Calendar of events
Selection of festivals, exhibitions, and traditional sports events.
JAN: Winter Castle Festivities (www.skimlynky.sk)
Various performances for families, snow castle tour, and fireworks in Slovenský raj’s ski resort Mlynky
JAN: Biela stopa, Kremnica-Skalka (www.euroloppet.sk)
International cross-country skiing competition
FEB: Tatry Ice Master, the High Tatras (www.regiontatry.sk)
JAN-MAR: Krňačkové preteky / Sleigh race (www.krne.sk)
Races on old-style wooden sleighs taking place in several villages of central Slovakia
JAN/FEB: Big Air v meste (www.bigairvmeste.sk)
Jumps on skis or snowboards directly in the city centre of Kremnica
MAR/APR: Bratislava Marathon (www.bratislavamarathon.com)
APR/MAR: Hory a mesto / Mountains and the city (www.horyamesto.sk)
International festival of outdoor activities in Bratislava
APR: Bratislava City Days (www.bkis.sk)
Several municipal locations hold an open house and several museums and other cultural events are open free of charge
APR: Bratislava-Devín Run (www.devin-bratislava.eu)
This is an 11.625km long run between Bratislava and Devín with a more than 60-year old history
APR/MAY: GLOBSEC - Bratislava Global Security Forum (www.globsec.org)
Leading security and foreign policy forum in central Europe
MAY: Flóra / Flora (www.incheba.sk)
Flower exhibition in Bratislava
MAY: Slovak Food Festival in Bratislava (www.slovakfoodfestival.sk)
Food tastings, discussions and workshops
MAY: Rotenstein – Knight Tournament (www.historickyfestival.sk)
Festival of mediaeval traditions and life at Holíč Castle
MAY/APR: World Touring Car Competition in Orechová Potôň (www.slovakiaring.sk)
MAY/APR: Turzoveslávnosti / Thurzo Festivities (www.oravskemuzeum.sk)
Summer season opening at Orava Castle
MAY: Bratislavský majáles / Bratislava May Fest (www.bratislavskymajales.sk)
Open-air festival on the Danube embankment featuring concerts, theatre performances and more
APR/JUN: Festival of Frankovka in Bratislava (racianskyspolok.wordpress.com)
Festival of Frankovka, a wine variety grown in the Small Carpathian wine region
APR: Košice City Days (www.visitkosice.eu)
Various cultural events in Košice
MAY: Commemorating the Victory over Fascism (www.bratislava.sk)
Re-enactment of historical battles from WWII in Bratislava
MAY: Nová drama / New Drama (www.theatre.sk)
Festival of contemporary drama, that includes subtitles for non-native speakers in Bratislava
MAY: St Urban’s Day of Open Cellars (www.mvc.sk)
More than 100 wine cellars open for wine lovers in the Small Carpathian wine region
MAY: We Managed to Defend Ourselves! (www.bratislava.sk)
Re-enactment of the siege that nearly saw Emperor Napoleon conquer Bratislava
MAY: World Cup of cooking and eating sheep cheese dumplings in Terchová (www.haluskyterchova.sk)
MAY: Trdlofest (www.trdlofest.sk)
Festival of music, wine, and Skalický trdelník – Skalica’s traditional pastry
JUN: Cirkul’art (www.cirkulart.sk)
The Festival of Contemporary Circus with various circus, theatre and street performances, games and competitions in Bratislava
JUN: Bratislava Coronation Ceremony (www.korunovacie.sk)
Re-enactment of the historical coronation ceremony of the Hungarian kings
JUN: Vegan Festival in Košice (in Bratislava in APR)
www.veganskehody.sk;
JUN: Cassovia Folkfest in Košice (www.folkfest.sk)
JUN: Ceramics market (www.pezinok.sk)
The market presenting traditional and contemporary ceramics in Pezinok
JUN: Musica Sacra (www.choral-music.sk)
International festival of sacral music in Bratislava
JUN: Gurmán Fest / Gourment Fest (www.gurmanfestbratislava.sk, www.visitkosice.eu)
Open-air food festival in Bratislava and Košice featuring cooking demonstrations and food tasting
