The culture and traditions of a nation encloses the set of beliefs, norms, behaviour and customs that subsists within its local population. Hence, those are the festivals only through which people can know more about a nation culture and traditions of locals as well as letting themselves enjoy the charisma of it. Well, when it comes to East European culture and traditional festivals, then there is one country that possesses an exclusive culture. The Czech Republic is well recognized for its impressive concerts, glaring festivals, and eye-catching events, therefore it’s well worth in your whole lifetime if you are trying to plan a trip to be a part of these tremendous manifest of phenomenal culture.So, let’s see what the 3 most famous festivals of Czech Republic are.

Colours of Ostrava Festival (17-20 July)

Dancing and music celebrations are an exceptional prospect to saturate your free energy and events by wandering out to new places, making the paramount of your most cherishing and fascinating music while being with your friends and family. So, let’s get ourselves familiarize with the enormous music fiesta of the country. In Czech Republic, summer is the busiest schedule, with inestimable communal occasions happening all over the nation. Colours of Ostrava which is also simply know as Colours is one of the biggest music festivals worldwide, also in Central Europe and off course in the country.It’s held each and every summer in the third biggest city of Czech Republic that is Ostrava since 2002. Basically, it’s a multi-genre music festival. This festival consists of dazzling stages which are all total 16 in number including 4 massive open-theatres (with an approximate capacity of 15,000). Amazing, isn’t it? Well there are much more than this, like open-air stages, 6 indoor stages, a cinema, a live discussions forum, a kid’s stage, a workshop stage, etc. It presents performers and artists from all considerable music genres including innovative as well ground breaking world music and avant-garde music for all generations.

Let’s go back to the history, which gave the rise to such an amazing festival. History says that Colours of Ostrava is much than a festival. This music festival was led by a bar owner with bars and clubs which was located on the Stodolní walking street. The first event continued for 2 days where 24 DJs, 50 bands and approximately 8000 people as views attended it, in the year 2000. With the passage of time, the number of days increased to three in 2004 and in 2005 the emplacement or location included Silesian Ostrava Castle. The days further continued to increase to four days by 2006. Till 2012, the event continued to took place in Silesian Ostrava Castle and as well as on other parts of the country such as the Černá Louka Fairgrounds. By 2010, the number of viewers increased to 30,000. Since then, it also started in the Vítkovice city district.

Gradually over the years, thousands of performers, bands and artists have performed at this festive thus gaining the worldwide recognition. Some of the famous and notable names such as The Cranberries, Björk, Alanis Morissette, Norah Jones, Bastille, Of Monsters and Men, Imagine Dragons and Passenger have influenced the people a lot through their dazzling performances in this festival. So, people, if you want a station where bewitching and breath-taking music appears, then there’s nothing better than Colours of Ostrava festival.

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (July)

One of the most famous, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, is well known for its film celebration programs that is held in the city Karlovy Vary of Czech Republic, in the month of July every year. This is one of the eldest film festivals celebrated, in the whole world, thus making it a leading occasion and festive for the Eastern as well as Central Europe. The success of this festive hosted many international stars along with Richard Gere, Annette Bening and Robert De Niro showing up at the event. First event took place in 1946 where the visitor of respect was Rita Hayworth. The important part of this festive is the film competition, seminars, Gala Awards and lectures.

Let’s take a journey towards the history of this glamorous festive. In 1946, an event of festival which is not based on competition held in Karlovy Vary and Mariánské Lázně, where seven countries participated in it, for many enthusiastic filmmakers and actors. After two years, the event permanently shifted to Karlovy Vary. The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival was first held as a competition for international films during 1948 and soon it established its place between the other developing events related to film industries. As the time passed, its prosperity indexed Karlovy Vary as a festival of category “A”. Since 1988, the planning, management and organization of this film festival had been executed and handled by Film Servis Festival “Karlovy Vary” which is a cooperative stock company. According to the rules of FIAPF, films that had not been displayed in other international film fests can be assimilated.

