26th

international bagpipe festival Strakonice

20th - 23rd August 2026

25th

international bagpipe festival Strakonice

22nd - 25th August 2024

ABOUT FESTIVAL

The festival is one of the most important folklore festivals in the world in terms of its scope and quality. Each year of the festival is an opportunity to meet and get to know each other’s ensembles and individuals who present bagpipes. The performers are united by their love of tradition and folk art. For the 26th time, bagpipers and bagpipe ensembles from various countries of the world will gather in Strakonice to play, sing, dance and together create the International Bagpipe Festival. The audience will have the opportunity to admire the beauty and diversity of the costumes and musical and dance traditions of different nations. Over time, the Bagpipe Festival has become one of the main pillars of cultural events in Strakonice and plays an irreplaceable role in the presentation of our town and Czech folklore throughout the world.

The International Bagpipe Festival (MDF) is organized by the Strakonice Municipal Cultural Centre and the Town of Strakonice, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the South Bohemian Region.

The event is held under the auspices of the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, the Minister of Culture, Oto Klempíř, and the Governor of the South Bohemian Region, Martin Kuba.

opening words of the mayor
Opening words by the Chairman of the Programme Board

Previous years

1967
1967
1968
1968
1969
1969
1972
1972
1975
1975
1978
1978
1980
1980
1983
1983
1986
1986
1989
1989
1992
1992
1994
1994
1996
1996
1998
1998
2000
2000
2002
2002
2004
2004
2006
2006
2008
2008
2010
2010
2012
2012
2014
2014
2016
2016
2018
2018
2022
2022

ENSEMBLES

CZECH

Czech ensembles with a long tradition that regularly perform at the bagpipe festival.

LIST OF BANDS

FOREIGN

Foreign ensembles with a long tradition regularly return to the bagpipe festival.

LIST OF BANDS

CHILD'S

Children's ensembles are a regular revival of piping and a contribution of the younger generation.

LIST OF BANDS

INDIVIDUALS

Every year we also welcome individual bagpipers, who add variety to the traditional parade.

LIST OF INDIVIDUALS

OTHERS

Traditionally, we also try to introduce you to alternative bagpipe music or the production of the bagpipes themselves.

LIST OF OTHERS

PROGRAMME

parade map
program for download
THURSDAY - 20th August
FRIDAY - 21st August
SATURDAY - 22nd August
SUNDAY - 23rd August
AKCE NA HRADĚ
AKCE U MARKÉTY
AKCE U PIVOVARU
AKCE NA LETŇÁKU
PROGRAM ČTVREK 22.8.
PROGRAM PÁTEK 23.8.
PROGRAM SOBOTA 24.8.
PROGRAM NEDĚLE 25.8.

TICKETS

Admission except VIP seats to the Open-air Cinema is FREE!

VIP Seating: 350 CZK (other areas free of charge).

These events are highly popular and venue capacity is limited. To guarantee a seat, we recommend purchasing tickets in advance. All other seating and standing areas are free until capacity is reached. By purchasing a pre-sale ticket, you guarantee your entry, skip the queues, and avoid the risk of the venue being fully booked.

Pre-sale ends on August 16, 2026.

TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON AT www.meks-st.cz

THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY

CONTACT US

  • www.meks-st.cz
  • +420 380 422 737
  • +420 380 422 744

Municipal Cultural Centre

František Christelbauer

festival director

Dana Skoupilová

festival tenant

Zdeněk Vejvoda

chairman of the programme committee

Do you have a question?

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Czech ensembles

• Prácheňský soubor písní a tanců (Strakonice)
• Mladá dudácká muzika (Strakonice)
• Pošumavská dudácká muzika
• Strakonická dudácká muzika
• Dudácká muzika Pod Rumpálem
• Dudáci ze Strakonic
• Švandova dudácká muzika
• Dudácká muzika ze Lhoty (Švejcarova Lhota)
• Veselá dudácká muzika (Katovice)
• Elčovická dudácká muzika
• Blaťácký soubor (Ševětín)
• BUDUS (České Budějovice)
• Úsvit (České Budějovice)
• Chodský soubor (Mrákov)
• Rokytí (Rokycany)
• Obec baráčníků (Radomyšl)
• Pazderníci od Šlojíře (Hodonice u Bechyně)
• Nektarka (Strakonice)

Stay tuned for more!

