Bohemian Carnevale

Bohemian Carnevale is the Prague version of Mardi Gras. Locally, this pre-Lenten celebration is called Masopust. Bohemian Carnevale is the official Prague city program of festivities.

History of Carnival in the Czech Republic

Carnival in its Venetian-inspired form was celebrated in Prague during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The elite members of society sought to mimic or outdo their European counterparts when it came to carnival festivities. Folk Masopust festivities, enjoyed by everybody else, have been undertaken every year for centuries as a way of saying farewell to winter.

Prague Mardi Gras Today

The Prague Mardi Gras or Carnival, known as Bohemiam Carnevale, has been revived, and an annual program of events includes balls, parades, and children's activities. The festival incorporates both Czech traditional Shrovetide or Masopust traditions as well as traditions that are typical to the most extravagant Carnival celebrations in other parts of the world.

Bohemian Carnevale for Visitors to Prague

Hotels and restaurants in Prague participate in Bohemian Carnevale, parades, parties, and balls are scheduled, and shops rent costumes and masks. Events are held in the city's palaces, museums, theaters, and squares. Some events, like masked balls, require a ticket for entry. Others, like events that take place on Old Town Square, are free to the public.

More Information about Bohemian Carnevale

Bohemian Carnevale has an official website at www.carnevale.cz. There is also an information center located on Golden Lane, in the Prague Castle complex.