náměstí Svornosti 2
38101 Český Krumlov
Contact: Infocentrum Český Krumlov
Telephone: +420 380 704 622
E-mail: info@ckrumlov.info
Location: Český Krumlov
Type: Highlights 2016 - Archive
The fairytale ambience of the medieval town combines with the magic of May Day Eve to set the stage for the celebration of the Month of Love. During the festive evening, you can enjoy a whirl of witches, the building of a maypole, live music, and a lantern procession, while on May Day you can visit exhibitions and expositions free of charge within the Museum and Gallery Open Day, which will offer a number of new and interesting displays and events.
Dates | From - To |
29.04.2016 - 01.05.2016 (Fr-Su) | 10:00 - 18:00 |
Dates | From - To |
30.04.2016 - 01.05.2016 (Sa-Su) | 09:00 - 16:00 |
Reservations on www.seidel.cz from April 10th, 2016
Dates | From - To |
29.04.2016 (Fr) | 11:00 - 14:00 |
The students of the local grammar school will celebrate this occasion with a costumed procession through town, this year’s inspiration being the various countries of the world.
The Rag Day procession will commence at 11 a.m. at the grammar school and will continue on this route: Fialková street – Chvalšinská street – Budějovická gate – Latrán street – 1st castle courtyard – castle stairs – Lazebnický bridge – Dlouhá street – Široká street - Na Louži square– town (Svornosti) square, where presentation of individual forms and the proclamation of Queen and King of the Rag Day for 2016 will take place.
Organized by: Český Krumlov Grammar School
Where: Český Krumlov, Český Krumlov
Dates | From - To |
30.04.2016 (Sa) | 13:00 - 23:00 |
13.00 – 19.00 CHILDREN’S AFTERNOON OF WITCHCRAFT
Moderated by Jan Palkovič and Ivo Janoušek.
Games and attractions for children, art workshops and creation of small items with witchcraft theme, witch costume show, painting, witch make-up, animals from Pepíno civic society and other attractions.
You can enter your costume into the show up till 4 p.m. Talk to the moderators.
13.00 – 19.00 KRUMLOV FAIR
Program and presentation of local non profit institutions, ensembles, groups, events, festivals, projects and schools.
13.00 – 14.00 CHILDREN ENSEMBLES CONCERT
Krumlov children ensembles from the Centre for Children and Youth and from the Kocero centre o.p.s. will be presenting
14.30 – 16.30 ELEMENTARY ARTISTIC SCHOOL (EAS) FESTIVAL
Various departments of the local Artistic Elementary School will perform during the afternoon.
17.00 – 17.30 MAYPOLE DECORATION AND ERECTION
17.30 – 20.00 THEATRE POHÁDKA
Songs, games and competitions under the dorection of Theatre Pohádka.
20.45 LANTERN PROCESSION ARRIVAL
EAS brass band Český Krumlov performing
21.00 LIGHTING THE BONFIRE AND COMMENCEMENT OF THE EVENING PROGRAMME
We will light a big bonfire together upon arrival of the lantern procession. You can roast your first spring sausage.
EVENING PROGRAMME
20.30 – 23.00 Mystical path through the monastery gardens – commences at the side entrance of the monastery garden in the Nové Město street – in cooperation with the SUPŠ Sv. Anežky České (art school)
21.00 – 23.00 Open air cinema – screening of favourite children‘s films
Witch burning – in cooperation with students and staff of the SUPŠ Sv. Anežky České (art school)
Singing and sausage roasting around the bonfire (bring your own sausages or buy from Eggenberg Brewery selection)
Where: EGGENBERG BREWERY GARDENS, Český Krumlov
Dates | From - To |
30.04.2016 (Sa) | 20:30 |
The procession commences at the 8.15 p.m. and will pass along the following route: town square – Široká street – Latrán street – Eggenberg brewery gardens. The procession will be accompanied by the brass band of the local Artistic Elementary School conducted by Pavel Havlík. A varied programme will continue in the brewery gardens.
Organized by the Czech Women’s Association and Czech Red Cross
Dates | From - To |
01.05.2016 (Su) | 10:00 - 18:00 |
* „MAGICAL HERBS“ GARDEN (Bylinková street, approx. 100m from main entrance to the castle gardens carpark), free entry
10.00 commencement of „Na bylinky s Českou televizí“ event
Join us at the 3rd event for keen lovers of herbs. We will meet at 10 a.m. at the Magical Herbs garden. You will be greeted by Simona Tancerová, moderator of the Magical Herbs programme and an experienced botanist, professor Vít Grulich. After viewing the herb patches in the garden, we will move to Staré Dobrkovice (approx. 5 km away), where a ‚herb walk‘ through natural protected area Vyšenské kopce will commence.
A narrated walk through the magical herbs garden will begin at noon and will continue every hour there after. The last walk will commence at 5 p.m.
A newcomer for this year is an opening of a new garden named The Healing Garden. It is located right next to the Magical Herbs garden and will offer space for relaxation and inspiration.
A little shop with herbal products, teas, creams, tinctures and herb seedlings will be open.
* ČESKÝ KRUMLOV MONASTERIES
10.00 – 18.00 entry: 50% discount to all expositions, on Saturday 30.4. and Sunday 1.5.
Mediaeval monastery – Life and Art in the Minorites Monastery
Life and Art of the Poor Clare Nuns
Interactive exposition about skills and knowledge of our ancestors
Attic exposition – city model, Danse Macabre, Exposition of building crafts
Exposition of Brewing
11.00 – 16.00 SHŠ GRÁL BRNO (historical fencing association) – historical fencing programme for kids, competitions and exciting activities
You can also visit our relax centre with U Klarisek Café, offering products from our own monastery bakery
* MOLDAVITE MUZEUM (Panská 19)
12.00 - 18.00 May Day entrance fee: parents 50% discount, children FREE.
