Opening of the Spa Season 2023

Karlovy Vary will enter a new Spa Season on the first weekend of May. From 5th to 7th May the whole town will be alive with one of the most important cultural and social events. A rich cultural programme is prepared for the residents and visitors, which will not be missed by a number of distinguished guests from all over the world.

The Saturday part of the programme will be devoted to the traditional rituals of the start of the season in Karlovy Vary, such as the blessing of the springs by the papal nuncio, the solemn mass and the procession of the retinue of Charles IV through the town. A festive fanfare will be heard from the Castle Tower.

FRIDAY 5 MAY 2023

Interactive Gallery Becher’s Villa
10:00 – 17:00 Exhibition “Karel Nepraš – Naděžda Plíšková”
The exhibition presents the closely intertwined work of two important Czech artists, presenting work born from a similar understanding of the principle of art (admission 60 CZK, reduced 30 CZK)
10:00 – 17:00 Exhibition “History of the Object”
The architecturally valuable spaces of the Becher Villa present the history of the Becher family, the construction of the building and the circumstances of the creation of the Westend residential district (admission 60 CZK, reduced 30 CZK)

Art Gallery Karlovy Vary
10:00 – 17:00 Exposition “100 years – 100 works / 100 artists – 100 destinies”
The exhibition project for the 100th anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia includes 100 works by Czech and Slovak artists from the gallery’s collections (admission 60 CZK, reduced 30 CZK)

Museum of Karlovy Vary
10:00 – 17:00 Exhibition “Focused on: publications supported by the Karlovy Vary Region” (admission 70 CZK, reduced 50 CZK)

Castle tower
10:00 – 18:00 Interactive UNESCO exhibition (admission 50 CZK, reduced 25 CZK)

Prostranství před LH Thermal
14:00 – 22:00 Thermal Beer & Grill Fest

Space in front of LH Thermal
14:00 – 22:00 Thermal Beer & Grill Fest

T.G. Masaryk Avenue and Smetana Gardens
10:00 – 14:00 Flask maker
10:00 – 18:00 Craft Fair
10:30 – 17:00 Children’s workshops – making spring decorations (free)
12:45 – 13:45 Fountain Dance Studio
14:00 – 15:00 Jazz Cakes
15:45 – 17:00 BOTOX
17:45 – 19:00 No Name

Dvořákovy sady
17:00 Mácha’s May (free)

Karlovy Vary City Theatre
18:30 Festive evening with the awarding of the city prizes and honorary citizenship
(the event is intended for closed company)

Theatre Square
19:00 “Varandas” – a playful tour of the city performed by Viktor Braunreiter’s Street Theatre
(Czech version only, meet at the theatre building, free)

SUNDAY 7 MAY 2023

Interactive Gallery Becher’s Villa
10:00 – 17:00 Exhibition “Karel Nepraš – Naděžda Plíšková”
The exhibition presents the closely intertwined work of two important Czech artists, presenting work born from a similar understanding of the principle of art (admission 60 CZK, reduced 30 CZK)

10:00 – 17:00 Exhibition “History of the building”
In the architecturally valuable spaces of the Becher Villa, the history of the Becher family, the construction of the building and the circumstances of the creation of the Westend residential district are presented (admission 60 CZK, reduced 30 CZK)

Art Gallery Karlovy Vary
10:00 – 17:00 Exposition “100 years – 100 works / 100 artists – 100 destinies”
The exhibition project for the 100th anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia includes 100 works by Czech and Slovak artists from the gallery’s collections (admission 60 CZK, reduced 30 CZK)

Museum of Karlovy Vary
10:00 – 17:00 Exhibition “Focused on: publications supported by the Karlovy Vary Region” (admission 70 CZK, reduced 50 CZK)

Castle tower
10:00 – 18:00 Interactive UNESCO exhibition (admission 50 CZK, reduced 25 CZK)

Grandhotel Ambassador National House
9:00 – 15:00 Spring Porcelain Festival – sales markets, porcelain exhibition, accompanying programme

T.G. Masaryk Avenue and Smetana Gardens
10:00 – 18:00 Craft Fair
10:00 – 16:00 Free attractions for children – royal tasks at the stations – carousel, swing, skittle alley, shooting range, beam, archery
10:30 – 17:00 Children’s workshops – gingerbread decorating and card making for mums (free)
10:00 Big Band Šmeralka
11:00 Karlovy Vary Puppet Theatre: the fairy tale “Dragon Cloud”
12:00 RAPpresent
13:00 Singing class of Lucie Víšková, ZUŠ Antonín Dvořák
13:45 Angel voices under the direction of Mgr. Štěpánky Steinová, ZUŠ Antonína Dvořák
15:00 – 17:00 Musicales Inside Out: Josef Wágner, Jan Kopečný, Petr Ryšavý with band
17:30 – 18:30 Verona

Mill Colonnade
14:00 Collegium Vocale by Jiří Štrunec

St. Linhart Campus
15:30 Sinatra Festival VII (free)

PROGRAM CHANGE RESERVED !

