Beer and Music Dominates Pilsen

About thirty thousand people celebrated Pilsner beer's birthday

Two dozen musicians, both rain and sun, culinary specialties, tours of the brewery and museum - such was the offer of the 2008 Pilsner Fest which celebrated the 166th birthday of Pilsner Urquell beer. The attendance was some thirty thousand people from Pilsen and other parts of the Czech Republic as well as from abroad. The two-day event featured music bands representing various genres: a huge applause went to the Kryštof band performing at a crowded local square and also the performances of the Eben Brothers and Dan Bárta & Illustratosphere at the lower courtyard of the brewery were a great success.

On Friday morning, two flags were hung out of the brewery's water tower to herald the celebration. In the afternoon, trumpeters at the top of the city tower and in the brewery sounded off the beginning of the Pilsner Fest. The City of Pilsen which co-organized the event was represented by Pavel Rödl who gave an opening speech and drank a toast with Mike Short, Plzeňský Prazdroj's Managing Director.

The following groups entertained audiences at the Náměstí Republiky square: Different D.I.S.C.O., Scissorhands, David Kraus Band, Wohnout, Priessnitz, and Kryštof. The brewery stage saw performances of Jan Lota, the Eben Brothers Dan Bárta & Illustratophere and others.

The programme was not limited to the music stages, though. More than eight hundred people visited the Brewery Museum over the two days of Pilsner Fest, filling up the entire capacity for the tours. An accordionist at the museum courtyard ushered visitors with a Czech tune, and the tour was spiced up with three sketches played by actors wearing period costumes. On Saturday, old Czech recipes were being collected, cmunda and lokše (old Czech specialties) and, of course, beer were served.

An extended tour of the brewery took the visitors to, among else, the cooper's shop, offering a show of the traditional crafting of oak lager barrels. The brewery tour, enhanced with a performance of the Muerta Mente drummers' band attracted over two thousand people - four times the normal daily turnout.

A feast of Czech food was served in the stands both at the square and on the brewery premises by personnel of the traditional Pilsen restaurants: Na Spilce, U Salzmannů, Na Parkánu, Uctívaný Velbloud, Švejk Restaurant U Pětatřicátníků, Švejk U Zeleného stromu, and Motorest Na Rozcestí. The international quisine was represented by the Courtyard by Marriott, as part of the Gastrofest event.

"Once a year, Pilsen enjoys a special, energetic atmosphere. Czechs come and celebrate the origination of their national beverage, the Pilsner style beer. First time Pilsen citizens tasted this beer of golden colour and white froth was on the 5th October 1842. By our estimate, about thirty thousand visitors celebrated the 166th birthday of our beer,"says Jiří Mareček, Plzeňský Prazdroj.

The peaceful atmosphere was supported by a so-called beer wristband. This aid, introduced at last year's Pilsner Fest, makes things easier for young-looking visitors who would otherwise have had to present their IDs. For drivers, there were two information stands of Sananim and Besip (non-profit organisations) which offered blood alcohol level measurement. By the way, drivers could enjoy beer at Pilsner Fest as well, that is, the non-alcoholic Birell. Brands on tap were Pilsner Urquell - the premium lager and the jubilant of the event, special beer Master 13° semi-dark and the above-mentioned Radegast Birell.