This year’s Liberation Festival Pilsen will be organized by  from 6 to 9 May. Although the city administration hoped last year that it would be possible to move the prepared program for the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Pilsen by the US military to 2021, unfortunately this year’s continuing unfavorable situation related to the spread of covid-19 will not allow a traditional program in public. The basis will thus be an online studio that will broadcast from Měšťanská beseda from Thursday, May 6. Among other things, it will bring a live broadcast of the Thank you, America! memorial wreath laying ceremony and live interviews with veterans from the USA and Belgium, who send heartfelt greetings and are very much looking forward to meeting the people of Pilsen again through the online studio.

“The format of the Liberation Festival Pilsen online studio is exceptional and I am very happy that it will allow us not to break the tradition of the Liberation celebrations. At the same time, it is a great opportunity to present the Liberation Festival Pilsen to other potential visitors from all over the country and world, and above all it is an investment in the future of this unique, very attractive tourism event. Last year, more than 45,000 people followed the Freedom Celebrations studio online, and there was considerable viewership abroad. It is real that online broadcasting will find its viewers again this year. At present, such a studio is also the only way to convey the atmosphere of the Freedom Celebrations to veterans, “said Mayor Martin Baxa.

On Thursday, May 6, people will be able to watch a live broadcast the Thank you, America! memorial wreath laying ceremony and live interviews with American and Belgian veterans. On Friday the 7th and Saturday the 8th of May, the studio will broadcast from 5 pm to 8 pm. The boradcasting will focus on the activities of the living history clubs, recalling historical events and offer the broadcasting of interesting documents and interviews. Part of the programm will be made up of attractive music.

“On Sunday, May 9, when he would normally drive through the city with the Convoy of Liberty, the studio will start broadcasting at the traditional time of the convoy start, at 11 AM. The introduction of the broadcasting will be devoted to the history of the Liberation Festival Pilsen and footage of convoys that have passed through the city in recent years with several thousand participants. The studio will broadcast streams of musical performances, interesting thematic reports and in the early afternoon the program ‘In the air’, which will be presented by fly past of historic military aircraft. There is an opportunity to involve the Czech and US armies in this program, “explained Jana Komišová, Head of the Presentation and Marketing Department of the City of Pilsen.

The restriction of contacts beyond the family circle has long had a major impact on the activities of military history clubs (their members can not meet for many months), the online program will present their hobby activities in the form of pre-recorded reportage programs. In addition to the activities of military history clubs, the series of video reports will focus on memorable places connected with the liberation by the American army not only in Pilsen, but also in the region, and will be filmed in April.

“In case of a significant improvement of the epidemic situation and restriction loosening,  the city is ready to present parts of historical military equipment in the city streets in the form of an ‘exhibition’, but not through camps.

One of the ways to engage the public interactively is the planned outdoor competition trail “The Road to Freedom”, which will allow  interested ones to walk through the places associated with the liberation of the city of Pilsen and enter the competition for prizes in a fun, informative and interactive way.

Liberation Festival Pilsen Program:

May 6

Thank you, America! memorial wreath laying ceremony

It will be shared with the public in the form of a live broadcasting, the space in the studio will be provided by protocol guests from the USA and Belgium after the commemorative act. The plan is to connect via the Internet with veterans in the US and Belgium.

May 7

Online studio (17-20 h): music program, interviews, documents

May 8

On-line studio (5 pm-8pm): music program, interviews, documents, prerecorded  wreath laying ceremonies  at the monuments of the 2nd Infantry Division and the 16th Armored Division and the monuments on náměstí Míru

May 9

Studio online (11-17 h): music , air show, documentaries, interviews, concert

Exhibitions:

mázhauz town hall: American Field Post in Czechoslovakia by Pavel Hauzner

Smetanovy sady: Svoboda was not for free by authors Ivan Rollinger, Karel Foud, David Foud – based on the book of the same name

After Easter, a press conference is planned, with detailed information.