Foreigners: Events around Slovakia

Tips for performances and other events in the Slovak regions between June 30 and July 9, including historical festivals, traditional crafts, night tours of a castle, Obstacle Course Racing, celebrations of the Saints Cryil and Methodius, a vintage cars meeting, a folk festival and a lot of music, gastronomy, etc.

Slavica Nitra 2016Slavica Nitra 2016 (Source: TASR)

Western Slovakia

Piešťany

MUSIC FESTIVAL: Topfest 2017 – The open-air music festival has been transformed from an utterly rock event into a multi-genre festival. Some of the musicians who have already confirmed performances are Roma-punk band Gogol Bordello, Rag’n’Bone Man, Bastille, Amz MacDonald and Skindred; domestic performances will be pop star Karel Gott, Slovak bands Horkýže Slíže, IMT Smile, Polemic, and the Czech groups, Kabát, Citron, and others. Starts: June 30 – July 1; Piešťany airport. Admission: €5.00 (in advance) – at www.ticketportal.sk, www.zijemehudbou.sk, or www.predpredaj.sk. More info: www.topfest.sk.

SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement
SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement

SkryťTurn off ads

Nitra

CONCERT: Space A – The concert of the US band Space A – which is part of the United States Air Forces in Europe Band (USAFE) based in Germany and which has been performing for more than 60 years – brings American pop in a huge show as part of its European tour, stopping for an open-air concert in Nitra. Starts: June 30, 18:00; Na Sihoti city park. Admission: free. More info: www.nitralive.sk.

Modra/Červený Kameň

TRADITIONAL CRAFTS: Festival of Forgotten Crafts / Festival Zabudnutých Remesiel – The Medieval market at the well-preserved Medieval castle Červený Kameň evokes an historical atmosphere, with this authentic market, traditional crafts and period cuisine, medieval jugglers, conjurers and actors, an historical camp and a farm with livestock. This year will be especially strong in medieval music. Starts: July 1-2, 1000; Červený Kameň castle, Častá. Tickets at: www.ticket-art.sk. More info: www.remeselnyfestival.schatmansdorf.sk.

SkryťTurn off ads

Veľké Leváre

TRADITIONAL CRAFTS: Hutterites’ Craft Fair - Habánsky Jarmok – The annual fair commemorating traditional crafts and especially the pottery of the Hutterite minority that used to live in the village of Veľké Leváre includes a festive mass (at 1000), the craft fair (from 0900) and a cultural programme of folk music, dance, historical re-enactments of the Hutterite life, historical fencing, a history quiz, and more. Accompanying events include a guided tour of the local museum, an exhibition, workshops for children and a guided tour of the local Roman-Catholic Church, including tombs and the tower. Starts: July 2, 0900-2000; main areas of the village and the square adjacent to the Hutterite Museum. Admission: free. More info: www.levare.sk.

Čunovo – Divoká voda

SPORT: Tvrďák 2017 – The ToughMan 2017 – The obstacle race that tests the physical and mental abilities of competitors. With at least 15 obstacles on the track there is the option to run for time, or just to try to make the race in any time whatsoever, in the fitness regime. For children aged 8 to 14, the Tvrďák Junior offers a chance to compete. Athletes can compete solo – or in a team of at least three people, which is also cost-saving. After the run, competitions in several other fitness disciplines are offered (e.g. pulling a car or pullups. Tvrďák Slovensko is composed of three individual races, and they constitute qualification competitions for the European and World Championship in Obstacle Course Racing (OCR). Starts: July 2, 0900; Divoká Voda / Whitewater complex in Čunovo near Bratislava. Admission: free for onlookers, for athletes €9 children, €40 solo runners, €38 in a team (of three or more). More info: http://tvrdak.sk.

Nitra

HISTORICAL FESTIVAL/FOLKLORE: Pribinova Nitrawa / Pribin’s Nitrawa – The festival travelling back to the times of the Slavonic tribes arriving in this region, early evangelists bringing lithurgy in Slavonic language and script, all the way to Nitra being proclaimed a royal city (i.e between the 7th and 13th centuries) will take palce in downtown Nitra, and especially at Nitra castle. Programmes are different on each of the days, and the participation of 10 historical re-enactment troupes (Satyros, Svjatogor, Slavibor, Milites Nobiles, Argyll, Order of St Gallahad, Templars of the Bagras, Dog’s Heads Ithbarak, Falconers Aquila and the Nitra city guards, Militia Portalis), this is the biggest event of its kind in the Nitra Region and one of the biggest in Slovakia. On the second day, a folklore festival called Slavica Festival 2017, offering performances of folk ensembles, both domestic and from abroad (Belarus, Poland, Russia, the Czech Republic) will enhance the programme. Starts: July 4-5; Svätoplukovo Sqaure and Castle. More info: www.sdetmi.com/podujatia/detail/37766/pribinova-nitravawa-2017; www.slavica.sk/aktualne/200-slavica-festival-2017.