SATURDAY 6 MAY 2023

Interactive Gallery Becher’s Villa
10:00 – 17:00 | Exhibition “Karel Nepraš – Naděžda Plíšková”
The exhibition presents the closely intertwined work of two important Czech artists, presenting work born from a similar understanding of the principle of art (admission 60 CZK, reduced 30 CZK)
10:00 – 17:00 | Exhibition “History of the Object”
The architecturally valuable spaces of the Becher Villa present the history of the Becher family, the construction of the building and the circumstances of the creation of the Westend residential district (admission 60 CZK, reduced 30 CZK)

Art Gallery Karlovy Vary
10:00 – 17:00 Exposition “100 years – 100 works / 100 artists – 100 destinies”
The exhibition project for the 100th anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia includes 100 works by Czech and Slovak artists from the gallery’s collections (admission 60 CZK, reduced 30 CZK)

Museum of Karlovy Vary
10:00 – 17:00 Exhibition “Focused on: publications supported by the Karlovy Vary Region” (admission 70 CZK, reduced 50 CZK)

Castle tower
10:00 – 18:00 Interactive UNESCO exhibition (admission 50 CZK, reduced 25 CZK)

Space in front of LH Thermal
11:00 – 22:00 Thermal Beer & Grill Fest

Grandhotel Ambassador National House
9:00 – 17:00 Spring Porcelain Festival – sales markets, porcelain exhibition, accompanying programme

Mill Colonnade
10:00 Opening of the ceremonial blessing of the springs (speech by the mayor, fanfare)
11:00 Performance of majorettes with band
12:30 Girls Saxophone Orchestra Luhačovice
14:30 Brass KVintet
16:00 Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra

Church of St. Mary Magdalene
11:00 Solemn Mass

T. G. Masaryk Avenue and Smetana Gardens
10:00 – 14:00 Flask maker
10:00 – 18:00 Craft Fair
10:00 – 18:00 Historical carousel for children (free)
10:30 – 17:00 Children’s workshops – making ornaments for kings and queens (free)
14:00 Hanging Coffee
15:00 TURDUS – medieval band
16:00 – 18:00 Historical encampment of Charles IV – demonstration of historical encampment and weapons, photo opportunity with knights and ladies
16:00 – 18:00 Feast of Charles IV – knights, jugglers, dancers and theatrical performers show their skills for King Charles IV and his court
18:00 – 19:00 KVeen: Queen live experience
19:15 – 20:15 Fragile
20:45 – 22:00 Janek Ledecky & Band

Market Colonnade
11:00 – 18:00 Society of the Manor at the Žíželeves Fortress – cortes in Biedermeier dresses and historical dance of the 19th century

Charles IV Gardens.
15:00 Start of the Charles IV parade.

Parade route: the Charles IV Sady, Festival Bridge, Mírové náměstí, Stará louka, Tržiště, Lázeňská Street, Mlýnské nábřeží, Dvořák Sady, LH Thermal, Postal Bridge, Smetana Sady

Art Gallery Karlovy Vary
16:30 Radek Martinec – spring concert of the winner of the International Antonín Dvořák Singing Competition
(free)

Interactive Gallery Becher’s Villa
18:00 Mácha’s May (free)

Karlovy Vary City Theatre
19:00 Saltatio Saltationum (Dance of Dances) – Elementary School and School of Music Karlovy Vary, Šmeralova
The performance is another school-wide project that tries to combine all four disciplines – music, dance, art and drama. This model of working together on one theme has already proven itself in previous projects and is being built upon again. This year’s theme is dance in all its forms. As a response to musical pulsation, created by artistic dynamics or literary treatment. The title Saltatio Saltationum (Dance of Dances) is a variation on the Song of Songs and will not
not only about dance, but also about the story of man’s finding himself in this world.