JUN: Art Film Fest, Košice (www.artfilmfest.sk)
The most prominent international film festival in Slovakia
JUN: Fairy-tale Castle (www.bojnicecastle.sk)
This festival arose as a reaction to visitors’ ideas connected with movie and television stories created in the interiors and exteriors of Bojnice Castle
JUN-AUG: Viva Musica Festival (www.vivamusica.sk)
Open-air concerts of classical music and jazz in Bratislava
JUN: Ballon Fiesta (www.balon.sk)
Mass launch of hot air ballons in Košice
JUL: Bažant Pohoda, Trenčín (www.pohodafestival.sk)
The largest and most prominent open-air summer festival in Slovakia
JUL: Folklore festival under Poľana, Detva (www.fspdetva.sk)
JUL/JUN: Folklore Festival in Východná (www.festivalvychodna.sk)
JUL: Dobšinský kopec - FIA – European Hill Climb Championship (www.dobsinskykopec.com)
A car racing competition in Dobšiná
JUL: World Aeromodeling Championship for RC Gliders in Martin (www.rcmklub.sk)
JUL: European Folk and Crafts Festival, Kežmarok (www.elro.kezmarok.sk)
JUL: Cibula Fest / Onion Fest (www.cibulafest.eu)
Multi-genre and multi-generation music festival in Holíč
JUL/AUG: Jánošík’s days (www.janosikovedni.sk)
Folklore festival in Terchová
JUL/AUG: Days of Bears, the High Tatras (www.regiontatry.sk)
JUL/JUN: Mazal tov! (www.visitkosice.eu)
Concerts, tours, exhibitions and educational events to present Jewish culture and traditions in Košice
AUG: Lodenica (www.lodenica.sk)
Country music festival in Piešťany
AUG: Grape Festival (www.grapefestival.sk)
Open-air summer music festival in Piešťany
AUG: Kremnické gagy (www.gagy.sk)
International festival of satire and humour in Kremnica
AUG/AUG: Craftsmen Days ÚĽUV (www.uluv.sk)
Festival of traditional crafts and folk production in Bratislava
SEP: Days of St Hubert (www.msa.sk)
Traditional hunting festivities in Svätý Anton
SEP-DEC: Bratislavské hudobné slávnosti (www.bhsfestival.sk)
International festival of classical music held in September and October
SEP: Salamander Days (www.banskastiavnica.sk)
Festival offering crafts, competitions, markets, food, entertainment, and the historical Salamander Procession
SEP: Celebration of Clay – Ceramic (www.modra.sk)
Modra, known for its majolica, hosts a related festival
SEP/OCT: Divadelná Nitra / Theatre Nitra (www.nitrafest.sk)
International theatre festival
SEP: Tokaj Cellar’s Open Day (www.tvc.sk)
Tokaj Express Train from Košice to Tokaj region; various culture events and wine tastings
OCT: International Peace Marathon in Košice (www.kosicemarathon.com)
The oldest marathon in Europe
SEP also APR: Salón piva (www.salonpiva.beer)
Beer festivals in Bratislava
OCT: International Gregorian Chant Festival, Bratislava (www.choral-music.sk)
OCT: St Hubert’s Ride (www.betliar.ocu.sk)
Meeting of horse breeders from Gemer region and a hunting celebration in Betliar
OCT: Bratislava Jazz Days (www.bjd.sk)
OCT: White night /Nuit Blanche (www.bielanoc.sk)
Festival of lights offering an exhibition of contemporary art in several unusual places in Košice and Bratislava during the night
OCT: Deň zelá (Festival of Cabbage), Stupava (www.mkic.sk)
NOV: Svätokatarínska koštovka / Festival of Young Wine (www.modra.sk)
The Slovak variant of celebrating Beaujolais Nouveau in Modra
NOV: Day of Open Wine Cellars (www.mvc.sk)
More than 100 wine cellars open for wine lovers in the Small Carpathian wine region
NOV: International Film Festival, Bratislava (www.bratislavaiff.sk)
DEC: Most of cities and villages hold Christmas markets offering mulled wine and other specialties as well as handicraft products, ending on December 23
DEC: Bratislava and several cities hold open-air New Year’s Eve partie