The 10 best things to do in Prague this weekend: August 25–27, 2023

Discover new types of vegan food and recipes at the Vegan Feat on Aug. 26 at Café Na půl cesty. The event features a rich accompanying program of workshops (mostly in Czech), including a Vegan Meetup in English, whose location is to be announced, plus a book swap and bazaar. 

The English-friendly Anishort 2023 animated short film festival takes place on Aug. 26. at Kasárna Karlín and shows 18 of the best short animated films from 13 countries. The films, which won accolades at inter­na­tion­al fes­ti­vals, showcase a mix­ture of var­i­ous ani­ma­tion tech­niques, gen­res and sto­ries.

The 18th edition of the Prague Gothic Treffen will bring together gothic souls from Czechia and beyond on Aug. 25 and 26 at Fuchs2 and Bike Jesus. The program includes concerts from Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Pink Turns Blue, Sydney Valette, and many others, a Saturday Gothic picnic, and a chance to meet like-minded people. 

The 20th edition of the Letní Letná new circus festival is in full swing in Letná Park, with upcoming performances that include Animal by Cirque Alfonse and Sabotage by NoFit State on Aug. 25, Crossing by Eleonora Dall'Asta, Ilona Jäntti, Aki Yoshida & Eliška Brtnická and Bitbybitby Collectif Malunés a Movedbymatter on Aug. 26, and A ciel ouvert by Cirque Aïtal on Aug. 27, among many others.

Enjoy the warm August evenings with movies at Sunset Cinema. Its weekend schedule includes Mamma Mia! and The Great Gatsby on Aug. 25, Pretty Woman and Interstellar on Aug. 26, and The Greatest Showman on Aug. 27. Also on Aug. 27, A Touch of Zen, which is part of Kino Aero’s Echoes of The Summer Film School series, is a 1971 masterpiece of Chinese cinema and martial arts moviemaking (with English subtitles). 

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Karel Prager, one of the most important Czech modernist and brutalist architects, CAMP organized a series of events on Aug. 26, including Archirun, a seven-kilometer marathon that includes individual stops at buildings that Prager designed. If you prefer walking, take a guided tour (in English) of the buildings surrounding the Emmaus monastery on the same day.

On Aug. 27, Výstaviště will host a special event for the Independence Day of Ukraine (celebrated on Aug. 24) called Together for Victory! that features a charity concert with voluntary admission, a fair with products of Ukrainian artisans, and meetings with organizations that help Ukrainians with temporary protection visas.

As a highlight of his summer tour, Conor Maynard will perform at Meet Factory on Aug. 25. An indie pop sensation largely propelled by TikTok, Maynard is known for hits chronicling love woes such as Dusk Till Dawn, Don't Let Me Down, and Someone You Loved. 

As part of Castle Night, which takes place throughout the Czech Republic on Aug. 26, several buildings in Prague will open their doors to the public. These include the gardens under Prague Castle, Invalidovna, and the seat of the Senate at the Wallenstein Palace.

If you are looking for activities away from the city center, the child-friendly Malešičák fest 2023 on Aug. 26 brings music from Top Dream Company, Low Level, and Yelling Ourangutans to Malešický Park. In the same vein, Svatobartolomějská pouť (St. Bartholomew Pilgrimage) at Kostel sv. Bartoloměje, Kyje, also on Aug. 26, features fair attractions, a cultural and church program, and several cake-eating competitions.