Regardless of whether you cross the border of the
Czech Republic from the West, South, North or East, you enter different regions
of folklore traditions. It has become popular to look at works of art,
historical artefacts, picture galleries, sculptures and handicraft products as
well as classical music, theatre and ballet in silence and free of many external
disturbances. Likewise, it has become popular to watch also the folklore
performed on stage. There is the platform separating us from the stage. However,
in Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, you can become a part of the spectacle. The
residues of folklore traditions have remained so deeply rooted that people
continue pursuing them on their own impulse, both for themselves and their
guests. The only decision for you is to pick the right region at the right time,
since folklore has been alive in the Czech Republic and its position in the
European context is unique.
Open Air Museums – Folk Buildings in Nature
How did people live in the past? Regional folk architecture arranged in a
typical village with little houses furnished with original furniture, which used
to be typical in the region. Not only Holasovice, the renowned Southern Bohemian
village recorded in the UNESCO list of cultural monuments, captures the
attention of the visitor. A large number of beautiful wooden brick or
half-timbered buildings can be seen in the Krkonose Mountain range, in the
surroundings of Sobeslav or in South Moravia. Open air museums or museums of
folk architecture - display them to full effect. We encounter living folk
traditions in fairs and folk festivities, harvests, and feasts, vintage
festivities in South Moravian vineyards or in the South Bohemian bagpipe band
festival. Several times a year such a place revives during various festivals
featuring folk costumes, folk music and dance as well as tempting delicacies of
Czech cuisine. When we watch women in traditional costumes near the oven, we
forget that we are actually in a natural museum of folk buildings. The museums
of folk architecture are certainly worth a visit.
The main locations gives you the basic information and helps you to plan your
trip according to the season:
| January | Brno - performances of folklore ensembles |
| February | Postrekov, Hlinsko, Strani - the Shrovetide Festival |
| March | Milevsko - the Shrovetide Festival |
| April | Brno - the Folklore Festival |
| Roznov pod Radhostem - the Easter celebrations | |
| Bystrice pod Pernstejnem - the witch gathering | |
| May | Roznov pod Radhostem - building the Maypole |
| June | Pardubice - the Folklore festival |
| Roznov, Liptal, Velke Pavlovice, Kyjov, Brno - International Festival | |
| Belohrad, Straznice - International Festival | |
| July | Roznov pod Radhostem - festival |
| Cermna, Klatovy, Mrakov - Regional Festival of the Hornacko Region | |
| Velka nad Velickou - Regional Festival of the Hornacko Region | |
| Kyjov - a festival | |
| Milotice, Domazlice - the Vavrinecek country fair | |
| August | Sumperk - international folklore festival |
| Strakonice - the international bag-piper festival Liptal | |
| September | Brno - International Folklore Festival |
| Prostejov, Lomna, Velke Mezirici - the Indian Summer Folklore Festival | |
| Jicin - the Fairy-Tale Town | |
| November | Kyjov - St. Martin's feats, St. Catherine Festival |
| Vsetin - concert of dulcimer music | |
| December | Roznov pod Radhostem - St. Nicholas, Christmas |
| Luhacovice - Bethlehem Songs | |
| Ostrava - the Silesian Year Festival |