Foreign ensembles

Scotland

Skotská vlajka

NEILSTON DISTRICT PIPE BAND
Russel Mechan – group leader

  •  

Austria

rakouská vlajka

WINKELTANZ 
Michael Vereno – group leader

STEYRISCHE BORDUNMUSIK

Sepp Pichler – group leader

Greece

řecká vlajka

CULTURAL ASSOCIATION OF FILYRO – GROUP OF TRADITIONAL DANCES

Konstantinos Lazaridis – group leader

  •  

Slovakia

slovenská vlajka

FS GYMNIK

Kristína Šatánková – group leader

Poland

polská vlajka

Zespół Pieśni i Tańca “Żeńcy Wielkopolscy”

Rafał Rosolski – group leader

Hungary

madarská vlajka

VIRTUS HUNGARIAN BAGPIPE ENSEMBLE
DÁVID KIRÁLY – group leader

Georgia

gruzínská vlajka

GEORGIAN CHOREOGRAPHIC ENSEMBLE “JVARULI”
SALOME BANETISHVILI & LEVAN TABATADZE – group leaders

Belgium

belgická vlajka

c’Eolis

Pol Ranson – group leader

Spain

španělská vlajka

REAL BANDA DE GAITAS

Vedoucí souboru: Xosé Lois Foxo

Mallorca

španělská vlajka

Xeremiers de Mallorca

Cassandre Balosso-Bardin / Càndid Trujillo – group leader

France

francouzská vlajka

BAGAD PLOUGASTELL

Nolwenn Smetryns – group leader

Netherlands

nizozemská vlajka

HAILANDER
JEROEN DE GROOT – group leader

Turkey

turecká vlajka

RAKSAN ANADOLU

Suat Aydın – group leader

Germany

německá vlajka

SERBSKA REJOWANSKA SKUPINA SMJERDŹACA

Gabriel Schneider – group leader

Bulgaria

bulharská vlajka

PHILIP KOUTEV” NATIONAL SCHOOL OF FOLK ARTS

Maria Gradeshlieva – group leader

Children's ensembles

• Dětský národopisný soubor Brněnský Valášek (Brno)
• Folklorní soubor Ondrášek, z. s. (Frýdek-Místek)
• Dětský folklorní soubor Prácheňáček
• Dudácká muzika ZUŠ Strakonice

… Stay tuned for more!

Individuals

To Be Announced

To Be Announced

Others

Rock, pop & punk

• Piánko (Strakonice)
• Shivers (Strakonice)
• Bajadéra Joy (Strakonice)
• Moravian Bastards (Třebíč)
• Arcus (Chomutov)
• Skiltron (Belgium)
• Tempus (Kyjov)
• Triddana (Argentina)
• Celtica (Austria)

 

Medieval Music

• Alioquin (Brno)
• Gnomus (Pardubice)
• RaChod (Domažlice)
• Dei Gratia (Tábor)
• Subulcus (Dlouhý Most)
• Peregrin (Prague)
• Jera (Pilsen)

Other performers

  • Pilsen Region Folk Instrument Orchestra with its Soloists and Guests

  • Collegium Urtica (CZ), students of the Strakonice Art School Dance Department

  • Tomáš Spurný

Programme for Thursday, 20 August 2026

13:00 – 14:00 | Welcome of Foreign Guests (Culture House – private event)

20:00 – 22:00 | International Bagpipe Soiree (Castle Courtyard – P. Ředina / P. Ředina)

  • performing: Dudáci ze Strakonic, Dudácká muzika Pod Rumpálem, Elčovická dudácká muzika, Mladá dudácká muzika, Pošumavská dudácká muzika, Prácheňáček, Prácheňský soubor, Strakonická dudácká muzika, Švandova dudácká muzika and all their foreign guests

 

ACCOMPANYING PROGRAMME

Bagpipe Symposium – Museum of Central Otava Strakonice (August 19–20)

Old Czech Fair in the Castle Courtyards (August 20–23)

The Beauty of Bagpipes – exhibition in the Chapter Hall of the Strakonice Castle (August 20–23)

Bagpipes and Bagpipe Traditions – permanent exhibition in the Museum of Central Otava Strakonice (09:00–17:00)

