Traditional Moravian Folklore Festival – Hody

Hody – the most friendly and beautiful folklore event in Moravia.

Brno, August 14 (BD) – Hody (the Feasts) is a traditional festival of the Moravian region in the Czech Republic. Hody is celebrated as a Christian holiday as well as a day of abundance, joy and well-being.

Hody generally takes place from September to November and is organized on Saturday or Sunday, although it may go on for several days. Hody features live music events, pub parties, traditional folk dancing and local food and wine. The festival brings together friend and families – all generations love it.

Every village has a different date for the festival. The villages thank to their patron saints for protecting and blessing their harvest this past season. One of the most popular saints are Saint Wenceslas and Saint Catherine.

The main organizer of the event is “první stárek” (the first “old one”), who is a chosen young man from the village. With the group of his friends – stárci – he is responsible for organizing the feast. Each of them has a girl, a partner to help, called “stárka”.

In the beginning of Hody, the mayor of the village passes the power to the stárek and thus the parade begins. The participating youth is dressed in traditional folklore costumes that differ in every region and village.

There is a parade at some places that goes around the village and visits each house. It is a tradition for households to be hospitable towards the visitors. Usually, they provide refreshments that are hard to turn down, so even girls would have to take up the fiery water.

Where can you enjoy the Hody in Brno and Moravia?

We list here just a few. If you want to go to the Hody, check your city district or town website. For example, Řeckovice or Komín hosted their Hody last weekend.

14/8/2017 – Svatovavřinecké slavnosti v Hodoníně
02/9/2017 – Líšeňské hody 2017
08/9/2017 – 10/9/2017 – Slatinské hody
23/9/2017 – Svatováclavské hody v Tišnově
second weekend of October – Štefanské hody na Kamence