Prague’s top 10 weekend events: Love in the city, a never-ending rave, and picnicking in the vines

Prague will be electrified with love this weekend, with up to 80,000 people participating in the Prague Pride Festival running every day until August 11. All the colors of the rainbow will be on full display across the city, culminating with the traditional Pride March from Wenceslas Square to Letná on August 10. Join the celebration of LGBTQ+ diversity in the walk, or get a vantage point of the prideful thousands from Letná and join in the party at one of six stages in the park.

Aside from the official Prague Pride Festival program, event spaces and businesses will be showing their solidarity. Edison Filmhub has put together an exciting program of iconic and lesser-known movies that explore a range of stories from the LGBTQ+ community. Friday night’s screening is oscar-winning film Moonlight, followed by Guys on Saturday and 120 BPM on Sunday.

Follow up the Pride festivities on Saturday with one of Prague’s most hyped techno raves. The open-air Strahov Rave at Strahov Stadium will bring the historic venue to life with one of the city’s premier underground collectives, starting from 4:00 p.m. and running into the early hours of 4:00 a.m. Local artists will spin 12 hours of techno, psytrance, and more.

Looking for a new furry friend or want some animal therapy? On August 9-11 the 23rd Special Guinea Pig Exhibition will take place in the stables of Toulcův dvůr, putting a range of short-haired, long-haired, and even hairless guinea pigs on display. You can admire the popular pets, chat with breeders, and even take a guinea pig home if you fall in love with one. Creative workshops and activities will be running for children.

Go from observing creatures of tiny to epic proportions at the Prague Zoo on August 11, where World Elephant Day celebrations will be in full swing. The exhibition complex Valley of the Elephants delves into Asian culture, along with elephant bathing demonstrations and guided encounters with the gentle giants. Tours of the Elephant House are free with a valid zoo ticket.

Let your kids run amok with gratuitously messy activities at Podkovářská Park on August 11 for summer-themed Sensory Play. Water games, kinetic sand, pirate-themed activities and more will stimulate childrens’ imaginations, while a lecturer and pedagogue will be on site. Make sure to bring clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty!

The patron saint of Prague’s botanic-adjacent vineyards is celebrating a holiday this weekend, and food and drink indulgences are in order. The St Clara Vineyard will be holding a picnic on August 10-12, where blankets and baskets will be prepared for you. Be advised on a suitable wine and enjoy the gorgeous surrounds of the vineyard while munching on pecan pie, fresh fruit, savory quiche, and marinated olives.

The Day of Jewish Monuments on August 11 will make dozens of stunning synagogues and cemeteries accessible to the public, paying tribute to many of the Jewish communities in the Czech Republic who were persecuted during the Holocaust. 70 synagogues were burned or destroyed during World War II, many of which have since been restored - including the Jerusalem Synagogue in Prague 1. Visitors will be able to visit the exhibitions inside and delve into Jewish history.

From Michelangelo to Callot - The Art of Mannerist Printmaking has been running at the Waldstein Riding School since May, but will now have a guided tour in English on August 9. The exhibit depicts the development of Mannerist printmaking, its experiments, and its connections with other art forms. Visitors will see more than 200 works of art, including drawings by Michelangelo Buonarroti, accompanied by intriguing insights from an English-speaking guide.

The world’s largest simulated racing competition is making a pitstop in Prague, with the 2nd round of the Gran Turismo World Series taking place at Theatre Hybernia. After six rounds of online qualifiers, competitors have been selected to face off in a live race in the historic Old Town theater.