2023 – TWO IMPORTANT ANNIVERSARIES, AN EXHIBITION OF TRADITION IN PICTURES, A MORNING FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AND CEREMONY ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE AWARD OF THE PILSEN REGION IN THE FIELD OF TRADITIONAL FOLK CULTURE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THE FESTIVAL SCENE

Year 2023 - the festival is back in full force. As part of the festival program, the 30th anniversary of the cooperation between the partner cities of Pilsen and Regensburg (the program "Liebe Grüße aus Regensburg" combined with a small parade of Bavarian folk costumes) and the 65th anniversary of the Jiskra Song and Dance Ensemble, Pilsen, were presented. Cooperation with the "Tradition in Pictures" project was also established, and a unique exhibition of photographs of the folk costumes of Pilsen and Chodsk by photographer Václav Šilha from Prague, took place in Smetana park. For the first time, a program for families with children "We will play" was prepared in the premises of the Smetana orchards on Sunday morning - cheerful playing and crafting with a folklore theme.

In cooperation with the Plzeň Region, for the first time on the festival stage, the ceremonial announcement of the Plzeň Region's award in the field of traditional folk culture and the presentation of the award "Master of Traditional Handicrafts of the Pilsen Region" (Zdeněk Pikal, basket maker) and "Carrier of the Intangible Heritage of the Plzeň Region" (Brass Orchestra Horalka from Kdyně and Chodovarka Wind Orchestra from Chodová Planá).

The festival was held under the patronage of the Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic, Martin Baxa, the Governor of the Pilsen Region, Rudolf Špoták, and the Mayor of the City of Pilsen, Roman Zarzycký, who personally opened the festival. The festival was also visited by J.E. pi. Ljiljana Pancirov, Ambassador of the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia and Vitalii Usatya, Chargé d'affaires a.i. of the Embassy of Ukraine in Prague.