Folk traditions and folklore

In the eastern region of the Czech Republic, Moravia, visitors have an exceptional opportunity to experience folk traditions and music. The summer is the season for the largest folklore festivals. Many village museums, such as Vlčnov, Strážnice, Rožnov pod Radhoštěm and many more, revive the old celebrations, customs and traditions, where in addition to cultural programmes on offer are traditional foods, crafts, and the sale of craft items.

Folklore festivals
Festival in Strážnice
One of the oldest and the largest folklore festivals in Europe is the international folklore festival in Strážnice, which in 2005 celebrated its well-deserved 60th anniversary.

Other festivals
Among other interesting folklore festivals, we can specifically recommend the Rožnovská Valaška International Festival, the Rožnovské Slavnosti Festival, the bagpipe festival in Strakonice or the International folklore festival of Karlovy Vary.

Points of interest
The Ride of the Kings
One of the most highly attended folklore celebrations in the Czech Republic, the famed Ride of the Kings (Jízda králů), is held every year at the end of May in the South Moravian village of Vlčnov. Boys on gaily beribboned horses ride through the village collecting gifts for their king, a ceremony based on the tale of Hungarian king Matthias Corvinas returning to the kingdom of Hungary in disguise after his lost battle in 1469. The king is traditionally a boy between the ages of 10–12, who rides through the village in women’s garb, guarded by two knights with drawn sabres.