Events calendar
January
Ostrava Crossbar
Each year, the traditional high jump contest hosts the top Czech and European athletes – for example, the 2009 hall world vice-champion Andrej Těrešin from Russia or disciple of the Vítkovice athletics Jaroslav Bába.
New Year‘s Concert of Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra
The New Year’s concert of Janáček’s Philharmonic Ostrava always provides a pleasant beginning of the New Year for all lovers of classic music.
March
Irish Cultural Festival
The first annual Irish Cultural Festival took place in 2004, and its popularity continues to grow. The annual concert offers free admission and is full of Irish music, dance and all things Irish. Performers include Irish groups from Ireland and the Czech Republic, playing all types of Irish music. The festival includes A WEEK OF IRISH FOOD in the restaurant "Nová Ostrava" in Hotel Brioni, where guests enjoy traditional Irish food and drink throughout the week.
http://www.irishculturalfestival.com/
April
Ostrava Knight
This international chess festival Ostrava Knight is traditionally held within the premises of Culture House in Ostrava. Selected games of duelling chessplayers are lively commented in the Culture House anti-room.
Burning of witches or Philip and James Night
On April 30, so called Philip and James Night, the Silesian-Ostrava castle is the place of traditional witch-burning festival. The programme does not include only “burning of witches” but also concerts, fair and other events. It is an amusement occasion for the whole family.
May
The International Music Festival Janáček May Ostrava
The Janáček May International Music Festival is the oldest and largest music festival in Ostrava, founded in 1975. It is organised by the City of Ostrava and the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra. The festival attracts not only renowned musical talent from Europe and around the world, but also hosts musicological conferences, exhibitions and theatre performances. The festival is geared towards the widest possible spectrum of audience interest, and includes almost all musical genres, directions and styles. The festival is a member of both the European and Czech Associations of Music Festivals.
Chocolate Spike
Traditional celebration of the youth athletics takes place at the Municipal stadium in Ostrava- Vítkovice. All children as well as adult visitors can compete in non-traditional but easily performable disciplines. The reward for all is a complimentary ticket to the Golden Spike Ostrava.
Golden Spike Ostrava
This world-famous athletic meeting takes place already since 1961 attracting each year runners of distinguished names and the highest sporting level. The quickest man of the planet Usain Bolt, high jumper Blanka Vlašić or javelin thrower Barbora Špotáková – all these athletes participated in the Golden Spike. Since 2010, the competition forms a part of the new serial IAAF World Challenge.
June
LifeInLine Tour
The LifeInLine Tour in Ostrava is a family festival of in-line skating for everybody and also for professional sports. The races proceeding within the municipal district Ostrava-Poruba are included not only in the Czech Cup but also in the World Inline Cup. Grease your wheels! Prepare to start! Three, two….
Dance Ostrava
The festival entitled Dance Ostrava, which is a show of contemporary dance and movement theatre, has been held since 1998. At that time it was called Dance in Zone, and in 2001 it was renamed Dance Ostrava. It is usually held in May, June, September and October. It is organized by the Dance Theatre ZÓNA.
The dramaturgy of the festival focuses on demonstrations of Czech and foreign platforms, award-winning and unique dance and theatre projects in the area of contemporary dance and movement theatre which interconnect various and non-traditional forms of artistic expression. It uses overlaps of individual genres (dance - graphic and visual art - theatre - music - singing).
An inseparable part of the festival days are also exhibitions, performances, seminars and workshops run by dancers and choreographers.
July
Colours of Ostrava
The prestigious international musical festival Colours of Ostrava with many starry domestic as well as world bands not only from the fi eld of world music is held each year in the centre of Ostrava, within the premises of Silesian-Ostrava castle and clubs on the Stodolní street. The concerts are accompanied with theatrical performances, cine-meeting and many other programmes. It is one of the best musical events in the Czech Republic.
Shakespeare Festival
This theatrical festival presenting stage plays of the well-known English author is organized since 2008 within the pleasant premises of Silesian- Ostrava castle. The festival takes place at the turn of July and August being very popular among onlookers.
August
Ostrava Days - Festival of New Music
Ostrava Days are an international institute for composers and performing artists, which culminate with a 7-day festival of new music. They are held every other year, and the first biennial event took place in 2001. For three weeks, dozens of young musicians from all over the world work with leading representatives of new music.
The work of the institute concentrates on orchestra compositions. Its close co-operation with the Janáček Philharmonic and the Ostrava Band has turned the Ostrava Days into an absolutely unique event. No other project has created such a working environment of similar size. The length and orientation of the project rank it among the world’s vastest and most progressive programmes of its kind.
