The Liberation Festival Pilsen, May 2 – 6, offers a world size and a unique atmosphere.

The celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the liberation by the American army will be extraordinary in scope, program, amount of military historical and contemporary vehicles, but also in the number of cooperating subjects, including foreign ones. In connection with this, Pilsen is preparing for an increased number of visitors and coming up with new accommodation options. As part of the celebrations, there will be a pre-premiere of the movie Pilsen Speaks, Free Pilsen Speaks! and a new book for children. The liberation by the American army, which entered the territory of Czechoslovakia on April 18, 1945, will also be commemorated in the towns and villages of southwestern Bohemia.

“The first days of May in Pilsen have a completely unique atmosphere and allow us to get to know with military camps, period equipment and the life of soldiers not only of Patton’s army, but also of the RAF and the Czechoslovak Independent Armored Brigade, to experience commented demonstrations of equipment and weapons and scenes from the ordinary life of soldiers of that time. This year, even those who inextricably belong to the liberation celebrations, the war veterans themselves, could return here again. We are constantly trying to get new contacts for those who fought in the southwest of what was then Czechoslovakia. We are currently in contact with at least ten of them, and if their health permits, we will see some of them. I firmly believe that I will welcome them in Pilsen,” said Pilsen Mayor Roman Zarzycký.

Reenactment Clubs – one of the largest camps of its kind in the world

The traditional presentation of military history clubs will be expanded in terms of the number of military historical equipment and participants from military-historical associations from the Czech Republic, Europe and the USA. Military camps of the 2nd Infantry and 16th Armored Divisions of the US Army will occupy Křižíkovy and Šafaříkovy sady. The historical camp of the Pilsen 1945 project, realized under the auspices of KVH Tommy & Yankee, will offer two parts, with the first focusing on the presentation of members of the American Second Infantry Division and associated units, the second on the American 109th Evacuation Hospital. “If everything goes as planned, Pilsen will be able to see something that Central Europe has never experienced before and probably won’t experience again, and perhaps it will be one of the largest camps of this type in the world, with international participation, of course,” said Daniel Malý from the Tommy & Yankee military history club.

300 participants in period uniforms will represent the period camp of the 16th Armored Division, which will offer original American military equipment from the period of World War II, a military kitchen and a field workshop with equipment for heavy armored equipment. “Our camp will be international, in terms of the vehicles and equipment we aim to present this. We are trying to get more tanks from abroad, a heavy trailer tractor or Rogers and Dolly to Pilsen,” said Pavel Rogl from the military history club of the 16th Armored Division. The M36 Jackson tank destroyer and the Stuart light tank will also be sent to Pilsen by the Prague Military Historical Institute.

The park area behind shopping mall Plaza will include a presentation of the Czechoslovak Independent Armored Brigade, civilian life during the protectorate, artillery training of Rota Nazdar, and the possible participation of military history clubs from Belgium and Italy is in the discussion. The space in front of the Patton Memorial Museum Pilsen will be filled with the military equipment of the JTF Raiders club, which represents the modern American army. A new area will be added to the traditional military locations in the center between the Mže river and Na Poříčí street, with the presentation of the RAF and WAAF camps.

Army of the Czech Republic

This year, the army will present itself with static and dynamic demonstrations in the area of the Dukla Army Shooting range in Plzeň Lobzy. Along with the equipment of the Czech Army, the equipment of the US Army will also be displayed there. Over 30 pieces of military vehicles will be presented on May 2 in the afternoon and May 3 all day. Both days will also offer dynamic close combat demonstrations taking place several times a day at set times. At the same time, the army plans to place a presentation of the recruitment workplace at the site for the entire duration of the event, where the public can obtain information about the requirements of the service in the army. On May 4, part of the vehicles will be moved to Sukova street and will be included in the Convoy of Liberty. At the time of the convoy’s arrival at the Theatre, a flyover of aircrafts of the Czech Army is planned.

