Events in Prague

The Christmas and Easter Markets

Christmas is a popular time to visit Prague. Daily throughout December you can enjoy the Christmas Markets which are set up in the Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square and several other minor locations around town.

Here you can buy Czech crafts including wooden toys, Christmas decorations, jewellery and hand made winter clothing items and accessories like hats, gloves and scarves.  Traditional Czech food will be available including hot drinks and traditional Christmas specialities which you can watch being made.

A petting zoo is set up for children and a traditional nativity scene. A stage will be set up where local and traditional choirs and orchestras will serenade the thousands of shopper with traditional Christmas carols. The Christmas Tree is the crown jewel of the markets, erected in the centre of the square and lit up with thousands of twinkling lights. 

The atmosphere of the Old Town Square during this period is certainly a memorable experience.

At Easter a similar event will be held for the two weeks surrounding Easter. Again,  Czech Easter foods will be for sale, including many baked goods and pastries which are a traditional favourite.

Watch as locals paint ornamental Easter eggs in traditional designs and sell traditional decorated gifts, most of which can be personalised for you, making a unique gift or souvenir to take home with you.

Prague International Marathon, May

The Prague marathon is a popular event for participants and spectators alike, the city being a beautiful setting for an outdoor run and the course being one of the smoothest and well maintained in the world. The event is held annually in May.

Begun in 1995, the Marathon now enjoys participant numbers around 6,000 for the main marathon and more than 15,000 for the non-competitive events including the popular Family Fun Run of 4kms and City Run of 8kms. 

More than two thirds of the participants in the main marathon are from at least 50 different countries, making it one of the most International marathons on the world.

Since 1999, a music festival was organised to coincide with the marathon, to broaden the mainstream appeal of the event and improve attendance among those less sports mad!

Prague Jazz Festival, November.

The Prague Jazz Festival is on of the oldest of its kind in Europe, gracing the Czech capital since 1964, every year in Autumn. The popular event features a long line-up of established international acts as well as some up and coming artists taking to the stage for the first time.

Not only has the festival enjoyed many years of success, it was the event where ex-US President Bill Clinton stole the show in 1994 by bringing out his saxophone and playing a few bars for the crowd during his Central European tour.

The 2007 festival will be held in November and will include headlining international artists Pee Wee Ellis, The Rotterdam Ska Jazz Foundation, Dee Dee Bridgewater and N.O.H.A to entertain the crowds with a variety of ska, funk, classic and soul jazz.

Performances are held at various city venues and tickets can be purchased as single entry and multi-pass options.

Visit the website for more information: http://www.jazzfestivalpraha.cz/_jazz/

Mikulas Day, 5^th December

The children in Prague look forward to their annual meeting with Mikulas all year. This friendly character dressed in a red gown and hat with a long flowing white beard is the Czech version of father Christmas (Saint Nicholas) who comes to town every year to visit the children and find out if they've been naughty or nice!

Mikulas himself will be visiting the Old Town Square accompanied by a Devil and an Angel. Together, the three characters will meet with the children and their parents, and ask each child if they have behaved themselves during the year. If they have, they are asked to perform a song or recite a poem and are then rewarded with sweets and small toys and good wishes for the following year.  If they answer no (a rare occurrence!) legend has it they will be taken away in the devil's sack to hell!

The tradition has varied slightly over the years. In the past, children were quizzed on facts from the Bible or reciting prayers for their rewards, but these days the tradition is a little more relaxed and makes for great family entertainment, also contributing the the festive atmosphere in Prague's old town during the Christmas period.

Witches Night 30^th April

A cross between the Summer Solstice and Halloween, Witche's night or the “Burning of the witches” is a tradition that dates back centuries. The day of the festival is held on the eve of Saint Phillip's Day and Saint Jacob's Day, which was the time when people believed that witches and evil spirits took flight to bring misfortune and misery to humans.

Traditionally, huge hillside bonfires were lit on the outskirts of the town, where residents burnt their old broomsticks to keep witches away and ward off evil spirits. Young couples also leapt over smaller fires together as a kind of fertility rite.

These days the festival is more of a relaxed celebration around a bonfire, rather than a pagan ritual. A chance for people to get together and celebrate the start of Summer.

Prague Spring Music Festival

This annual event is a world-class showcase of outstanding symphony, ensemble and chamber music, performed by musicians from all over the world who are invited to come and perform at the event.

The festival begun in 1942 as a celebration of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra's fiftieth anniversary and has remained a celebrated world music event ever since. The festival celebrates Czech and international compositions that are often premiered at the event.

As well as concert performances, there are various competitions held to encourage young musicians to perform their talents.

The main events will be held in the Rudolfinum concert hall, a beautiful neo-renaissance concert hall situated on the Vltava River. Other events will be held at the Municipal House. Traditionally the festival closes with a rendition of Ludwig Van Beethoven's 9^th Symphony. 

For the complete program and ticket purchases, see the official website: http://www.festival.cz

To enjoy the city like the locals do, consider one of our Prague apartments.