The United Islands Festival opens the summer festival season in Prague with its May date. It is traditionally held on several Prague islands in the middle of the Vltava River and entry is free. Last year, it was visited by approximately 35,000 spectators. The aim of this music festival is to present to the public new, young and up-and-coming music bands and individuals who have the potential to dominate the Czech or world music scene. In the past, bands such as Zrní, NOHA or Ela Eyre, Socalled, Aloe Blacc, La Fontaines or La Shica performed here. This year’s 20th edition will feature approximately 70 artists from 15 countries. The festival is not limited by genre.
Part of this social and cultural event is also a non-musical program that takes place on the so-called Islands of Inspiration. The organizers strive for maximum audience interaction with the performers. Various panel discussions, workshops and lectures are therefore held here. Everything is done with the subtext of freedom, diversity and sustainability. No less interesting are the Gastro islands, where sustainable trends in catering will be presented. There is also an interesting program for families with children.
The first year of the festival took place in 2004 and was a celebration of the entry of the Czech Republic into the European Union. At that time, all EU member states presented themselves on the 10 islands. Cooperation and connectivity with foreign countries can also be seen in every subsequent year. This year, the festival is in the spirit of Truth and Love, fighting misinformation and giving people from Ukraine the opportunity to bond with the Czech Republic.
Line-up a program festivalu United Islands 2023
Although there are only a few weeks left until the festival, the organizers are constantly working on the line-up and adding more names to it.
For now, the Czech and Slovak line-up is represented by the following performers – Edúv Syn, The Valentines, Anki, Baby G, Lovesong Orchestra, Mat213, P/st, Salto with love and Wodehn.
From abroad, for example, OIEE (HU), Mayberian Sanskülotts (HU), Someone (UK), Enola Gay (IE) and The Magnettes (SWE) will arrive.
Transportation to the United Islands Festival 2023
I own a car
The festival takes place in the center of Prague, and therefore there is no large festival parking lot associated with it. You must also take into account possible traffic restrictions in locations adjacent to the festival area. It is therefore best to find your own parking lot or parking garage outside the festival area and arrive there by public transport.
If you go to Prague from Brnoyou stick to the D1 highway all the way and continue according to the location of your parking lot. Allow 2.5-3 hours for the journey.
You take the D5 highway on the way from Pilsen. You can be right in the center of Prague, on Strelec Island, in 1 hour and 15 minutes. However, plan suitable parking nearby and do not drive directly to the venue.
From Liberec you will drive for about an hour and a quarter. First you drive along road number 35, at Ohrazenice you enter the D10 highway. From there you will be in the center of Prague in less than an hour.
Ceske Budejovice they are 2 hours away. Follow the D3 highway to Mirošovice, where you will enter the D1 highway. This will take you all the way to Prague, where you will approach the center via the Mestský okruh and the Barrandovský bridge.
By bus
The bus connection with Prague is easily accessible from most places in the Czech Republic. There are direct connections from Brno, Pilsen, Liberec and České Budějovice. On the way from Brno you will spend a maximum of 3 hours on the bus, buses leave every hour. The same applies to buses from Pilsen. A train departs every hour, which is in Prague in one hour. Connection from Liberec it also goes every hour, the journey takes 1 hour. Departure of buses from České Budějovice is seamless and regular. You will be on the bus for about 2 hours.
By train
You can get to Prague by direct train from Brno, Pilsen and České Budějovice. You can usually choose from one or more connections every hour. Way from Brno it will take you about 2.5-3.5 hours. From Pilsen the journey takes 1.5 hours and from České Budějovice 2 hours.
Who will go out? from Liberecmust transfer at least once along the way. The transfer points are usually Turnov, Ústí nad Labem or Děčín. You will spend a total of 2.5 – 4 hours on the way.
MHD
There are several tram stops near the venue. So it depends on you where exactly you go from and on which bank of the Vltava you want to get off. You can choose from tram lines number 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 20, 22 and night lines 97, 98 or 99. But there are many options and you can also use bus connections. If you don’t mind walking around Prague, it won’t be a problem to find the right connection exactly where you want to go.
You can also get there by metro, line B. Národní třída or Karlovo náměstí metro stations are nearby.
Accommodation at the United Islands Festival 2023
There are countless accommodation options in Prague. You can choose from private apartments as well as hotel rooms, boarding houses or even boats. Nice accommodation within a 10-minute walk from the venue will cost you around 3,500 CZK on average for two people for one night.
