Pilsen Comes Alive with History and Experiences During the Liberation Festival Pilsen

Pilsen Comes Alive with History and Experiences During the Liberation Festival Pilsen

This year’s Liberation Festival Pilsen will feature the traditional Sunday Convoy of Liberty, a spectacular event led by a combat formation of the 16th Armored Division and nearly 300 historic vehicles. On May 3, visitors will be able to see the legendary M24 Chaffee Tank, the M4A4 Sherman, and the M36 Jackson, while the sky will be dominated by iconic historic aircraft, including the P-51D Mustang. The Liberation Festival Pilsen will take place from May 1 to 6, 2026. The program includes live military camps, interactive activities for visitors of all ages, and a rich culinary offer.

Convoy of Liberty

The traditional Sunday Convoy of Liberty will once again offer a spectacular show this year. Leading the convoy of roughly 300 vehicles will be a combat formation simulating the arrival of the 16th Armored Division. After a long pause, the American M24 Chaffee light tank returns to Pilsen, joining the iconic M4A4 Sherman “George Thompson” and the M36 Jackson tank destroyer. Aircraft in the sky will also provide a dynamic spectacle. Historical gems such as the P-51D Mustang, Harvard Mk.II, and Boeing B-75 Stearman will fly over the convoy. These aircraft will be presented to the audience as early as Friday, May 1, during the opening ceremony, when they will fly over the grounds behind the Plaza shopping center.

Military History Camps

Military history will also come to life at various camps in the city center. The 16th Armored Division of the U.S. Army will present the daily life of the American troops who were the first to enter Pilsen at Křižíkovy sady. Visitors will see dozens of pieces of light and heavy armored vehicles. In addition to the vehicles, the camp will offer a glimpse into the army’s logistical infrastructure, such as a fully functional field workshop for vehicle repairs, military barracks, a military police post, and an authentic field kitchen with complete period equipment.

The Czechoslovak Independent Armored Brigade Camp will commemorate the heroism of our soldiers fighting alongside the Allies. The exhibition in the park behind the Plzeň Plaza shopping center will feature British period equipment used by Czechoslovak soldiers on their return home. The program is designed as living history with rich interactive content. Visitors will be able to see a field hospital, field workshops, and period-style meals. They can look forward to guided tours, shooting demonstrations, and regular soldier training exercises. A special section will focus on life in the Protectorate and a showcase of the fashion of the time. Young visitors can try out a special training course for recruits or complete a route, with a well-deserved reward awaiting every child who finishes it.

At the adjacent camp dedicated to the British Royal Air Force (RAF), visitors will have a unique opportunity to explore the facilities used by Czechoslovak pilots, as well as the lesser-known history of the women’s auxiliary corps. The program will feature a combination of educational exhibits and dynamic demonstrations that bring to life the tension and daily life at wartime airfields.

This year’s Liberation Festival Pilsen program also includes the final appearance of the Raiders camp, which is concluding its 15-year participation in the Pilsen celebrations. As part of the 2nd Infantry Division exhibition, visitors will have a last chance to view this unique presentation, organized under the auspices of the JFT Raiders military history club. The camp will offer a detailed insight into the functioning of the modern U.S. Army through a comprehensive display of period and contemporary equipment, weaponry, and heavy machinery.

Hurvínek’s Trail and Josef Skupa During World War II

This year, the Liberation celebrations will exceptionally feature Hurvínek’s Trail, which will shed light on the lesser-known history and resistance activities of Josef Skupa, the creator of the Hurvínek puppet, during World War II, as well as his imprisonment in the Nazi “Matylda.” Young participants will learn about the power of puppet theater during the occupation and why Skupa’s performances were a thorn in the side of the Gestapo. The city, in cooperation with the Spejbl and Hurvínek Theater, is including the trail in its program in connection with the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Hurvínek puppet. The authors are the theater’s artist and set designer David Janošek in collaboration with artist Kateřina Coufalová.

A wide variety of food and drink

The unique atmosphere of the Liberation Festival will be enhanced by a wide variety of food and drink. Once again, this year, the celebrations marking the liberation by the U.S. Army will be enhanced by a special batch of Veteran beer, an unfiltered 10° Indian Pale Lager from the experimental Elektrárna brewery. This unique beverage was created for the fourth time as part of an international collaboration with the American brewery Three Taverns in Atlanta, led by brewmasters Lenka Straková and Neal Engleman. The beer is brewed using a limited-edition Veteran Blend of hops, and a portion of its sales proceeds goes to support war veterans. This special beer will be available for tasting at stands behind the Plzeň Plaza shopping center starting Friday, May 1, 2026; the ceremonial tapping of the keg and tasting will take place in the park there on Saturday, May 2, at 5:00 p.m.

The CrossCafe chain will offer a chance to relax with coffee and refreshments, both at its nine Pilsen cafés and at special stands in the U Branky area and in the park behind the Plaza shopping center. The offer will be complemented by the popular Farmers’ Market and Slow Market on Smetanova Street and at U Branky, as well as souvenir sales at the information center on Republic Square and at a stand behind the Plzeň Plaza shopping center.

Over the weekend, a catering tent run by the Na Spilce restaurant will be available in Šafaříkovy sady, with additional food zones set up at U Zvonu and behind the Plzeň Plaza shopping center. Military souvenirs will be sold in front of the Patton Memorial Pilsen, which is open for tours only through the end of May.

The Saturday program will feature a retro hair salon for ladies in the Nava arcade.

The Pilsen Region is a partner of the Freedom Festival in Pilsen. From May 1 to 3, the region is organizing popular rides on a historic train called the "Šlechtičná" for the Liberation Festival Pilsen. Details on the schedule are available at: https://www.idpk.cz/nostalgie/slechticnou-na-slavnosti-svobody/.