Festivals in Eastern Europe: 2012
- Here's a list of the most important events in Eastern Europe for 2012. For more information about these and other events, please visit http://us.croatia.hr, www.czechtourism.com, www.gotohungary.com, www.poland.travel, www.slovakiatourism.sk, www.slovenia.info, and www.whatsonwhen.com.
- Catholic countries (such as Poland, Slovakia, Croatia, and Slovenia) observe some holidays that the others do not.
- NOTE: Before planning a trip around a festival, make sure that you verify the festival dates at the festival or local TI's website.
- Related travel information in Eastern Europe.
| Jan 1 | New Year's Day | Throughout Eastern Europe |
| Jan 6 | Epiphany (religious festival) | Throughout Eastern Europe |
| Jan 19 | Anniversary of Jan Palach's Death (flowers in Wenceslas Square) | Prague, Czech Republic |
| Feb 8 | National Day of Culture (celebrates Slovene culture and national poet France Preseren; closures) | Slovenia |
| March 6-15 | One World International Human Rights Film Festival (1 week, www.oneworld.cz) | Prague, Czech Rep. |
| March 15 | National Day (celebrates 1848 Revolution; closures) | Hungary |
| March 15-18 | Ski Jumping World Championships (www.planica.info) | Planica, Slovenia |
| March 16-26 | Budapest Spring Festival (music, www.festivalcity.hu) | Budapest, Hungary |
| April 8 | Easter Sunday | Throughout Eastern Europe |
| April 9 | Easter Monday (some closures) | Throughout Eastern Europe |
| April 27 | National Resistance Day (closures) | Slovenia |
| April 30 | Witches' Night (similar to Halloween, bonfires) | Czech Republic |
| May 1 | Labor Day/May Day (closures) | Throughout Eastern Europe |
| May 3 | Constitution Day (celebrates Europe's first constitution; closures) | Poland |
| May 8 | Liberation Day (closures) | Czech Republic, Slovakia |
| May 11-June 17 | Vienna Festival of Arts and Music (www.festwochen.or.at) | Vienna |
| May 12-13 | Prague International Marathon (www.praguemarathon.com) | Prague, Czech Rep. |
| May 12-June 3 | "Prague Spring" International Music Festival (www.festival.cz) | Prague, Czech Rep. |
| May 17 | Ascension | Throughout Eastern Europe |
| May 27 | Pentecost (Whitsunday) | Throughout Eastern Europe |
| May 28 | Whit Monday (religious festival, some closures) | Throughout Eastern Europe |
| June | Dance Prague (modern dance festival, www.tanecpraha.cz) | Prague, Czech Rep. |
| June-July | Prague Proms (music festival, www.pragueproms.cz) | Prague. Czech Rep. |
| Early June | Dance Week Festival (www.danceweekfestival.com) | Zagreb, Croatia |
| June 7 | Corpus Christi (religious festival, some closures) | Throughout Eastern Europe |
| June 20-Sept 4 | Ljubljana Summer Festival (music, dance, theater, art, www.ljubljanafestival.si) | Ljubljana, Slovenia |
| June 22 | Antifascist Struggle Day (closures) | Croatia |
| June 22-24 | Celebration of the Rose (medieval festival, music, theater, dance, knights' tournament) | Ceský Krumlov, Czech Rep. |
| June 25 | National Day (closures) | Slovenia |
| June 25 | Statehood Day (closures) | Croatia |
| June 25 | Floating of the Wreaths Midsummer Festival (wreaths on rafts in Vistula river, fireworks, music, www.biurofestiwalowe.pl) | Kraków, Poland |
| June 29-July 8 | Jewish Culture Festival (www.jewishfestival.pl) | Kraków, Poland |
| Late June | Midsummer Eve Celebrations | Austria |
| July 5 | Sts. Cyril and Methodius Day (historic celebration, closures) | Czech Republic, Slovakia |
| July 6 | Jan Hus Day (celebration of Czech nationalist reformer, closures) | Czech Republic |
| Mid-July-Aug | Dubrovnik Summer Festival (theater and music, www.dubrovnik-festival.hr) | Dubrovnik, Croatia |
| Mid-July-Aug | International Music Festival (www.festivalkrumlov.cz) | Ceský Krumlov, Czech Rep. |
| July 20-24 | International Folklore Festival (costumes, songs, dances from all over Croatia, www.msf.hr) | Zagreb, Croatia |
| July 20-Aug 18 | Ramadan (Muslim holy month) | Bosnia |
| July 29 | Formula 1 races (www.hungaroinfo.com/formel1) | Budapest, Hungary |
| Aug 5 | National Thanksgiving Day (closures) | Croatia |
| Aug 6-13 | Sziget Festival (rock and pop music, www.sziget.hu) | Budapest, Hungary |
| Aug 15 | Feast of the Assumption (religious festival, closures) | Poland, Slovakia, Croatia, and Slovenia |
| Aug 20 | Constitution Day and St. Stephen's Day (closures, fireworks, celebrations) | Hungary |
| Late Aug | Diocletian Days (1 week, toga-clad celebrations) | Split, Croatia |
| Late Aug-Early Sept | Jewish Summer Festival (www.zsidonyarifesztival.hu) | Budapest, Hungary |
| Aug 29 | Slovak National Uprising Day (commemorates uprising against Nazis) | Slovakia |
| Sept | Radio Autumn (international music festival of radio orchestras) | Prague |
| Early Sept | Marco Polo Naval Battle Reenactment | Korcula, Croatia |
| Sept 1 | Constitution Day | Slovakia |
| Sept 12-Oct 1 | Prague Autumn Music Festival (www.pragueautumn.cz) | Prague, Czech Rep. |
| Sept 14-14 | Dvorák's Prague Music Festival (www.dvorakovapraha.cz) | Prague |
| Sept 28 | St. Wenceslas Day (celebrates national patron saint and Czech statehood; closures) | Czech Republic |
| Oct | International Jazz Festival (www.jazzfestivalpraha.cz) | Prague |
| Oct 8 | Independence Day (closures) | Croatia |
| Mid-Oct | Cafe Budapest Festival (1 week, music and dance, www.festivalcity.hu) | Budapest |
| Oct 23 | Republic Day (remembrances of 1956 Uprising, closures) | Hungary |
| Oct 26 | National Day | Austria |
| Oct 28 | Independence Day (closures) | Czech Republic |
| Oct 31 | Reformation Day (closures) | Slovenia |
| Nov 1 | All Saints' Day/Remembrance Day (religious festival, some closures) | Poland, Slovakia, Croatia, & Slovenia |
| Nov 11 | Independence Day (closures) | Poland |
| Nov 11 | St. Martin's Day (official first day of wine season) | Slovenia & Croatia |
| Nov 17 | Student Resistance against Totalitarianism Day (anniversary of 1989 "Velvet Revolution," closures) | Czech Republic, Slovakia |
| Dec 5 | St. Nicholas Eve (St. Nick gives gifts to children in town square) | Prague, Czech Rep. |
| Dec 25 | Christmas | Throughout Eastern Europe |
| Dec 26 | Boxing Day/St. Stephen's Day (closures) | Throughout Eastern Europe |
| Dec 26 | Independence and Unity Day (closures) | Slovenia |
| Dec 31 | St. Sylvester's Day (fireworks) | Vienna & Prague, Czech Rep. |
For lots more information, check out our best-selling Rick Steves' Best of Eastern Europe guidebook — or join us on one of our free-spirited Europe tours!