Events Calendar
Summer programme for children’s events
Fun in the corn maze (July-August)
If you don’t want to get lost in Pilsen, then visit the Tourist Information Centre on Republic Square or at the Main Railway Station. But if you actually enjoy getting just a little lost, then corn mazes are the perfect place for you. You can find one such maze in the village of Šťáhlavy (map), nearby the Kozel Manor House. Here you can wander your way through the 2.5 hectares of maze and end up walking as much as 4 km, so be sure to set aside at least 2 hours. You can enter the maze with prams and leashed dogs.
Traditional fairs held around Pilsen (July-August)
The traditional Anenská Fair in Horšovský Týn (map) is held between July 21-23. Here you can expect a multi-genre musical programme, a historical craft fair, theatre performances for children, film showings, a shooting contest, rides, and a rich accompanying programme.
You can also visit the fair Na královnu in Plasy (map) on August 12 and 13. This event will also feature rides for kids, an Old-Czech craft fair in front of the monastery, and a cultural programme near the fountain on Saturday. And the groups Hrr na ně and Václav Noid Bárta s Cimbálovkou (a brass band music) will give you something to listen and dance to.
And the traditional fair in Kladruby (map), which will be held on August 12 and 13, is truly legendary. Young ones can look forward to rides, a children’s zone with game tents, creativity workshops, a trampoline area, rescue worker displays, a kids’ disco, a jumping show, and performances by Culinka and a magician. Parents will then be delighted by the bands Brutus, Semtex, and Kabát revival West.
Summer Legos at DEPO2015 (July 10-August 31)
Over the summer holiday, Lego lovers can let their imagination run wild at the games exposition at DEPO2015. Young and older builders alike will be awaited by a mountain of Lego blocks, both digital and gaming lighting elements, and an interactive UV light installation. Older kids will love the unique building zone of architecture made of white blocks, while younger children can have a field day in the pools filled with Lego Duplo blocks. It’s open every day from 10-18h, and the exposition is suitable for children ages 3 and older.
Trnka’s Garden at DEPO2015 (until the end of December)
You can visit the revived story of the most successful children’s book by Jiří Trnka, The Garden, at DEPO2015. The exposition Trnka’s Garden 2 (Trnkova Zahrada 2) presents the original fairy-tale story in the form of a multimedia installation. Jiří Trnka’s illustrations are conveyed in a colourful, magical garden, teleporting visitors to this world’s very heart. Children can embody the characters of the young boys from the book and experience their adventure hands-on. They’ll encounter a stone dwarf, a mischievous tomcat, kind-hearted elephants, a clever whale, and even a pack of singing dogs. The exhibition is open Monday to Friday, from 14-18h, and from 10-18h on weekends, holidays, and during the summer season.
A ride in a historical bus (July-September)
Riding in a historical Škoda 706 RTO bus is sure to be quite an interesting experience for children. During the summer, the whole family can set out from Pilsen to visit the Kozel Manor House or the Hracholusky Dam. At Kozel, you’ll have about three hours to tour the buildings on the property and enjoy a walk through the park or adjacent forests. Then, at the Hracholusky Dam, your ticket will include a ferry ride all the way to the end of the dam and back. You’ll find all the times and ticketing information HERE.
The emperor at Kozel (July 5-6)
You can visit the Baroque celebration of the 234th anniversary of the chateau’s completion at the Kozel Manor House during these two festive days in July. Not only will you see Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II but also soldiers, swordsmen, ladies in wonderful dresses, lords on horses, acrobats, and jesters on stilts. All of which is accompanied by Baroque music. You can also expect a rich accompanying programme in the form of various games for children, and don’t forget about the period merry-go-round. Admission includes entrance into the manor house, which will be freely accessible for both days.
Bezdružické parní léto (July 15-16)
You can enjoy rides on nostalgic trains with a steam locomotive, trips on historic street vehicles, and the gendarmerie village station on the romantic route of West Bohemia from Pňovany to Bezdružice. For two days, the Railway Station in Bezdružice (map) will come alive with music, theatre, and a rich accompanying programme for both children and adults. On Saturday night, you can look forward to the historical celebrations at Krasíkov Castle, and parents will be delighted by the beer festivities in Bezdružice.
Rides on the Pilsen Railway (July 22, August 12)
You can visit the Narrow-Track Museum and its non-traditional trains on Saturday, July 22 or August 12 in Starý Plzenec (map). Here you’ll see a mining locomotive as well as an old diesel locomotive that will ride around on a mere 60 cm track. And you and your children can even hop on for a ride. The track will be operational from 10-17h.
Malesické škopkování (July 29-30)
The traditional mini beer celebrations held around the multi-purpose playground in Malesice (map) aren’t only for adults; you can bring your kids along with you. While the parents are enjoying the drinks, children will have loads of fun in the kids’ zone. Inflatable attractions and creativity workshops will be set up for them. Plus, Culinka and their dancing performance will keep them entertained, and we recommend bringing your children some dry clothes, which will come in handy after some time spent playing in the firefighting foam.
Sportmanie (August 12-20)
The festival Sportmanie offers a multi-functional sporting arena, where children, adults, and sports lovers can get away for the entire day. Every day of the event boasts dozens of sports areas, where, apart from the traditional sports run by the event’s instructors, you can learn something new such as paddle boarding, fencing, or billiards. The programme for the individual areas will change every three days, so be sure to follow along and don’t miss out on your favourite sport. And when you’re done, you can rest at any one of the many lectures or sports demonstrations, or even go get an autograph from your favourite athlete.
Neckyáda at Křimice (August 19)
You’ll see non-traditional water vessels of all kinds, shapes, and sizes at Neckyáda in Pilsen’s Křimice neighbourhood (map), along the Mže River on Saturday, August 19. The start will be held at the Malesice weir, and you can then look forward to music, contests, food, and plenty of fun for children and adults at the “U Mže” area.
What else can you do with children in the summer?
Swimming and water games go hand in hand with summer. You’ll find the Bolevec Ponds right on the edge of this West Bohemian metropolis, and you can easily get here via public transport. Once you arrive, you’ll find several small nature parks scattered about. It’s here you can rent a little rowing boat, a paddle boat, or a paddle board, and also find various food stands. For other swimming places, check out this article.
You can also enjoy some summer fun at the Hracholusky Dam, located about 20 km from Pilsen. Here you’ll surely appreciate the grassy beaches with easy access to the water; it’s the ideal place for a summer afternoon. And small kids will no doubt love taking a ride on the ferry, while older children can hop on a paddle boat or one of the giant floating trampolines.
Another option is to take your kids on a cycling trip, even if you don’t own a bike. Pilsen has loads of bike rental shops. For instance, you can use the rental shop Skibikecentrum on Otýlie Beníškové Street, about a 10-minute walk from the city centre, or the bike rental shop at the České Dráhy Main Railway Station. It’s open every day from April to October. And you can find more tips on cycling trips with kids in our article HERE.
If you’d like to go on a short trip into Pilsen’s surrounding area during your stay, then you’ll find a few tips on where you can go with children in our article HERE.