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Getting zany in Žižkov

Masopust offers three days of fun for the entire family
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January 30th, 2008 issue

By Ondřej Bouda

For the Post
COURTESY PHOTO
The Reverend Vincent Feedback fronts Blaq Mummy at the post-fireworks concert.
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COURTESY PHOTO
Dressing for the occasion.
Masopust

When: Feb. 2, 3 and 5
Where: Various venues in Žižkov
Tickets: Available at the venues; many of the events are free
For more information, check www.praha3.cz (Czech only)

Carnival season arrives early this year. Starting this weekend, citizens of Prague as well as tourists will flock to Žižkov for the increasingly popular Masopust festivities. No less an authority than the staid British newspaper The Guardian has named Žižkov’s Masopust celebration one of the three biggest tourist attractions in the capital.
Carnival is celebrated throughout the world. It dates back at least to ancient Greece and Rome, where Bacchus and Venus and all things pleasurable were celebrated. The Bacchus parade is still held in many countries on Mardi Gras, and the Czech Republic is no exception. The local version is called masopust, a direct translation of the Latin term carne vale, which means “farewell to meat.” Traditionally, it starts on the Epiphany and ends at the stroke of midnight on Ash Wednesday, one last big celebration before the fasts and prayers of Lent.
Masopust feasts and parades with masks and costumes will be held throughout the country on Shrove Tuesday, which this year falls Feb. 5. In Prague the traditional center of Masopust celebrations is Žižkov, where organizers are promising three days packed with fun for the whole family. (A separate six-day celebration is being held in the city center. For more details, see the story on page A6.)
Saturday afternoon in Žižkov is dedicated to children, who are welcome to come and enjoy an afternoon of masks and costumes for free at Palác Akropolis, beginning at 2. Starting at 7:30, Akropolis will host a masquerade ball for adults. Revelers who come wearing masks get in for free. Traditional white pudding and beer will be served, and a raffle full of surprises will be held at 10.
On Sunday, Prague 3 City Council members will, according to tradition, serve food at the local pub U vystřeleného oka (U božích bojovníků 3) beginning at 3, accompanied by the band Žižkovanka. Meanwhile, the Aero cinema has prepared a program starting at 2 for children as well as adults that includes costume-making workshops, games and movies.
The parade on Tuesday gathers at 4 on náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad. Visitors can expect to meet famous personalities from Žižkov’s past, like the writers František Sauer and Jaroslav Hašek, or the world-famous Good Soldier Švejk, who is expected to appear with a whole unit of Austro-Hungarian soldiers. Masks and a band will of course be present as well. The parade will set out at 5 through Mahlerovy sady to Prokopovo náměstí, where participants will pay their respects at the statue of Jaroslav Hašek (1883–1923), author of the satirical novel The Good Soldier Švejk. The next stop will be the town hall, where the district mayor will hand over control of Žižkov to the king of Masopust. At 7:30, the parade will return to náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad, where music, fireworks and refreshments will be waiting for all participants. After the fireworks, expat favorites Blaq Mummy will play their third annual Masopust concert at Klub Bunkr in Parukářka sady.
“Žižkov has always been a revolutionary part of the city, and so we decided to give as much space as possible to street performers and alternative art this year,” says Prague 3 spokesman Jan Sotona. “I hear that the fireshow by Pa-Li-Tchi is really hot.”
Last year, more than 3,000 people attended Žižkov’s Masopust parade. During the festivities, which lasted five days, 35 barrels of beer were consumed, along with several hundred liters of wine. Revelers also ate 10 whole pigs and countless numbers of pastries.
This year, the organizers expect even more people to turn out. However, as Prague 3 Mayor Milena Kozumplíková points out, “We are not trying to break any records. The most important thing is for people to go out and have fun. Masopust festivities strengthen our bonds with the place where we live as well as with our neighbors.”
And, best of all, you don’t have to be a Žižkov resident to join the festivities.
Ondřej Bouda can be reached at features@praguepost.com


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