< /p> Illustrative photo – Carnival parade of masquerades in Blatno in the Hlinska district, February 12, 2023, Chrudim Region. The tradition has been on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List since 2010.
Prague – Many cities and towns will come alive with carnival festivities at the weekend. The season of Mardi Gras, which begins after Epiphany on January 6 and ends on Ash Wednesday at the beginning of Lent before Easter, is associated with fancy dress parades and feasting. Because Ash Wednesday does not have a fixed date, the carnival ends in different ways, from mid-February to early March. This year, Ash Wednesday fell on February 22. Carnival mask parades usually prepare cities and towns for the weekend, although traditionally carnival culminated with masquerade entertainment on Shrove Tuesday.
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The last three days of Mardi Gras, i.e. Mardi Gras Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, are also called ends, remains or fašank. The masks that appeared most often in parades include a bear, sometimes led on a chain by a bear keeper, and a mare, often hiding two people. Among others were a mask with a rider on a horse, a Jew with a sack or knapsack on his back, a midwife with a litter, a chimney sweep with a ladder, a goat and many others. foods. Traditional Mardi Gras food are donuts made from soft yeast dough. Beside them, she eats roasted belly or stewed knee.
There are several carnival entertainments taking place in Prague today. Traditional is the carnival in Žižkov, on Letná or the parade of masks with live music in the backdrops of Malá Strana and Hradčany, which is attended by hundreds of people every year. The parade of masks leaves Loretánské náměstí after noon, goes through Malá Strana to Kampu, where it culminates in revelry. “Acclimatization stops for masks will take place all the way in inns, restaurants and pubs in Nerudov, Thunovská streets, on Malostranské náměstí and also in Mostecka,” the organizers said.
Today, the carnival procession is also organized by the village of Vortová in the Chrudim region, where this tradition, along with some others in the region, has been on the list of UNESCO's intangible heritage since 2010. Among the biggest traditional folk festivals is the carnival parade in Milevské na Píseck, its history dates back to 1862. Today's program will include a fair, slaughter feasts, music and an open permanent exhibition of the Museum of Milevský maškar, dedicated to the biggest carnival in the Czech Republic. For example, in Nové Bor, the carnival will be held in the spirit of the Brazilian carnival.
A traditional carnival parade is also being prepared for today in the village of Strání in the Uherskohradišť region, where folklore ensembles will pass. It will be one of the highlights of the 36th annual Carnival Traditions Festival. The event is visited by thousands of people every year, and culminates on Tuesday, February 21, with further processions of carnival processions performing the saber dance Under the Saber and evening entertainment with the burial of the bass.
On Sunday, carnival parades will pass through, for example, Cheb, Železný Brod or Doudleby on Českobudějovick, where The rose carol is one of the oldest traditions in the region. The village organizes two Mardi Gras carols, first the bachelors perform a rose carol, then married men in straw hats follow them to the carol.
