Prague Carnival Masopust.
"Masopust" or carnival period is a traditional Prague carnival with its roots in the Middle Ages. The masquerade took place in the winter before Ash Wednesday, which begins the fasting days before Easter. At the carnival, it was customary to overeat in order to fill up before the regime of severe restriction. At the same time, on the night before Ash Wednesday, it was customary to sharply limit its use and be content with meat bagels with coffee or milk. On Ash Wednesday, it was allowed to eat lean dishes such as vegetables, cheese, bread, boiled cereals, baked potatoes.
Masopusty are held every year throughout the Czech Republic, from large cities to small towns. The most colorful and fun, in my opinion, is held in the famous Prague district - Zizkov. The year of its revival is 1994 and its main organizer is the municipality of Prague-3 district. In addition to Zizkov itself, festivities also take place in Kralovski Vinohrady. About three thousand masks take part in the colorful procession every year. The Ž iž kov Masopust is considered a festival of games and music, food and drink, both for adults and children (masquerade ball, puppet theater). Magicians, jugglers and acrobats take part in carnival processions. And when you get tired of this colorful and noisy action, you can drink a glass (and more than one) of excellent Czech beer in the famous Zizkov gentleman "At the Shot Eye" (U Vystř elený ho oka), which traditionally acts as a co-organizer of the masopust.
In general, if you are in Prague at the end of winter (in 2011 at the end of February - beginning of March), I definitely recommend visiting this fun and colorful event, having fun and walking like a ten-year-old child.
