20 Years in the EU: Join the Celebration with United Islands of Prague Festival!

The festival season will kick off this year in Prague right at the beginning of May.

Wednesday, May 1st, will be dedicated to celebrating Europe on the islands in the center of Prague. As part of the “Experience Europe” event, the Czech Republic will commemorate twenty years since joining the European Union.

Its highlight will be the 21st edition of the traditional United Islands of Prague festival, where organizers will not only present the best of Czech emerging artists but also the most interesting discoveries from the European music scene.

From May 1st to 4th, the Prague islands will offer, alongside a reminder of peace, safety, and cooperation on the European continent, a diverse mix of unheard music from all twenty-seven European Union countries.

Festival-goers can also expect presentations from European countries and an exciting accompanying program curated this year by the organization “Thanks, we can,” known for the traditional November event Korzo Národní.

“Twenty years ago, the Czech Republic joined the European Union. Since then, the quality of life for most people in the Czech Republic has significantly improved. We all benefit from EU membership, not only because we live in safety and have access to the world’s largest market. Twenty years is an opportunity to reflect on what kind of European Union we would like to have in the next twenty years and what each of us can do to make it happen,” says Monika Ladmanová, Head of the European Commission Representation in the Czech Republic.

Over four days, more than a hundred artists from across Europe will perform on stages. Visitors can look forward to a diverse range of new musical acts from both the domestic and international scenes.

One of the headliners will be the Irish band 49th & Main, featuring an indie-pop duo from the Irish town of Kilkenny, composed of producer Ben O’Sullivan and singer/multi-instrumentalist Paddy King. The French scene will be represented by the band Télépagaille, which has quickly made a name for itself on the Parisian alternative scene.

The Czech scene will be represented by the Prague-based Czech-singing boyband Good Times Only and the Plzeň-based band Severals, which has gained recognition on both the Czech and international scenes.

Even the smallest bands will have a chance to perform at the festival, with Thursday evening dedicated to club nights in ten clubs across Prague, from Ďáblice through the city center to Jižní Město.

Visitors can also look for several installations, exhibitions, staged readings, and space for dialogue on European topics.

Interesting organizations, human rights initiatives, associations from Prague 1, workshops, museums, and cultural institutions will also have their space. In addition to the musical and non-musical program, the festival will also feature a rich gastronomic offer, food trucks, and bars with a diverse selection of non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages.