Czech towns celebrate summer with large music and food festivals

Veselí nad Lužnicí hosted its annual Veselské slavnosti, opening Friday at 15:00 with a performance by local school children, followed by concerts from Brontosauři Revival, folk troupe Vesna (Eurovision representative), singer Petr Bende and rock band Wohryzek Band. The programme also featured the launch of a new city history book, a giant‑puppet parade, a traditional “Jízda z kopce” competition, a 10th‑anniversary guláš‑cooking contest judged by Ondřej Slanina, and a children’s activity zone with a mini‑stage, slide and laser range. Organisers warned of temporary traffic closures in the town centre.

In the nearby region, the three‑day Slavnosti Jihu festival in Ostrava‑Zábřeh began with a concert in the Church of the Holy Spirit and introduced its first foreign headliner, Italian singer Drupi. The line‑up included Czech acts Refew, Robin Zoot, Slovak rapper Rytmus and later Olympic, Divokej Bill and Rybičky 48. A large children’s zone offered inflatable castles, zip‑lines, water‑toy cars and craft workshops. The gastrozóna served local beer (Radegast, Plzeň) – with a special glass‑served Plzeň for 68 CZK – along with donuts, kimchi‑burritos and other street‑food items. Technical upgrades by High Lite Touring improved sound and lighting throughout the event.