UPDATED: Skalica/Stupava /Limbach

CLASSICAL MUSIC: Flute and Organ – The duo Slovak Marek Vrábel (on organ) and Czech Monika Štreitová (on flute) will, after a concert in Bratislava and Pezinok, continue to play pieces form their recent album called the Gate of Hope / Brána Nádeje, in three places in western Slovakia. Starts: July 4, 18:00, Jesuit Church in Skalica; July 5, 17:00, Parish Church in Stupava; and July 6, 18:00, Evangelical Church in Limbach. More info: https://www.citylife.sk/vazna-hudba/flauta-a-organ-branou-nadeje.

UPDATED: Handlová/Vrútky

CLASSICAL MUSIC: Il Cuore Barocco: Ludus Tonalis – The ensemble of early music (Tomáš Kardoš – baroque cello, Mária Rendešová – baroque transverse flute, Peter Zelenka – baroque violin, Adam Szendrei – baroque violin, Christine Verdon – baroque violin,, Martin Gedeon – cembalo, Michal Klas – baroque violin, Samuel Mikláš – baroque viola and Metod Podolský – double bass) will play less-known, as well as popular concerts of J.S. Bach in their original version, on replicas of period instruments. Starts: July 5, 19:00, Handlová; July 6, 19:00, Vrútky. More info: www.ilcuorebarocco.com/koncerty.

Považská Bystrica/Sverepec

SPORT/MOTORBIKE: International championship of several motocross disciplines (MM SR - MX2 junior, MX junior125, MX2, MX Open, MX4, MX4+) takes palce at the National Motocross Centre (MX track) in Sverepec, close to Pvažská Bystrica. Starts: July 9, 0900 - 1900; MX track. More info: www.smf.sk/.

Read also: Foreigners: Events in Bratislava Read more 

Central Slovakia

Liptov/Východná

FOLKLORE FESTIVAL: The oldest and biggest non-stop folklore festival in Slovakia comprises of, in four days, around 1,4000 performers on average, numerous performances, local traditional cuisine, events for children, workshops on folk dances and crafts for adults and children, this time around also with a screening of a popular TV programme reviving traditional songs and of ethnology documentaries, a traditional crafts fair, themed performances of songs, narrations and re-enactments introducing Slovak rural history, as well as concerts and performances of folklore ensembles (Slovak And foreign, e.g. Hungarian ones), ethno- and world music bands Banda, Balkansambel, Capre, Karpatské Horké, programmes hailing senior representatives of Slovak folklore (Ondrej Demo, Milan Hvižďák, Štefan Nosáľ, special Sunday masses, exhibitions of fur coats, embroidery, etc., fairy tales, and more. Starts: June 29 –July 2; sites in Východná. More info: www.festivalvychodna.sk/en.

Banská Bystrica

GASTRONOMY: Street Food Festival Banská Bystrica – The first international street food festival in the city brings 16 food-trucks (i.e. mobile restaurants) to the city centre, where the crème de la crème of world cuisine can be tasted. Starts: June 30 – July 2; Námestie Slobody / Slobody Sqaure (across the House of Culture). More info: www.kamdomesta.sk.

Brezno

WORLD MUSIC: Dikanda – The Polish star band Dikanda plays a mix of folk, ethno and world music inspired by Oriental, Roma and Balkan music. Their typical feature is creating new worlds and meanings in their original compositions. Starts: June 30, 2100; Bombura Club, M. R. Štefánika Square 16. Admission: voluntary. Tel: 0905/347-415; www.bombura.sk.

Banská Śtiavnica

CLASSICAL FESTIVAL: BachTribute – The sixth year of the festival of Bach’s Music will be opened by organist Marek Štrbák, playing the compositions of Nicolaus Bruhns, Dietrich Buxtehude, Mozart, J.S. Bach, Wilhelm Friedemann and Naji Hakim. Other guests are Matúš Sliacky (organ), and Adam Stráňavský (piano). Starts: July 6 (and July 8), 1900, St Catherine’s Church (Elementary Art School, Trojičné Sqaure). Info: www.bachtribute.eu.

Orava Castle

MUSEUM/EVENT: Night of the Bloody Countess – The night tour of Orava Castle will focus on the history connected with the infamous countess Elizabeth Bathory (who is also in the Guinness Book of Records). She was accused and sentenced to life in confinement, walled in at Čachtice Castle, by Orava Lord Gyorgy Thurzo. Starts: July 7, every 15 minutes between 2100 and 0130. Admission: €5-€8 (tickets only online, at www.oravskemuzeum.sk until July 6). More info: www.oravskemuzeum.sk.

