A summer full of music, film, theater and dance

Summer is here again. That means its time for day trips, swimming, barbequing and hitting a few of the various cultural events going on throughout the country.

If you’re looking for some ideas for things to do in the Czech Republic, here are some of the highlights to inspire you. Summer music The České hrady.cz music festival promises to offer listeners an excellent selection of Czech music in some of the country’s most impressive settings. This year’s festival will again be held at four different castles throughout the Czech Republic. The dates and castles are as follows: Točník (July 11-12), Kunětická hora (July 18-19), Švihov (July 25-26) and Bezděz (August 1-2). Visitors can look forward to performances by Sunshine, The Tap Tap with David Koller as well as Monkey Business. Festival-goers can also take in free night-time tours of the castles. The Trutnov Open Air Festival (aka Czech Woodstock) has had a lengthy history since its early days as an underground festival. Its roots go back to the time of socialist Czechoslovakia, when independent events, illegal concerts and exhibitions were organized in barns and village pubs. The first such gathering took place not far from Trutnov in October 1984. At the time, the concert was dispersed and its participants later met at Václav Havel’s home at Hrádeček. Twenty-four years later, the festival’s tradition continues. Organizers are still keeping the final line up a secret, but have confirmed the appearance of Stephen Marley, son of Jamaican reggae guru Bob Marley. The Trutnov festival will take place from August 21 to 24. Litoměřický kořen is a two-day festival of music held in a summer movie theater. Czech artists representing an array of genres will be joined by foreign guests including Switzerland’s Shirley Anne Hofmann and her unconventional selection of wind instruments. Litoměřice will be alive with music and theater on July 4 and 5, 2008. In 2005 and 2006 the Colors of Ostrava won the Angel Prize in the Musical Event category. Fans of Sinéad O´Connor can look forward the legendary Irish signer’s performance at the festival, which will be held from July 10 to 13, 2008. Telč’s Folk Holidays are a little different from other summer music festivals. The stage is located directly in the center of this small town, which is registered on UNESCO’s list of World Cultural Heritage Sites. Performances will take place in the open courtyard of the local castle, while smaller stages will be set up on squares throughout the town. Pozdní Nocturna, or late night performances, will be organized for those who cannot sleep. One of the festival’s main attractions will be a performance by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, the Oscar-winning duo who starred in the movie Once. In addition to musical and theatrical performances, visitors to the festival can also enjoy arts and crafts displays and purchase jewelry, clothing and other small gifts. Telč’s Folk Holidays will take place from July 25 to August 8, 2008. Like Telč, the town of Kroměříž is on UNESCO’s renowned list and also organizes its own music festival. Throughout the summer, Kroměříž will host major Czech and international composers. The Ema Destinová Music Festival, which is held from August 8 to September 13 in České Budějovice, is dedicated to the Czech opera signer who captivated the world with her voice. The event promises to be a treat for music lovers. The Festival uprostřed Evropy, or Festival in the center of Europe, features musical performances, concerts, symposia, exhibitions and other cultural happenings. The event will be held from June 10 to July 29 at castles, chateaus and natural amphitheaters in Bavaria, Saxony and Bohemia. How about a little jazz? The Bohemia Jazz Festival will again fill Czech squares in Prague, Prachatice, Plzeň, Domažlice and České Budějovice with the sounds of great music. Some of the world’s best jazz musicians from the United States, Sweden, Brazil, Germany, Italy and Austria will be present at the festival. Musicians from the Czech Republic and Slovakia will also be performing as part of the Czechoslovak Big Band project. The central focus of this year’s festival, which runs from July 14 to 19, will be the jazz guitar. The Hip-Hop Kemp in Hradec Králové is a completely different kind of musical adventure. Central and Eastern Europe’s largest hip hop event will take place from August 22 to 24 at the Hradec airport. Other music festivals in the Czech Republic include: Rock for people: Hradec Králové, July 3 to 6 Creamfields Central Europe: Břeclav, July 12 Master of Rock2008: Vizovice, July 10 to 13 Mighty Sounds: Tábor, July 18 to 20 Folkové prázdniny: Náměšť nad Oslavou, July 19 to 26 Benátská noc: Malá Skála, July 25 to 27 O2 Sázavafest: Kácov, July 31 to August 3 Hradhouse Boskovice: August 19 Vizovické trnkobraní: August 15 to 17 Semtex Culture: Brno, August 29 Summer of Love: Pardubice, August 16 Movies on wheels There is more than just music on offer this summer. Film festivals are another integral part of the Czech Republic’s summertime program. Take the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, for instance, which has been rolling out the red carpet for 34 years. This year German actor Armin Müller-Stahl will put in an appearance at the famous festival. Czech scenarist and director Ivan Passer will also be on hand, this time as a member of the international jury. American tough guy Nick Nolte has confirmed his attendance as has screen legend Robert de Niro. Of course, not everyone goes to KV to see the stars – this year’s program is chockablock with excellent international films. This beautiful spa town in Western Bohemia will play host to the international film industry from July 4 to 12. Another highlight is the Summer Film School at Uherské Hradište, which runs from July 25 to August 3. The event combines the best elements of a film school with those of festival to suit the tastes of its diverse visitors. The program for the event will look at themes such as the rewriting of history, Israeli-Palestinian dialogue, music, silent film and more. Film lovers will surely return to Karlovy Vary for the Fresh Film Festival, which profiles films made by aspiring student filmmakers. In addition to international student films, the festival features an international feature film competition. The Fresh Film Festival runs from August 27 to 31. Of course, adults aren’t the only ones interested in movies. The Aero cinema in Prague organizes a special summer film camp for children aged 10 to 14. This unique event gives kids a chance to get to learn about film from their own perspective. The film camp takes place from July 14 to 23. Don’t forget dancing and theater The Summer Shakespeare Festival at Prague Castle and Lichtenštejn Palace will be one of the biggest attractions for theater lovers this summer. The Shakespeare open-air theater will take place from June 25 to September 8 in Prague as well as in Brno, Bratislava and for the first time in Ostrava and Košice. The theater season will climax from June 21 to 30 when Hradec Králové hosts the Theater of European Regions. This international festival will feature performances by theater groups from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Germany, Great Britain, Russia, Poland and Lithuania. Anyone looking to take in a dance performance should make plans to attend the ProART Festival, which kicks off from July 11 to 18 in Brno before traveling to Prague for performances from July 20 and 27. In addition to dance performances there will also be theater and concerts. Let’s Dance 2008 Prague International Festival will take place in the Czech capital from July 24 to 28. It includes the Night of Dances, which will showcase the talents of professional dancers representing a range of styles including samba, salsa, hip hop, flamenco, modern dance and more. Visitors to the event can expect a variety of dances and dancers, as well as first-rate choreography. There is quite a lot happening throughout the Czech Republic this summer, so visitors to the country will certainly have a lot to choose from.