Bratislava hosts the first edition of the Bratislava Carnival

A carnival parade through the streets of the city, a competition for the best mask, doughnut tastings, workshops, talks with experts, guided tours and a concert by the Preßburger Klezmer Band. The city in cooperation with the Bratislava Cultural and Information Centre (BKIS) and the Staré mesto city district are organising the Bratislava Carnival on 18 February 2023, the third Saturday of February. The first year of the new event will take place on the Velvet Revolution Square in front of the Old Market Hall and in its surroundings.

The Carnival, which begins on the day after Three Kings Day and ends on a Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, used to be celebrated in cities - its celebrations took a specific form in urban environments. Carnival festivities were mainly organised by various craft guilds, societies and associations, which organised parades in masks, tournaments and dancing parties. Later, the celebration of carnivals in towns was mainly associated with the organisation of balls. The city, in cooperation with BKIS, the Staré Mesto city district and other partners, has decided to organise the first edition of the Bratislava Carnival, which will build on the traditions of the past, bring them closer through discussions with ethnologists and guides, and also highlight the multicultural character of the city through the involvement of various groups and communities of its people.

“I am very happy that in cooperation with our BKIS and partners we have started to prepare an event that will cheer up the centre of Bratislava for a day with carnival activities, a street parade of masks, traditional delicacies such as doughnuts and a concert of the Preßburger Klezmer Band will also add to the atmosphere. We would like to create a new tradition of the Bratislava Carnival, which, in addition to bringing the old customs closer, will also offer new content and show the current diverse identity of the city. Bratislava is also made up of people of different nations and cultures, people who are part of various communities, which we can also connect through this event and enrich one another,“ says Mayor Vallo.

Bratislava Carnival for the youngest and adults

The Bratislava carnival will start on Saturday 18 February 2023 at 10:00. The morning programme on the Velvet Revolution Square and in the Old Market Hall will be designed especially for families with children.

Workshops will be held in the Market Hall, and the Prešporkovo Family Centre is preparing a children's parade in costumes with songs for children. A programme for children is also being prepared by citz organisations. In the Bratislava City Gallery there will be a mask-making workshop and a lecture on Carnival in the Bratislava City Museum.

At the Bratislava Carnival, you can taste traditional sweet delicacies associated with this period, as well as various butcher's products, following the tradition when carnival celebrations used to be organised by butcher's guilds. On Saturday 18 February, the traditional farmers' market will be held in the Old Market Hall, and there will also be refreshment stalls in front of the building.

The highlight of the programme will be a carnival parade through the streets of Bratislava, which will also feature the Slovak Folk Art Collective (SĽUK). Every resident and visitor of the city can join the parade, ideally in costume - as an individual or in a group. The parade will start at 3:00 p.m. and will go from the Old Market Hall through the city centre.

Masked marchers will also be able to participate in a competition for the best costume selected by an expert jury.

The event will also include moderated talks in front of the Old Market Hall, where several experts, such as ethnologist Katarína Nádaská, will present the history and customs of the carnival period. The BKIS guides will also reveal more about the Carnival in the city during the Saturday series of walks with Rendezvous with the City. Six tours are planned for Saturday, February 18, including a walk designed for children in Slovak and Russian, as well as a walk interpreted into sign language.

The Bratislava Carnival will close with a dance. The Preßburger Klezmer Band will perform in the open air and make sure you have a good time.

The full programme will be published gradually at City Carnival Parade ↗︎