Programme for Friday, 21 August 2026

10:00 – 17:30 | open stage (Manor Garden / „Panská zahrada“)

10:30 – 12:00 | When the Members of Prácheňáček Meet

Programme for the 45th anniversary of the ensemble (Castle Courtyard – S. Svobodová)

  • performing: Prácheňáček (Strakonice)

13:00 – 14:30 | Musical Visiting Card of Foreign Guests (Castle Courtyard – Z. Vejvoda / Z. Vejvoda)

  • performing: bagpipe ensembles from Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Hungary, Austria, Spain and Great Britain

14:30 – 16:00 | In Strakonice the Bagpipes are Roaring…

The musical legacy of an exceptional bagpipe and pedagogical personality Vojtěch Hrubý (1915–2006) (Knight’s Hall – P. Eremiáš / K. Jindřich)

  • performing: Chodský soubor (Mrákov), Prácheňský soubor (Strakonice), Strakonická dudácká muzika, Veselá dudácká muzika (Katovice) and pupils of V. Hrubý

16:30 – 18:00 | When Bagpipes Resound Through the Countryside

Programme of bagpipers and bagpipe bands of Southwest Bohemia for the life jubilee of Miroslav Stecher (Castle Courtyard – I. Novotná / I. Novotná, M. Rusek)

  • performing: bagpipers from Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, Elčovická dudácká muzika (Lčovice), Chodský soubor (Mrákov), Prácheňský soubor (Strakonice), Úsvit and BUDUS (České Budějovice)

17:00 – 18:00 | 100 Years with the “Gajdy” Bagpipes, or the Decline and Rebirth of the “Gajdoš” Tradition in Slovakia.

A lecture by the leading Slovak ethnomusicologist and musician Bernard Garaj (Knight’s Hall – B. Garaj)

18:30 – 21:00 | Horned Music, It Excels in the Whole Wide World. Gala Concert of Foreign Ensembles (Open air Cinema – D. Pavlíček / D. Pavlíček)

  • performing: bagpipers from Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, Prácheňáček (Strakonice) and foreign ensembles from Georgia, the Netherlands, Poland, Austria, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey and Great Britain

21:30 – 22:00 | Grand Opening of the Festival (Katovická St., J. Palach Bridge, Brewery Footbridge)

  • performing: foreign ensembles from Turkey and Great Britain

22:30 – 00:00 | Bagpipe Nocturno of the Pilsen Region Folk Instrument Orchestra

A musical memory of Zdeněk Bláha (1929–2025) (Castle Courtyard – Z. Vejvoda)

  • performing: Pilsen Region Folk Instrument Orchestra with its soloists and guests

STAGE BY BREWERY

  • 14:30 – 15:00 Dudácká muzika Pod Rumpálem (Strakonice)

  • 15:30 – 16:00 C’eolis (Belgium)

  • 16:30 – 17:00 Xeremiers de Mallorca (Mallorca, Spain)

  • 17:30 – 18:15 Nektarka (Strakonice)

  • 18:30 – 19:00 Úsvit (České Budějovice)

  • 19:30 – 20:00 Chodský soubor (Mrákov)

  • 20:30 – 21:00 Dudáci ze Strakonic

ST. MARGARET’S STAGE

  • 11:00 – 11:30 Cultural Association of Filyro – group of traditional dances (Greece)

  • 12:00 – 12:30 Schmerlitz (Upper Lusatia, Germany)

  • 13:00 – 13:30 Gymnik (Slovakia)

  • 14:00 – 14:30 Philip Koutev (Bulgaria)

  • 15:00 – 15:30 Neilston and District Pipe Band (Scotland, Great Britain)

  • 16:00 – 16:30 Bagad Plougastell (Brittany, France)

  • 17:00 – 18:00 Shivers (Strakonice)

  • 18:30 – 19:30 Tempus (Kyjov)

  • 20:00 – 21:30 Triddana (Argentina)

  • 22:30 – 00:00 Celtica (Austria)

MANOR GARDEN („Panská zahrada“)

  • 10:00 – 10:30 Jvaruli (Georgia)

  • 11:00 – 11:30 Ržeircy wielkopolscy (Poland)

 

ACCOMPANYING PROGRAMME

Old Czech Fair in the Castle Courtyards (August 20–23)

