GASTRONOMY: Zimný Festival Jedla (Winter Food Festival), Modra, Trnava, Piešťany, Galanta, Trenčín, Chateau Čereňany, Nitra, Mojmírovce, Žilina, Bytča, Donovaly, Halič, Košice, Spišská Nová Ves. Runs until February 25.
For over a month, selected top restaurants from the Gurmán na Slovensku gastronomy guide offer a festival menu of three meals each: Our Iconic Meal (typical for the particular restaurant), Tastes of the Regions (local and seasonal meals) and Chef’s Choice (special meal outside the ordinary menu). The fifth year of this special event enables gourmets to visit the best and most expensive restaurants for often symbolic prices.
More information in Slovak here.
Gastronomy festivals grow in popularity. (Source: TASR)
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Prešovské Dni Klasickej Gitary 2018 (Prešov days of Classical Guitar 2018), PKO Čierny orol, J. Záborský Theatre Prešov, Feb 8-9.
The 8th year of international festival of classical guitar music offers two days with Slovak and foreign musicians and a selection of the crème de la crème from this genre. On Thursday evening Slovak Adrián Harvan conducts the State Slovak Philharmonic Košice (ŠfK) with soloists Marco Socias and Cecilia Rodrigo on guitar at the concert called Tribute to Joaquín Rodrigo. The next day, ŠfK joins forces with a selection of Slovak and Czech musicians.
More information can be found here.
Admission: €15 daily ticket or €30 both days.
BAGPIPERS’ CARNIVAL: Gajdošské Fašiangy 2018 (Bagpipers’ Carnival 2018), Malá/Veľká Lehota, Jedľové Kostoľany, Feb 8-11.
The 31st year of this traditional winter festival taking place in the celebratory period combines performances of Slovak and foreign bagpipers with a municipal feast of pork delicacies (pig butchering is typical for Carnival time).
More information in Slovak here.
WINTER FOR CHILDREN: Snow Dogs 2018, Tatranská Lomnica (cableway station Štart, slope Čučoriedky západ-West), High Tatras, Feb 10-11.
The “Eskimo Weekend” in High Tatras brings not just shows of sled dogs, mushing, Polar expeditions and snowmen building but also various competitions, fairytales, dance school, and more.
More information can be found here.
EXTREME SPORT: Spartan Race Slovakia, Snowland Valčianska Dolina Valley, Valča, Feb 10.
Spartan Race Slovakia hosts the Spartan Sprint (5-8 kilometre cross-country ski style race with more than 20 hurdles), usually taking from 40 minutes to 2 hours. No aids or tools (poles, anti-skid soles, etc) are allowed.
More information here.
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Moje Najmilšie (My Dearest), Opera and Musical Gala-concert, House of Arts Žilina, Feb 15-16.
The gala concert of Czech star mezzo-soprano Andrea Kalivodová with Slovak Sinfonietta (ŠKO Žilina) conducted by Leoš Svárovský offers a programme of famous arias by Giuseppe Verdi, P.I. Tchaikovsky, Camille Saint-Saens, Antonín Dvořák, Georges Bizet and orchestral pieces from famous musicals like Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Jesus Christ Superstar, and West Side Story.
More information can be found here.
Admission: €12 - €16
EXOTIC SHOW: Shaolin Tour 2018, City Sports Hall, Trenčín, Feb 20. (The show later travels to Snina, Košice, Michalovce, Bratislava, Nitra and Prievidza)
The Shaolin Kung Fu monks are masters of controlling the flow of energy and showing extraordinary feats, combining physical and mental skills, Chinese philosophy and mythology, and Zen-Buddhism with harsh physical training, demonstrating mastery in Kung Fu and Qi Gong.
More information in Slovak here.
Admission €12-€16
FIGURE SKATING: Pán Ľadu (Lord of the Ice), Trenčín, Žilina, Banská Bystrica, Feb 22-24.
The “birthday tour” of iconic figure skater Evgeni Plushenko visits three Slovak cities – Trenčín, Žilina, Banská Bystrica. Guests include Olympic winners Adelina Sotnikova, Tomáš Verner, Elena Jovanovič, Nodar Maisuradze, Mischa Ge, Ivan Rigini, Elladjo Balde and others. Live music (on Stradivari violin) by Edvin Márton.
You can purchase tickets and find more information in Slovak here.
Admission: €29-€59
FILM FESTIVAL: Štyri živly (Four Elements), Banská Štiavnica, Feb 23-25.
The winter edition of this popular international festival focuses on the leitmotif Beginning and will screen features, documentaries and animated films over three days.
More information can be found here.
Admission: €4 (one screening) - €15 (festival pass).
4 Elements film festival (Source: Couretsy of 4 Elements)
OPERA PREMIERE: Jacques Offenbach The Tales of Hoffmann, SDKE historical building Košice, Feb 23-24, 28.
The famous French lyrical opera by Jacques Offenbach is staged in the State Theatre Košice (SDKE) showing the duality of Hoffmann’s tales, e.g. natures of grotesque and serious, normal and not normal, noble and base. The Košice performance is conducted by Maroš Potokár, directed by Imre Halasi, with stage and costume design by Henriette Laczó.
More information in Slovak can be found here.
Admission: €5-€17
