This year with extraordinary international participation! We are looking forward to the arrival of 120 musicians from Basel in traditional masks, 30 drummers from the Brussels Zinneke Parade, three Czech-German student groups and, of course, the participation of Czech high school and university students and non-profit organizations.
 
COME AND SEE US!

The traditional Velvet Carnival, which is taking place for the thirteenth time, will start on Sunday 17 November at 15:30 on Kampa and will cross Charles Bridge, Old Town and Národní třída to reach the Hybernská Campus with a traditional music afterparty. 

Parade route:
15.30 Kampa Park - opening parade
16.15 Charles Bridge towards Bethlehem Square
18.15 Národní třída from the National Theatre
18.45 Fruit Market/Ovocný trh - final parade

At the head of the parade, which will begin at 15.30 with a short parade in Kampa Park, will be an artistic and performative representation of this year's motto of the event, which is: Say it with a mask! "We want to give a voice to young people. We are therefore delighted that every year several student groups join the parade and decide to invest a lot of energy and effort in developing their theme so that they can present it to the public on the streets of Prague on 17 November. The Velvet Dawn allows us to celebrate democracy and at the same time cultivate critical insight and self-reflection," says Olga Cieslarová, the founder of the initiative.

We connect Basel and Prague traditions

One of the highlights of this year's edition will be the opening of the exhibition "Beneath the Mask" on Friday, November 15 at 17:00 in the Hybernská Campus. This exhibition will introduce the Prague audience to the fascinating phenomenon of the Basel Fasnacht, which was the inspiration for the Velvet Carnival 13 years ago. There will be footage of the Swiss Carnival Relay and Basel lanterns and masks on display for you to try on.
 
Make a donation of CZK 5,000 and we will invite you and your friends or colleagues to an exclusive guided tour of the Beneath the Mask exhibition! 

On Saturday 16 November, there will also be the 3rd Symposium on Urban Festivals in Public Space, with speakers from major international urban festivals, such as Prof. Eric Corijn, an expert on urban festivals from Brussels, and other organisers and academics from collaborating initiatives. They will discuss the indispensable role of such festivals in the development of community life in different European cities. Saturday evening will be enlivened by the Charivari parade, which will march through the streets of the Old Town wearing masks and accompanied by music.

This year, we have raised only a fraction of the necessary funds for the event from public sources.
Your support is therefore crucial to making this unique experience a reality! Join us and help us create an unforgettable event!