Khamoro, which in Romany means "little sun," is an understated title for an annual festival that brings so much light to the context and diversity of Roma, or Gypsy, cultural contributions. For the past seven years, the Khamoro Festival's program of seminars, concerts, exhibits, films and a colorful parade has been a significant part of the spring cultural scene in Prague.

The first three nights of this year's festival will be a delight for lovers of the Gypsy Jazz style invented by Django Reinhardt and his Hot Club Quintet. Reinhardt, a Belgian-born Romany guitarist, is a worthy modern focus of Roma pride. When Willie Nelson told Rolling Stone in 1999, "Django Reinhardt was the best there ever was," he reflected a deep musician's respect for the guitarist whose influence is found throughout jazz, rock and country, from Jimi Hendrix to Bob Wills.

On Monday night, the Reduta Jazz Club will present the Netherlands-based Johnny Rosenberg Trio, which updates Reinhardt's Gypsy swing legacy with modern jazz energy. Reduta follows that up on Tuesday with Austria's Harri Stojka and on Wednesday with the Angelo Debarre ensemble, both of which should satisfy any old-style Gypsy Jazz enthusiasts. (Tickets for these concerts are on sale only at Reduta.)

Prague's Slovak Institute has declared Wednesday the "Day of Slovak Roma." Events at the institute will begin at 5 p.m. with the opening of an exhibit featuring the 20th-century folklore photographer Jozef Kolarcík-Fintický. The evening will end with a concert by the Slovak traditional Romany music group Kesaj Chave.

The Slovak Institute is also offering a film program, with the poetic drama Ružové Sny (Pink Dreams) by director Dušan Hanák showing on Tuesday and a documentary on Thursday that depicts the life and culture of Slovak Roma titled Deti vetra (Children of the Wind).

One area lacking in this year's festival is the orchestral work of Roma-inspired classical composers like Liszt, Ravel and Bartok. However, the participants will balance any open historical music accounts by taking their wide panorama of gypsy sounds and dances to the streets. Thursday at noon on at the north end of Wenceslas Square (in front of the Baťa department store), a full panorama of Romany ensembles will begin a musical march to Old Town Square. Musicians from Macedonia, Russia, Spain, Romania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic will conclude their parade by splitting into separate groups and performing in the nooks and edges of Old Town Square.

On Thursday, Roxy will begin a two-night series of traditional Romany music featuring Kek Lang from Hungary, Kesaj Chave from Slovakia, Gitans from the Czech Republic, Nadara from Romania and Ilo from Russia. On Friday, Balkan brass artists Gypsy Mambo will be the highlight of a concert that includes the Slovak folk group Kesaj Chave and the Hollywood-based Margarita and the Gypsies' colorful stage show. The evening will close with a musical spectacle by the Maltese and Spanish troupe known as Puerto Flamenco.

On Saturday, a Khamoro seminar sponsored by the Music Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts Galerie will host a range of European scholars and specialists discussing Roma history, contemporary issues and art. This year's seminar, says coordinator Emil Šcuka, "is a thank-you for Milena Hübschmanova's life work and achievement." The late Czech linguist and educator Hübschmanova's contribution to Roma culture is internationally recognized through her writing and lectures. Her inspiration will be close to the hearts of the many seminar participants who studied and worked directly with her.