Majales
Until WWII, students regularly celebrated 1 May as Majales, a spring festival dating back to at least the early 19th century. Banned by the Nazis and later under communism, it was revived during the 'Prague Spring' of the mid-1960s, only to disappear once more in 1969. Nobody got it together again until 1997. Majales 1998 coincided with a visit by Beat Generation writer Lawrence Ferlinghetti for the Prague Writers Festival, recalling the crowning of Allen Ginsburg as king of the 1965 Majales. Ginsburg was allowed into the country on the strength of his anti-US government views, but he made his distaste for authoritarianism quite clear and was quickly thrown out. The secret service documents surrounding his expulsion were published in a booklet in 1998. Today's Majales kicks off with an early-afternoon parade - with bands, students in fancy dress, and a float with the Kral Majales (King of Majales) - from namesti Jana Palacha, via Kaprova to the Old Town Square and the Karolinum. From there everybody moves on to Strelecky ostrov for an all-night bash, including live bands, student theatre and nonstop sausages and beer. |
