26. - 29. 6. 2025
Dear Friends of Folk Culture,
You are holding in your hands a brochure published on an extraordinary occasion - the 80th International Folklore Festival Strážnice. It is both an honour and a joy for us to share this significant milestone in the history of one of Europe's largest and most esteemed folklore festivals with you.
When the town of Strážnice first opened its gates in 1946 to host a grand celebration of folklore, no one could have foreseen that a tradition was being born - one that would transcend decades, political regimes, borders, and generations. Since then, year after year, people from all over the country and the world have gathered in the chateau park, the open-air museum and the town itself to enjoy the local unique atmosphere and celebrate the beauty and richness of folk culture - dance, singing, music, and folk costumes.
In this jubilee year of the Festival, we have prepared for you all the time-tested types of performances - and something extra as well. On Saturday evening, the gala programme Celebrating Eighty Years of Strážnice will be broadcast live from the Bludník Amphitheatre by Czech Television on its cultural channel CT Art. Several other programmes will also commemorate the Festival anniversary - for example, Betrothed to the People, On the Strings of Strážnice, and Dancing Slovácko or the Festival of Joy. With two special performances, we also wish to honour the centenary of Jaroslav Jurášek’s birth, a key figure in the Moravian folklore movement of the second half of the 20th century. One of this year’s novelties is the presentation of a compatriot folklore ensemble from Chicago in the programme Ours across the Sea. This is the first step - in the future, we aim to enrich the Festival’s dramaturgy with further performances by compatriot folklore groups.
However, must not forget children's folklore, which will be featured as part of the Children's Strážnice Festival. It is here that the youngest generation is given the opportunity to actively participate in folklore events, discover traditions in a playful way, and contribute to shaping this unique legacy of cultural heritage.
The International Folklore Festival Strážnice is not just a celebration of folk culture; it is also a profound human experience. It serves as a bridge between past and present, between regions and continents. It is a space where tradition is not locked behind museum glass, but where it lives, breathes, and transforms. Every performer, spectator, and organiser plays a role in this living organism, which continues to grow while remaining true to its mission: to safeguard, pass on, and share cultural wealth, as enshrined in the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Eight decades of the Festival are a testament to the dedication of many people - the staff of the National Institute of Folk Culture, programme creators, volunteers, the town of Strážnice, and, of course, the performers. In short, all those who have given their time, heart, and belief to the Festival, trusting that this work is worthwhile. Our sincere thanks go to all of them.
I warmly invite you to enjoy the unique Festival days. May Strážnice be a place where everyone finds something to carry with them - something that lingers long after the last note has faded.
PhDr. Martin Šimša, Ph.D.
Director of the National Institute of Folk Culture