2024-08-04 02:47:42
The 18th year of the Povaleč cultural festival culminates in Valč in Karlovy Vary. The baroque garden of the local castle and the adjacent orchards host the biggest musical event in the Karlovy Vary region. The 18th edition of the event began on Thursday and culminates this Saturday evening. In addition to concerts, it includes workshops, lectures, exhibitions of modern art, theater, films and dance.
The program takes place on three main stages and is again diverse in genres. Already on Thursday, people heard, for example, the band MMNK from Brno, which has existed since 2019 and mixes rock with rap and punk, or the rap trio from eastern Slovakia consisting of Dušan Vlk, Temný Rudo and David-San.
Highlights of the Saturday evening will include a concert by a seven-member Prague band combining the genres of ska, punk and hardcore called Jet8 or a performance by Queens of Everything, who have been playing their mixture of punk, swing and rock’n’roll since 2008.
“There will be a calmer atmosphere around the stage in the orchard, where the legend Vít Hasl will end the festival on Saturday,” mentions Barbora Mrázová on behalf of the organizer. The name refers to the Czech band “which has never recorded a single song, yet is loved by listeners all over the world”, according to the organizers.
Another production is hosted by the local church of the Holy Trinity, where serious music is played. The accompanying program includes theatrical performances in the castle garden, children’s and pub stages, handicraft entertainment or readings by authors. The area is complemented by the stands of non-profit organizations.
According to the main organizer František Špinka, Povaleč is not a classic music festival. “Everything is there, and the goal is to bring people together, not to make money,” he says. People don’t pay the traditional entrance fee here. Its amount is only recommended, this year it is 950 crowns.
Since 2006, Povaleč has been held in the grounds of the Valeč Castle Park. In addition to the cultural program, visitors are also offered tours of the castle. Its history dates back to the 14th century, it was rebuilt in the Baroque period. In 1976, the castle was destroyed by fire, the restoration of the building continues to this day. The theatron was restored in the park last year, and work has been going on for several years to reconstruct the castle’s greenhouses. For more than four years, the historic building of the former forge has also hosted an exhibition of 28 original sculptures from the workshop of the leading Baroque sculptor Matyáš Bernard Braun, complete with sound and light effects.
Video: My music even moves me. In my dream, a squinty dog is wearing it, says the Bert & Friends singer (18/06/2024)
The concert itself can even make me cry, Albert Romanutti, frontman of the Czech band Bert & Friends, said in the Spotlight program. | Video: Team Spotlight