European Meeting of Bagpipe Makers in the 3rd Castle Courtyard (August 22–23)

The Beauty of Bagpipes – exhibition in the Chapter Hall of the Strakonice Castle (August 20–23)

Bagpipes and Bagpipe Traditions – permanent exhibition in the Museum of Central Otava Strakonice (09:00–17:00)

  •  

Programme for Saturday, 22 August 2026

09:30 – 11:00 | There Stands a Little Church. Concert of Spiritual Music (St. Margaret’s Church – T. Spurný / Z. Vejvoda)

  • performing: Pošumavská dudácká muzika and its guests from Poland, Austria, Spain and Great Britain

10:00 – 12:00 | In no other place and no other zone, will you hear more bagpipe’s tone.

Regional programme of ensembles and bagpipe bands from the Strakonice region (Castle Courtyard – M. Rusek & I. Novotná / M. Rusek)

  • performing: Dudáci ze Strakonic, Dudácká muzika pod Rumpálem, Mladá dudácká muzika, Pošumavská dudácká muzika, Prácheňský soubor, Strakonická dudácká muzika, Švandova dudácká muzika (Strakonice), Dudácká muzika ze Lhoty (Švejcarova Lhota), Veselá dudácká muzika (Katovice), Režný family band

13:00 – 14:00 | Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter: Singing songs makes life much better.

Playful programme for children and parents (Maltese Hall – I. Novotná / K. Gálisová and B. Novotná)

  • performing: Veselá dudácká muzika (Katovice)

13:00 – 14:30 | Dance Card of Foreign Ensembles (Castle Courtyard – Z. Vejvoda / Z. Vejvoda)

  • performing: bagpipe ensembles from Bulgaria, Georgia, Poland, Germany, Greece, Slovakia, Turkey and Great Britain

14:30 – 15:30 | When the Musette Dances.

The harmony of tones and movement in French Baroque music (St. Margaret’s Church – K. Hodinová / A. Janotová)

  • performing: Jean-Pierre Van Hees (Belgium) and Collegium Urtica (Czech Republic)

15:00 – 16:00 | Magic on the Bagpipe Pipe.

Showcase of domestic and international bagpipe soloists (Knight’s Hall – P. Ředina / P. Ředina)

15:00 – 16:30 | Bagpipes in World Music (Manor Garden – M. Vaváček / M. Vaváček)

  • performing: Alioquin (Brno), Gnomus (Pardubice), RaChod (Domažlice), Shivers (Strakonice)

16:00 – 17:30 | In Strakonice Behind the Altar.

Programme of ensembles from Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia (Castle Courtyard – Z. Vejvoda / J. Frühauf, M. Šantora)

  • performing: bagpipers from Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, Blaťácký soubor (Ševětín), Ondrášek (Frýdek Místek), Rokytí (Rokycany), Valášek (Brno), Dudácká muzika ZUŠ Strakonice

18:30 – 21:00 | Hear the bagpipe whistle play, at the Strakonice Gala today.

Gala concert of (not only) foreign ensembles (Open-air Cinema – M. Rusek)

  • performing: Prácheňský soubor (Strakonice), Rokytí (Rokycany) and foreign ensembles from Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Germany, Austria, Greece, Slovakia, Spain and Great Britain

21:30 – 23:30 | Medieval Bagpipes in the Castle and the Castle Grounds (Castle Courtyard – M. Vaváček / M. Valha)

  • performing: Dei Gratia (Tábor), Subulcus (Dlouhý Most), Peregrin (Praha), Alioquin (Brno), Jera (Plzeň)

22:00 – 01:00 | Bagpipe Ball with Dance Lessons for Everyone (Culture House – I. Novotná, J. Bašta)

  • performing: bagpipe ensembles from the Czech Republic and abroad

STAGE BY BREWERY

  • 09:30 – 10:00 Valášek (Brno)

  • 10:30 – 11:00 Ondrášek (Frýdek-Místek)

  • 11:30 – 12:00 C’eolis (Belgium)

  • 12:30 – 13:00 Virtus (Hungary)

  • 13:30 – 14:00 MDŽ – Malá dudácká ženská muzika (Svatý Jan nad Malší)

  • 14:30 – 15:00 Steyrische Bordunmusik (Austria)

