The role of smart governance is currently increasing, with public participation as an important element. However, practices of participation in city management are still too limited and solutions are constantly being sought that can increase citizens' activity in the life of local communities. Showing various forms of public participation and its practical examples may influence the extension of the scope of existing activities towards participation in governance by local authorities and its residents. The aim of the article is to present the essence of public participation and to analyze the degree and areas of its application in leading Polish cities. In the theoretical part of the article, based on literature studies, a model of public participation in local self-governments was created, which was then used for the analysis carried out later in the discussion. Empirical research using the case study method was conducted on the basis of selected Polish cities, the most advanced in terms of implementing the idea of smart governance and thus the implementation of participatory practices. Research results indicate that participation has an impact on the development of local self-governments and is an increasingly important element of smart governance. Various participation tools are used, but some of them are not as important yet. In addition, the mere possibility of participation does not prejudge its effectiveness, as a large proportion of residents do not show interest in this area. ICT technologies are widely used to communicate with stakeholders, which may give the possibility of quick and effective consultations available to many social groups. The most popular tool for participation are the participatory budget and consultation, whose visible effects motivate city dwellers to use this form of participation in local management.