The 10 best things to do in Prague this weekend: Sept. 29–Oct. 1, 2023

Between Sept. 29–Oct. 5, the Architecture Day Festival, with participating locations across the Czech Republic, takes visitors to unusual places as well as well-known buildings. The festival includes free admission to the National Gallery Prague’s collection exhibition 1956–1989: Architecture for all on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.

Party like you're in Germany at Oktoberfest, which takes place between Sept. 29 and 30 at the Riegrovy sady Park with Pilsner, German beers, Bavarian sausages, pretzels, sauerkraut, and other delicious dishes. If you are more of a wine lover, the Wine festival at Náplavka Rašínovo Nábřeží (Vinobraní na náplavce 2023) on Sept. 29 and 30 offers burčák and wines from South Moravia and from abroad.

Until Oct. 1, the fifth Annual Mussels Festival offers a voucher for 1+1 free portions at more than 200 restaurants across the Czech Republic, which include Prague restaurants Blue Fjord, The Twisted Fig, The Municipal House Restaurant, Le Camille, The Mozart Prague, and Seafood Market among others.

On Sept. 30, 100 drummers will play Brazilian samba-reggae music at Jiřího z Poděbrad Square in a performance led by Brazilian composer Giba Gonçalves. Gonçalves is the creator of Batala Mundo, a worldwide project promoting and sharing Afro-Brazilian percussion, specifically samba-reggae originally from Salvador da Bahia, Brazil.

Hungarian ethno-beat band Aurevoir. will be at Palác Akropolis on Sept. 30 with songs inspired by the folk music of the Carpathian Basin and Anglo-Saxon beat folk, as well as the world of French café chansons and old Renaissance and Baroque music. On a different note, British pianist Sam Haywood will be at Rudolfinum on Sept. 30 with a program that includes compositions from Frédéric Chopin, Franz Schubert, and Ignaz Pleyel.

Time and our daily sprint through life are the themes of Cirk La Putyka's Runners, which is at Jatka78 on Sept. 29 The unique set design, consisting of a huge treadmill made to measure in the UK, sets the pace of the show, which depicts the hectic pace of life via physical theatre and contemporary circus.

After a successful premiere in the spring, the modern adaptation of the classic play A Beggar’s Opera returns to Divadlo Na Prádle on Sept. 29 and 30 with experienced local actors playing a colorful cast of thieves, prostitutes, and lowlifes. Inspired by the 18th-century English dramatist John Gay, the text blends with the music of British trio The Tiger Lillies, performed live by the Divadlo Miloco ensemble. 

The annual international Lunchmeat Festival dedicated to current independent electronic music and digital art promises a host of award-winning artists representing contemporary music and visual creation performing at the National Gallery Prague. The lineup includes Hyd, Written in the Scars, and Invisible General on Sept. 29, and Oceanic, Grey Area, and Denny Wilke on Sept. 30.

The 10th edition of the Future Gate Sci-fi Film Festival 2023 will be at Kino Lucerna until Oct. 2. This year's theme is space colonization, explored through a program that includes White Plastic Sky (Műanyag ébolt, with English subtitles) on Sept. 29, Mars Express (with English subtitles) and Starship Troopers featuring Canadian actor Michael Ironside as a guest on Sept. 30, and Beyond Tomorrow on Oct. 1.

The 24th edition of the Nuclear Drakiada (Jaderná drakiáda) kite flying competition takes place on Oct. 1 in the Ladronka meadow (by the U Ladronky bus stop). Compete in the categories for the biggest, the smallest, the longest flying, the most original, the most beautiful, and the cutest kite, or just come to see the spectacle.