Eastern Slovakia

Košice/Michalovce

VINTAGE CARS: Zemplín Veterán Rallye – The vintage cars parade and race has become part of the best events of the project Terra Incognita run by the Košice Region. The vintage car nostalgia will be combined with an effort to constitute a new record – the biggest number of vintage cars and motorbikes in one palce – within Slovakia. The route starts in Michalovce and follows along some of the UNESCO sites of eastern Slovakia: past the thermal park Śirava, to the Humenné manor house, the Greek-Orthodox wooden church in Ruská Bystrá, to the unique Guitar Museum in Sobrance. The route ends at the Zemplínska Šírava dam. Starts: June 30, 1500 (1100 registartion)-July 2 (end at 1400); Námestie Osloboditeľov Square, Michalovce. More info: www.khvmi.sk.

Košice

CONCERT: Grundmann Quartett – Kleines Genie unter Riesen / A Small Genius among Giants is the name of the programme of the German oboe quartet, the Grundmann Quartett. They will play works of G. Druschetzky, Mozart, J. S. Bach, Beethoven. The Grundmann Quartett are Eduard Wesly – oboe, Ulrike Titze – violin, Bettina Ihrig – viola, Ulrike Becker – cello. Starts: July 1, 1900; St Michael’s Chapel, Hlavná 21. More info: www.grundmann-quartett.de; www.hudebnispolecnost.cz

Bardejov

CONCERT: The summer music festival, the 63rd International Musical Summer in the spa town of Bardejov will be opened by a colonnade concert of the Cassovia Ensemble Košice, and will last until September 2. The colonnade concerts take place daily except for Mondays (Cassovia Ensemble will play throughout July), and another performance will be given (in August and September) by the Prešovský Salón Orchestra. Evening concerts – 10 in total – take palce in the Astória Hotel, with the opening one taking place on July 3 at 1930, in the form of fanfares from the balcony. Starts: July 3 (colonnade concerts 1030-1130, and 1630-1800; evening paid concerts at 1930) colonnade and the Astória Hotel. Admission: free (€2 for Astória Hotel). More info: www.kupele-bj.sk.

Stará Ľubovňa

RELIGIOUS FEAST: Cyrilometodské slávnosti / Cyrillo-Methodian Feast – The celebrations of the evangelists Cyril and Methodius include a Greek-Orthodox liturgy in the ancient Slavonic language under Stará Ľubovňa castle, and a folklore programme. Starts: July 5, daylong. Admission: free. More info: www.hradlubovna.sk/sk/home-sk/.

Košice

CONCERT: Cha Bud! – The Košice-based band called Cha Bud! (“eat more” in the Roma language) is composed of Viktor Balog (drums), Matej Lazár (keyboards), Peter Šafránek (guitar, talkbox), Adam Richter (bass), Viktor Vaitovič (tenorSax), and Filip Molčányi (altSax). Starts: July 6, 1930; Piano Café, Hlavná 92. More info: www.jazz.sk.

Prešov

CLASSICAL MUSIC: When the Lords Met / Keď sa páni zišli… - The 5th year of the Artis festival of chamber music brings a concert of entertainment and dance music of the urban aristrocracy of the 18th century, as performed by the early music ensemble Solamente Naturali. Starts: July 6, 1900; Orthodox Synagogue, Okružná 32. More info: www.artis-oz.sk.

Kežmarok

EXHIBITION: Peter Uchnár: Painting / Maľba – The exhibition of the renowned Slovak illustrator is an overview of his works, and it is nearing its end, on July 8. Open: Tue-Fri 1200-1800, Sat 1000-1300 until July 8; U Anjela Gallery, Starý trh 53. Admission: free. More info: www.galeriauanjela.sk.

Top stories

Janka, a blogger, during the inauguration of the first flight to Athens with Aegean Airlines at the airport in Bratislava on September 14, 2023.

A Czech rail operator connects Prague and Ukraine, Dominika Cibulková endorses Pellegrini, and Bratislava events.


Píšem or pišám?

"Do ľava," (to the left) I yelled, "Nie, do prava" (no, to the right), I gasped. "Dolšie," I screamed. "Nie, nie, horšie..." My Slovak girlfriend collapsed in laughter. Was it something I said?


Matthew J. Reynolds
Czech biochemist Jan Konvalinka.

Jan Konvalinka was expecting a pandemic before Covid-19 came along.


SkryťClose ad