Tłusty Czwartek 2026: What is Fat Thursday? Here's when the Polish holiday is and how you can celebrate

Also known as Tłusty Czwartek, which in Polish simply translates to Fat Thursday, this event falls on the last Thursday before Lent.

Observed in many countries around Europe, but particularly in Poland, much like Pancake Day in the UK, the tradition encourages people to feast on sweet treats before giving up certain foods for Lent.

The holiday has become increasingly popular elsewhere over the years, so if you’re looking for the perfect excuse to treat yourself to some doughnuts here’s what you need to know.

When is Fat Thursday 2026?

Fat Thursday is today: Thursday, February 12. The holiday is observed on the final Thursday before Lent begins.

Sign up to our free Scran food and drink newsletter, here

What is Fat Thursday?

Fat Thursday is one of the final opportunities for people to feast before Lent, where people give up certain foods in preparation for Easter.

While it is steeped in Catholic tradition, over the years Tłusty Czwartek has become an excuse for people to enjoy as many fatty and sugary foods as possible.

It is very similar to Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day, in the UK, which falls on the final day before Ash Wednesday, when Lent begins.

The two holidays are often marked by those who have no plans to observe Lent, but simply want to enjoy some sweet treats.

How do you pronounce Tłusty Czwartek? Brief pronunciation guide

For native English speakers, trying to pronounce Tłusty Czwartek may be a challenge.

While it simply translates to Fat Thursday, if you would like to say Tłusty Czwartek in Polish properly there are a few things you need to know first.

In Polish, the letter “ł” is pronounced as “w”. It shares the same sound as “w” in words like wet or win. This is then followed by “u” which should be pronounced like “oo” in a word like look. Finally, the the “ty” is pronounced like “teh”.

As for Czwartek, the letters “cz” together are pronounced like “ch” in chain or cheese. This is followed by “w”, which in Polish will always be pronounced the same way as the letter “v” in English.

Therefore, Tłusty Czwartek is pronounced along the lines of “twoos-teh chvartek”.

Wondering what to eat on Fat Thursday? Try pączki and faworki

On Tłusty Czwartek in Poland, there are two treats in particular which fly off the shelves. These are pączki and faworki, or in English, doughnuts and pastry.

The most popular way to celebrate Fat Thursday, however, is definitely by enjoying pączki (or if it’s just one, a pączek).

These large fried doughnuts are typically filled with rose jam, though can be stuffed with anything from marmalade to sweet cheese, and then glazed or coated in sugar.

For those who aren’t huge fans of doughnuts, there is then faworki. Also known as chrusty, which translated roughly means angel’s wings, these are thin deep fried pastry strips which are dusted with icing sugar.

Pączki is pronounced along the lines of “poonch-key”, with pączek then “poonch-eck”, while faworki is pronounced along the lines of “fav-or-key”.