy Festival is organized here, during which different competitions, folk art and handicraft fairs, dying professions shows are organized. Every year the theme of the Festival is different – coaches, buckboards, carriages, horses, birds, etc. The event is very popular.

The exhibition dedicated to toy making traditions was organized. We can see a toy making shop and the exposition of the local artists’ works. They have completely new toys made recently as well as very old items whose authorship is impossible to determine. The following toys can be found at the exhibition – buckboards, carriages, cradles, wheelbarrows, rattles, horses, scissors, hayracks, carousels, etc. All of them are made by toy makers popular in this region, who come from the Klimasara family, the Leśniak family, and the Lach family.

The youngest visitors may play outside in the Wooden Folk Toy Park, which is constantly extended. They can see a really big coach here, a horse or a “klepok” bird.

The folk education workshops are the attraction for everyone. Those who are interested may participate in all kinds of workshops – painting birds and horses, paper flower making, hay eco toy making, string basket making, Christmas tree and Easter decoration making, pottery and glass painting. It is a fantastic place to spend time with the whole family.

Gminny Ośrodek Kultury w Stryszawie – Beskidzkie Centrum Zabawki Drewnianej
34-205 Stryszawa 740
tel. (+48) 33 874 70 03
e-mail: gokstryszawa@poczta.fm
www.stryszawa.pl