  • 15:30 – 16:00 Xeremiers de Mallorca (Mallorca, Spain)

  • 16:30 – 17:00 Winkeltanz (Austria)

  • 17:30 – 18:00 Robson´s Choice (England, Great Britain)

  • 18:30 – 19:00 Hailander (Netherlands)

  • 19:30 – 20:00 Blaťácký soubor (Ševětín)

  • 20:30 – 21:00 Mladá dudácká muzika (Strakonice)

  • 21:30 – 22:00 Strakonická dudácká muzika

ST. MARGARET’S STAGE

  • 11:00 – 11:30 Jvaruli (Georgia)

  • 12:00 – 12:30 Anadolu (Turkey)

  • 13:00 – 13:30 Bagad Plougastell (Brittany, France)

  • 14:00 – 14:30 Real Banda de Gaitas (Galicia, Spain)

  • 16:15 – 17:00 Piánko (Strakonice)

  • 17:30 – 18:30 Bajadéra Joy (Strakonice)

  • 19:00 – 20:00 Moravian Bastards (Třebíč)

  • 20:30 – 22:00 Arcus (Chomutov)

  • 22:30 – 00:00 Skiltron (Belgium)

     

MANOR GARDEN („Panská zahrada“)

  • 09:00 – 11:30 | Nobody knows as well as I, how the rowen is mown… (by the Manor Garden) Organised by: Czech Hand Mowers Association, playing: BUDUS (České Budějovice)  

 

ACCOMPANYING PROGRAMME

Bagpipe Symposium – Museum of Central Otava Strakonice (August 19–20)

Old Czech Fair in the Castle Courtyards (August 20–23)

European Meeting of Bagpipe Makers in the 3rd Castle Courtyard (August 22–23)

Hand Mowing of the Meadow near the Manor Garden (August 22)

The Beauty of Bagpipes – exhibition in the Chapter Hall of the Strakonice Castle (August 20–23)

Bagpipes and Bagpipe Traditions – permanent exhibition in the Museum of Central Otava Strakonice (09:00–17:00)

 

Programme for Sunday, 23 August 2025

10:00 – 11:00 | Contrasts. Bagpipes in various musical genres (Knight’s Hall – I. Novotná / I. Novotná)

  • performing: M. Cwach and Shivers (Czech Republic), Jean-Pierre Van Hees and C’eolis (Belgium), Stjepan Večković (Croatia), Winkeltanz and Bordunotis (Austria) and others

10:00 – 11:30 | How the Bagpiper Went into the World.

A composed programme of children’s folklore ensembles (Castle Courtyard – S. Svobodová / P. Kratochvíl)

  • performing: Ondrášek (Frýdek-Místek), Prácheňáček (Strakonice), Valášek (Brno)

11:30 – 12:30 | The Secret of Making Bagpipes.

Historical crafts and bagpipe makers of European regions (Third Courtyard – M. Vaváček / M. Vaváček)

13:00 – 14:30 | FESTIVAL PARADE THROUGH THE TOWN

14:30 – 15:30 | Meeting of Bagpipers from All Corners of the World.

Entry into the Czech Book of Records (M. Vaváček)

15:30 – 17:30 | Final Gala Concerts of Foreign Ensembles (Open-air Cinema, Castle Courtyard – D. Pavlíček / Z. Vejvoda)

  • performing: Prácheňský soubor (Strakonice) and all foreign guests

 

ST. MARGARET’S STAGE

  • 09:00 – 10:30 International Bagpipe Mass

  • 11:00 – 11:30 Gymnik (Slovakia)

 

STAGE BY BREWERY

  • 10:00 – 10:30 Elčovická dudácká muzika (Lčovice)

  • 11:00 – 11:30 BUDUS

  • 12:00 – 12:30 Dudácká muzika ZUŠ Strakonice

 

 

ACCOMPANYING PROGRAMME

Old Czech Fair in the Castle Courtyards (August 20–23)

European Meeting of Bagpipe Makers in the 3rd Castle Courtyard (August 22–23)

The Beauty of Bagpipes – exhibition in the Chapter Hall of the Strakonice Castle (August 20–23)

Bagpipes and Bagpipe Traditions – permanent exhibition in the Museum of Central Otava Strakonice (09:00–17:00)