Best things to do in Prague this week, Aug. 5–11

Opening

 The story of Saint Ludmila, a Czech patron saint who died 1,100 years in September, opens in the Wallenstein Palace, the seat of the Czech Senate. The installation will run until Oct. 17. Ludmila lived in the late ninth and early 10th century, and was the wife of Bořivoj, the first ruler of the Přemyslid dynasty. She was the grandmother of St. Wenceslas. The exhibition will be on panels in the the Mythological Corridor in the palace and the adjacent Wallenstein Garden. More info is on the event website.

A bit off the beaten track in Prague–Řeporyje, Studio Bubec has a retrospective of works by modern sculptor Kurt Gebauer called Věci veřejné (Public Things). Gebauer is best know for his pubic art, and was recently the subject of group show at the National Gallery. The exhibition runs to Sept. 26. More info on the gallery website and Facebook.

Thursday, Aug, 5

If the damp weather has you wanting to stay in, there is a free online Zoom performance of Sir Noël Coward's Blithe Spirit featuring local Prague actors such as Beatriz Arbisqueta, Ben Bradshaw, and Marc Cram at 8 pm on Aug. 5. The plot involves a novelist who holds a séance to get material for his next book. Info on how to watch is on Facebook.

Giuseppe Verdi’s opera La traviata will be performed at Stalin, the base of the former statue at Letná, on Aug. 5 at 9 pm as part of the Run Operun series. Admission is free. The event is also a part of Prague Pride, in cooperation with the with the PLAYboyz platform, which has put a modern spin on the tale. Admission is free. More info on Facebook and Prague Pride website.

The summer cinema at CAMP, the Center for Architecture and Metropolitan Planning, has a free screening Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, starring Robert De Niro in the title role. The series uses films to showcase urban architecture, and Taxi Driver captures New York in the mid-1970s, before a wave of construction changed the Times Square area. The film is Aug,. 5 at 8:30 pm. More info on the CAMP website.

The Playing Divas series at Atrium na Žižkově continues with Amelie Siba, part of the young generation of “bedroom pop” stars in Prague. She won the Anděl Award for Alternative and Electronic Music in 2021. Her live performance has been described as an intimate confession dealing with adolescence, her relationship with herself and others. The concert is Aug. 5 at 6:30 pm. While it is sold out, some tickets may be available on the spot if the weather is good enough to play outside. More info on the Atrium website and Facebook.

Czech band Mňága a Žďorp will be at Lucerna Music Bar Open Air stage at Ledárny Braník on Aug. 5 at 8 pm. They gave several online concerts during the lockdown. Now is the chance to thank them by seeing them live.The band's roots go back to the late 1980s. More info on the venue website.

Friday, Aug. 6

Guided tours of the Historical Building of the National Theatre are in English on Aug. 6 and 7 at 2:30 pm. People can see not only the main hall but also other places from the foundation stones up to the terrace, with its panoramic view, finding out about the decor and artists along the way. Info on tickets is on the National Theatre website.

Board games, burlesque, a subtitled screening of the new film Cocoon (Léto v Kreuzbergu), a dance performance, and a choice of club nights: Prague Pride has something for everyone. More info on the Prague Pride website.

Saturday, Aug. 7

Celebrate Latin American culture with Colombian Week, which runs Aug. 7 to 14. Highlights include a food festival on Aug. 8 at Pavilon Grébovka at Havlíčkovy sady from 11 am to 10 pm, a film festival at kino Světozor on Aug. 7 and the Cervantes Institute and FAMU on Aug. 9–13. There are also workshops and presentations. More info on Facebook and Instagram.

The main program of Open House Praha takes place Aug, 7–8, with over 80 buildings opening their often inaccessible spaces for free, and there is no need to register in advance. One theme this year is artistic spaces and studios. The information center is in the arcade of the House at the Golden Horn (dům U Zlatého rohu) on Malé náměstí 4/10 in Prague 1, and buildings can be located using the Mapy.cz app. More info is on the festival website and Facebook.

Grill Fest takes place at Smíchovská náplavka on Aug. 7 from 10 am to 8 pm. Entry is free. In addition to burgers and ribs, there will also be veggie burgers and grilled cheeses. Peruvian, Cuban, and Georgian specialties are also on the menu. More info on Facebook.

 Jazz Dock continues its weekly Jazz on the Roof series with Libor Šmoldas Trio. Award-winning guitarist Šmoldas will play with bassist Tomáš Baroš and keyboardist Jakub Zomer. The concert is Aug. 7 at 4 pm, and will be held indoors in case of bad weather. More info on the Jazz Dock website and Facebook.

The Rainbow Pride Piknik takes place at Pride Village on Střelecký ostrov pn Aug.7 with food, drink, music and events all day from noon to 10 pm. There is no official parade this year, so this is the chance for a big gathering. More on the Prague Pride website.

The secretive Rooftop Festival has announced its location and will take place at Máj, 4. patro, the top of building commonly called Tesco at Národní and Spálená streets. The fun starts at noon on Aug. 7 and goes into the late hours with food, DJs, and a promised great atmosphere. More info on Facebook and Instagram.

Sunday, Aug. 8

Prague Pride ends with a series of events ranging from an all-day drag show at Botel Vodník to a screening of the film Lavendar Girls at Oko! Bistro in Vinohrady (not the similarly named Bio Oko) and a party at Friends Club and Bar. More info on the Prague Pride website.  

A vintage clothes pop-up sale called Berlin vintage meets Praha at Cafe Letka, located near the National Technical Museum and Létna park, will take place Aug. 8 starting at 1 pm. More info on Facebook.

Monday, Aug. 9

Czech pop star Aneta Langerová will perform music from the album Dvě slunce (Two Suns) at Azyl78, the temporary tent in Výstaviště Holešovice on Sept. 9 at 7:30 pm. More info on the venue website.

Tuesday, Aug. 10

You have another chance to see Black Widow at the Autokino Strahov drive in, which also now offers seating in addition to spots for cars. The film stars Scarlett Johansson as the Marvel superhero also known as Natasha Romanoff. The screening is Aug. 10 at 9 pm. More info on the Autokino Strahov website.

A large water slide will be at Radlická - kulturní sportovna on Aug. 10 and 11 from 3 pm for people age 15 and older. There will be games and contests, and a party with DJs in the evening. The event is sponsored by Corona beer, so there will also be a bar with drink specials. More info on Facebook.

Wednesday, Aug. 11

The new musical project Načeva & Zdivočelí koně puts music to poems by artists who were persecuted int the communist era. Singer Monika Načeva is also an actress whose career goes back to the mid-1980s when she was a teenager. The group will be on the roof of Radost on Aug, 11 at 7 pm. More info on Facebook.

Czech pop group Mirai will be at the Lucerna Music Bar Open Air stage at Ledárny Braník on Aug. 11 at 8 pm. The group from Frýdek-Místek in northern Moravia is fronted by singer and guitarist is Mirai Navrátil. More info on the event website.

Celebrate the summer with a Prosecco Garden Party at Manifesto Florenc on Aug. 11, starting at 5 pm. The wine will come from the 140-year-old Italian family winery Montelvini. There will also be games, chances to win prizes, and of course music. More info on the Manifesto website.