* ČESKÝ KRUMLOV REGIONAL MUSEUM
14.00 - 17.00 free entry
PERMANENT EXPOSITION
TREASURES, REPOSITORIES, OFFERINGS…
o travelling exhition of selection of the most interesting South Bohemian repositories and offerings from the Bronze to the Modern Age. Exhibit continues to May 22nd 2016.
MUSEUM‘S JUBILEE EXHIBITION
o Exhibition organized to commemorate three important jubilees: 125 years of museum efforts, 100 years since the opening of the German town museum and 70 years since the establishment of the current museum. Exhition dates: 20. 4. – 2. 10. 2016
Dates | From - To |
01.05.2016 (Su) | 14:00 - 15:30 |
Free Guided tours in Czech language, approx. 90 minutes, max. 70 persons (2 groups). Meeting point at Svornosti town square. Reservations and tickets at the Infocentre (Svornosti town square) or on +420 380 704 621.
6–8 May 2016: CELEBRATIONS OF ČESKÝ KRUMLOV LIBERATION
Town of Český Krumlov
Municipal Theatre Český Krumlov o. p. s.
Českokrumlovský rozvojový fond, spol. s r. o.
Budějovický Budvar, n. p.
Eurovia CS a. s.
Čevak, a. s.
Czech Women’s Association and Czech Red Cross
Český Krumlov Grammar School
House of Children and Youth Český Krumlov
Český Krumlov Forrestry
Museum Photo Studio Seidel
Moldavite Museum
Regional Museum Český Krumlov
PRORADOST Association
Český Krumlov Facility Management
Artistic Elementary School Český Krumlov
SUPŠ sv. Anežky České
Ozvěny z měst a obcí Českokrumlovska, Českokrumlovský deník, Českokrumlovská televize, Rádio Impuls
Magical Krumlov will be held 30th Sept - 1st May 2017
You can look forward to:
* MAY FAIR
* CHILDREN’S AFTERNOON OF WITCHCRAFT
* ELEMENTARY ARTISTIC SCHOOL (EAS) FESTIVAL - children ensembles, children musician
* KRUMLOV FAIR - program and presentation of local non profit institutions, ensembles etc.
* MAYPOLE DECORATION AND ERECTION
* LANTERN PROCESSION
* MAY AFTERNOON OF OPEN MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES
Activities - accommodation - guide service - tickets
Infocentrum Český Krumlov
náměstí Svornosti 2
381 01 Český Krumlov
tel.: +420 380 704 622
e-mail: info@ckrumlov.info
www.ckrumlov.cz/info
Location on the map | Google Street View
GPS: 48°48'38.91" 14°18'55.44"
The month of May has been bound with the folk celebrations of spring since the 13th century.
The oldest written reference to the erection of a Maypole comes from 1422 when a boy was rewarded for a successful erection of a Maypole with the betrothal to his beloved girl. The marriage was deemed legal by an ecclesiastical court held on the Prague castle on the basis of the Maypole erection and the mutual consent to marriage and wedding was celebrated on 23 June 1422. The Maypole has been erected across Czech towns and villages on the traditional date of 30 April. The top of Maypole is decorated by strips of coloured paper or fabric and a decorative wreath is hung on top. It is important to protect the Maypole from mischievous attacks by the boys from neighbour villages. They always strive to either topple the Maypole or at least cut the top off and bring it back to their village. A toppled or stolen Maypole is a great shame for the villages.
Some regions had a habit of marking the pavements of love on the morning of 1st May. These pavements made from sand, lime, wood shavings, grits or corn stalks linked the houses or loved-up couples. On this day the boys walked around the village with the Maypole and the girls gave them presents. Later that day, everyone got together on the central square or in the pub and the May celebrations could begin. Girls could also take part in organizing the dancing feasts. They walked around the village with a little Maypole - a small tree on a wooden plate on which neighbours placed coins. Coins were later used to pay the musicians, pay for dancing hall rental and for refreshments. This dancing feast was called Little Wreath because of a green wreath given by the girls to the boys on arrival. Boys were supposed to place the wreath above the door. According to folk tales, all girls must be kissed on the First of May or else they wither away. It is recommended to kiss bellow a tree in bloom and an apple tree is the best choice.
Burning of the witches (also known as the Midsummer Night or the Night of Walpurga) takes place on the night from 30 April to 1 May. This is a very ancient folk feast celebrating fertility and maintained till the present day. On this night people meet by lit fires and celebrate the arrival of spring. People have traditionally believed that this is the night when witches congregate for a witch gathering. Witches used to cover their bodies with magical potions which rendered their bodies flyable on brooms. Brooms were made from ash wood and from willow and birch branches. Fires were lit on elevated spots across the countryside as a protection against witches and "burning of the witches" evolved from this: young men were setting brooms alight and throwing them in the air in order to see witches flying in the air. Some believed this was a way to strike a witch to the ground. Ashes from these fires were supposed to have special powers and help improve the harvest. Animals were walked over the cooled-down ashes and people jumped over the fire in order to maintain youth and fertility.
1st May is also known as Labour Day. This international holiday has been celebrated since 1890 when it was established by the IInd International to commemorate the strike of American workers in Chicago on 1 May 1886. It has been celebrated in Bohemia in 1890 for the first time.