This weekend in Prague: Masopust parades take to the streets

Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi comes to O2 Arena on Feb. 17. His second album, to be called "Broken By Desire to Be Heavenly Sent," will be released in May, but songs will be included in the current tour.

Hear Cuban-inspired beats from Pragasón at Jazz Dock on Feb 18. The band was formed in 2000 and tries to recreate the mood of dancehalls from the middle of the 20th century.

Musician Dan Reed celebrates his 60th birthday at Lucerna Music Bar on Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. He will play with his trio, with support from Lenka Dusilová and Justin Lavash. In 1990 the Dan Reed Network opened for the Rolling Stones in Prague at Strahov and on other dates on the tour. Reed has since settled in Prague and currently paints and is working on a film project in addition to his music.

A concert of orchestral film music with an animal theme, Zvířátka has tunes from everything from "Finding Nemo" to "King Kong." The Filmová filharmonie will play the new program on Feb. 19 at the Rudolfinum.

Discopunk electro duo Hello Marcel will get the crowd dancing at Kasárna Karlín on Feb. 18. Their latest video was filmed in and around the former ironworks in Ostrava. Prague-based foursome homeoffice starts the show.

The contemporary circus festival Cirkopolis is at Palác Akropolis, Ponec, and DOX until Feb. 18.

Puccini's classic opera Madama Butterfly returns to the State Opera for two shows on Feb. 17 and 23. The current staging of this tragic love story set in a fanciful version of Japan premiered in 2016.

Mozart's The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte) has a late afternoon performance at the Estates Theater on Feb. 19 at 5 p.m. This production includes circus performers and fire effects.

With 100 dancers and an orchestra, the Georgian National Ballet Sukhushvili will fill the stage of the Prague Congress Center on Feb. 18. The ensemble has been performing traditional dances in colorful costumes for 75 years.

Žižkov celebrates its 28th Masopust on Feb. 18 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad. Workshops for kids start at 10 a.m. and a parade from the Atrium to the square starts at 4:30 p.m.

Karlín has one of the bigger Masopust celebrations. The 20th edition is at Karlínské náměstí from noon to 7 p.m. on Feb. 18. A parade starts at Kaizlovy sady at 1 p.m. and heads to the square.

Malá Strana has a pub-hopping parade on Feb. 18 starting at U Černého Vola at 1 p.m. and winding its way down the hill and then ending up at Kampa around 4 p.m.

Letná has a celebration on Feb. 18 at the National Technical Museum starting at 12:30 p.m. and at the National Agricultural Museum at 2 p.m.

A mask-making and papier-mâché workshop takes place at Střídačka in Výstaviště in Holešovice on Feb. 18 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Park Riegrovy sady has a two-day pork fest (zabijačka) on Feb. 17 and 18.

An alternative to all the pork-filled celebrations, Vegan Fest at Žižkov's prostor39 on Feb. 19 is a zero-waste event in a former industrial space. Admission is voluntary.

One celebration takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 21, which is when most of the world celebrates Mardi Gras. The 29th Břevnov Masopust parade starts at 4 p.m. at Bělohorská and Pod Královkou streets and work its way to the Břevnov Monastery.

Future Gate presents a three-day festival of fantasy, horror, and sci-fi called Kinomixer at Bio Oko on Feb. 17–19. All of the films are English-friendly. The festival opens with "Mad Heidi," a gory Swiss-made revenge film, and closes with the Spanish animated film "Unicorn Wars."

The award-winning film The Whale has previews at Světozor, Aero, and Přítomnost. The film has been a comeback for star Brendan Fraser, who plays a reclusive teacher attempting to comment with his estranged daughter.

A series of films nominated for Czech Lion awards continues at Edison Filmhub. The films are screened with English subtitles until March 4. This weekend you can see "Victim," "And Then There Was Love...," and "Borders of Love." Read our story here.

A new permanent exhibit called Art, Life presents design and applied art from the 20th and 21st centuries in six halls at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague. Over 1,300 objects show the impact of art on life.