The Festival of New Music presents both contemporary classical compositions and works by resident students. The institute provides informal working and study opportunities with an individual approach to each student.
The Folklore without Borders Festival
The Association for Culture and Art and the Hlubina Association of Folklore Music and Dance have organised the Folklore without Borders Festival since 1997.
The organisers of the festival have always wanted to present and support the folklore art traditions of the area. The festival is not limited to professional groups, but is open to anyone who has something to add to the great wealth of folklore art. Over the years, the festival has featured performers from all over the Czech Republic, Italy, Croatia, Russia, Belorussia, Poland, and even New Zealand. The unique performances are held outdoors in all four corners of Ostrava.
September
Days of NATO
The biggest Central European parade of NATO armed forces takes place at Leoš Janáček Airport Ostrava in Mošnov. This magnifi cent demonstration of combat and rescue equipment as well as training of special army units from NATO countries is admired by thousands of visitors. The air show presenting combat and service aircrafts is also very popular. Admission to the whole programme is free.
Třebovice cake
The Třebovice Kolache folklore festival is regularly held each third weekend in September in the lovely environs of the Třebovice Park in the City District of Ostrava – Třebovice. The festival offers visitors a widely varied musical and dance programme. Visitors may hear a broad palette of musical genres from folklore to folk, country, bluegrass and camping songs. Of course there is also an accompanying programme for kids.
Spectaculo Interesse
In 1995, Ostrava's Puppet Theatre held the first Spectaculo Interesse International Puppet Theatre Festival, establishing the city on the map of European puppetry. Every two years, puppet masters from such diverse places as France, Russia, Hungary, Switzerland, Poland, South Korea, Slovakia, and Austria come to perform. The festival holds a competition, and many of the performances are held not only in the City's modern, custom-designed Puppet Theatre, but out on the streets among the public, as well.
Theatre Days without Barriers
The Ostrava Puppet Theatre organizes the festival Theatre Days without Barriers each even-numbered year. The festival’s purpose is to give handicapped citizens the chance to experience theatrical creation. The first such festival was held in 2000 and its popularity continues to grow. The Ostrava Puppet Theatre also invites premier Czech puppet theatre ensembles to the festival.
St. Wenceslas Music Festival
The St. Wenceslas Music Festival is an extraordinary review of classical music organised since 2003. The festival is fitted between two important Czech red-letter days: September 28th, the Day of Czech Statehood, and October 28th, the Day of the Independent Czech State, which mark the beginning and the end of the Festival with its opening and the closing concerts.
A number of concerts and other spiritual projects are presented in dozens of places in the Moravian-Silesian Region, including Ostrava, at which outstanding Czech and foreign artists perform. Especially interesting and valuable dramaturgical projects are presented in unusual combinations of music – poetry reading – dancing – theatrical performance. The atmosphere of the performances is augmented by the spiritual environment of churches, in which the festival takes place.
Ostrava Camera Eye
This festival focuses on cameraman production. The programme shows the production of Czech camera classics or visually interesting new foreign fi lm as well as student shots of young cameramen. An independent part is devoted also to Ostrava. The section itself was compiled by dramaturgists of the Television studio Ostrava, Czech Television. The festival is organised within Ostrava’s candidature for the European Capital of Culture 2015.
October
International festival of outdoor films
This itinerant exhibition focuses on outdoor sports and adventure, extreme, adrenalin as well as travel films. Except Ostrava, it runs in other cities of the Czech Republic. Its part is a rich accompanying programme in the form of exhibitions or discussions.
Techné
The festival of fi lms and television programs on technical and industrial monuments with a view to scientifi c cooperation and tourist business is held at the Culture House Poklad in Ostrava-Poruba presenting to onlookers interesting pictures from industrial environment. The best competing fi lm wins a main prize – Ostrava Venus.
Industrial traces
This international biennial festival proceeds in many places of the Czech Republic. It obviously includes also the city of Ostrava being famous for its industrial heritage. A rich programme does not present only city monuments but also off ers accompanying events.
International contest of big brass bands
Already since its fi rst volume, the festival gained a reputation of our orchestras as well as bands in all of Europe. Its endeavour is to turn the attention of music-loving public to the concert symphonic brass music. The festival is organised as a biennial event.
December
Souznění
This international festival of Advent and Christmas customs, carols and crafts takes place in the last Advent weekend in many places around the region. The rich programme in the days running up to Christmas offers concerts in interesting venues (churches, concert halls, street Stodolní ulice, etc.), as well as accompanying exhibits, arts and crafts, film presentations and a ceremonial Holy Mass. This also includes the popular Christmas market with a customs programme in Kozlovice. The festival culminates with a Sunday concert in the Ostrava City House of Culture.