The various main sections of this festive are the following:

• Official Selection- it’s a competition of those films which were never shown in any other international competition festival.
• Documentary Films- this competition is basically divided into 2 parts, one for those documentaries films which have a time duration less than 30 mins and another for rest of the documentaries that are longer than 30 mins.
• Czech Films- a typical picking or selection of current Czech films.
• Midnight Screenings – it’s a competition of those films which gives the best humour as well as including brand new horror and action films.
• Out of the Past – selection of those films which are rare as well as classic and cult, screened in their indigenous and reimposed versions.

Summer Shakespeare Festival (June-September)

This is the stereotypical celebration that all the literary lovers around the world must attend at least once in their lifetime. This fiesta continues for 2 months for honouring the best dramatist ever, William Shakespeare. It takes place in the month of June, and continues till September where exhibitions of arts held in Prague Castle, at Burgrave Palace courtyard. This festive mainly focuses on displaying the works done by William Shakespeare, thus making it one of the most traditionally established outdoor celebration of Europe. Predominantly celebrated in cities like Burgrave Palace at Prague Castle. Activities, Skits and Plays performed exclusively for this festive are showcased in Czech and Slovak Republic.

Going through the history of this festive, its past says that the origin of “Shakespeare festival” was from a well-established company running for Stratford-upon-Avon during the late 19th century. In this country, President Václav Havel, originally initiated this festival, by allowing the artist of mid-1990s to enter the Prague Castle with a goal for appealing the local public. Some of the most accomplished performances of this melodious and interesting festival are “King Lear” in 2002, “Hamlet” in 2003, “Romeo and Juliet” in 2004, “Twelfth Night or What You Will” in 2005, ” Othello” in 2006. These dramas and skits had attracted thousands of the people, making the memorable.

This festive is organized in the enclosure of Prague castle where the celebrations have been held periodically since the year of 2000. It adores extensive fame and there is always a huge demand for the tickets. The number of audiences attending this overwhelming festive is close to 10,000 and each season the viewers grows in number. In an assembly room with a seating capacity of around 300 to 500 people, about 30 worth watching dramas are organized. So, all the literary lovers and poets, come visit Czech Republic and be a part of this mind-blowing festive and also the viewers, dive yourself into the immense dramas and plays of none other than the greatest dramatist “William Shakespeare”.

If you want to learn more about what this beautiful country has to offer, also regarding other activities that you can do throughout your trip, make sure to stop by at the German website from Backpackertrail. Here you can find almost every info you need to know before strating your journey.

List of other major festivals

• January- New Year’s Day; Restoration of Czech Independence Day, Anniversary of Jan Palach’s Death
• March- Carnival celebrations, One World International Human Rights Film Festival, Prague (international film festival), Febiofest
• April- Pesach begins, Easter weekend, Walpurgis Night, Magical Krumlov
• May-Labor Day, Day of Love, Prague International Marathon, Liberation Day, “Prague Spring” Music Festival, Czech Beer Festival, Prague Food Festival, Prague Fringe Festival, Khamoro World Roma Festival, Festival of Songs
• June- Shavu’ot, Corpus Christi, Prague Proms, Microbrewery festival, United Islands of Prague
• July- Prague Proms, Český Krumlov Chamber Music Festival, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Rock for People, Hradec Králové, St. Cyril and Methodius Day, Jan Hus Day, Bohemia Jazzfest, Czech Ukulele Festival, Český Krumlov International Music Festival
• August- Český Krumlov International Music Festival, Summer of Culture, Telč Vacations Festival, International Folklore Festival,
• September- Pálava Wine Harvest Festival, Dvořák’s Prague Music Festival, Slunce ve Skle beer festival, St. Wenceslas Day, Rosh Hashanah
• October- Yom Kippur, Signal Festival, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
• November- Feast of St. Martin Wine Festival, All Saints’ Day/Remembrance Day, Velvet Revolution Anniversary
• December- Christmas festivals across the Czech Republic, St. Nicholas Eve, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, St. Stephen’s Day, St. Sylvester’s Day

Paul Watson