by William Yakowicz

Where: Kampa Island, Petrin Hill, Dvorce, and many more locations
When: The last night of April
Attractions: Bongo players, Fire poi, bag pipes, bonfires, umm….and pivo

    The origin of this celebration is debatable, but the tradition is not: big burning bonfires, grilled sausages, witches swooping around, and folks dancing to tribal drums and bagpipes. Pálení carodejnic ("The Burning of the Witches") takes place 30 April every year. The origin of this festival seems to be a brewing concoction of traditions and cultures.

    The traditions range from the celebration of Beltane which is from Gaelic and Celtic traditions of Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man, to Walpurgis Night that’s celebrated in Germany and Scandinavia for Saint Walburga, and to the witch trials in the Czech Republic of the 16th and 17th centuries during which several hundred women were burned for being “witches.”
    However, now bushels of women dress up as witches (or more like 80’s rock stars?) and party with their male counter parts in front of illuminating bonfires—and don’t get thrown into the flames.
Regardless of age, sex and ethnicity people gather around fires, cook sausage, carry Chinese lanterns and become entranced and dance to seductive pagan drums, bagpipes, fires poi-ers and guzzle beer and wine in the orange glow till well after midnight.
Whatever folks came to celebrate for Pálení carodejnic they celebrate. This festivity ended with a handful of soused pagans naked in the Vltava River.

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