Convoy of Liberty with 370 pieces of vehicles

The convoy of historical military vehicles Convoy of Liberty with an expected number of 370 vehicles will pass through Klatovská třída to the city center on Sunday, May 4. Exceptionally, this year with the participation of the US Army and the Czech Army, which will be presented in much greater numbers from Friday to Saturday evening in the area of ​​the Lobzy shooting range. The Convoy of Liberty will be accompanied by a flyover of military vintage aircraft such as the P 51 Mustang Little Rebel, the North America T6 RAF/SAAF, the Stinson Reliant or the Boeing Stearman.

Commemorative acts

As part of the official Liberation Festival Pilsen program, several memorial acts will take place. On May 6, the day of the liberation of Pilsen, the main commemorative ceremony takes place at the Thank you, America! monument.

Musical stages of cultural program

The celebrations include a program on four music stages. Among other things, the Republic Square main stage opens the ceremonies by a Vojtěch Dyk´s concert with the unique collaboration of the Pilsen Philharmonic and following show connecting multimedia effects with historical technology directed by Michal Caban. Igor Orozovič, Anna K., Jan Smigmator & Jumaane Smith, the Tremolo orchestra with Václav Noid Bárta or the bands as the The Tap Tap will appear on this stage. Friday’s ceremonial arrival of the jeeps at Republic Square are thematically accompanied by the Cop and Taxmeni bands. Thanks to the US Embassy in the Czech Republic, the audience can look forward to a performance by Touch ‘n Go, an energetic pop-rock band of the US Air Force augmented by a three-piece horn section combining rock, funk, jazz and R&B. The American side will be represented in Pilsen by the Stuttgart High School marching band. The Proluka stage transports the audience to the summer of 1945. In addition to swing bands and a dance hall, they will experience performances by Pilsen folklore ensembles or a presentation of period civilian fashion and uniforms. In cooperation with Paměť národa, another stage called LIBÉ RTY Stage in Kopecky Sady will offer a zone full of culture, music and inspiration. The folk and country scene in the amphitheater behind shopping mall Plaza presents the best of Pilsen and regional bands, there will also be legends of the genre, such as Jaroslav Samson Lenk, Pavlína Jíšová or Ivan Hlas Trio. A mini-program with an original DJ show Beats of Liberty will be offered at Náplavka u Radbuzy, where large-format photographs from May 1945 will be displayed on the embankment wall.

Non-traditional experiences – a rally of American cars, a lifestyle zone and great food

The freedom celebrations will also offer other experiences that will complete the unique atmosphere. The DEPO2015 area will host the first annual meeting of American cars with a planned ride through the city. Enthusiasts of period fashion will also enjoy themselves, the Lifestyle zone will offer the opportunity to try on the image of our great-grandmothers who welcomed the liberators in Pilsen. There will also be great food. A street food zone will be set up in front of the town hall, offering American delicacies as well as classics.

The documentary Pilsen, free Pilsen speaks! and a book and trail for children

The dramaturgy of Martin Polák and the direction of Pavel Jirásk made a docudrama aimed to the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Pilsen called Pilsen, free Pilsen speaks! The historical and social documentary about the Pilsen Uprising and the liberation of the city by the units of General G.S. Patton’s 3rd American Army will have its preview at the Liberation Festival Pilsen. Czech Television, as well as Czech Radio Pilsen, are media partners of the Pilsen celebrations. The new book for children about the liberation of Pilsen Spojenci (Allies) by the author Tereza Marianová, will also be presented for the first time. The story is depicted in a reader-engaging story of a grandson and grandfather from the period of totalitarianism, when it was not allowed to speak truthfully about the liberation of Pilsen. The book will be published in April by the Pikola publishing house with the support of the city of Pilsen.

Auspice of important institutions

The 80th anniversary of liberation is one of the main events of 2025. The Liberation Festival Pilsen has received the auspice of a number of important institutions. It was provided by the Minister of Defense Jana Černochová, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský, the Minister of Culture Martin Baxa, the Minister for Regional Development Petr Kulhánek, the Embassy of the United States of America in the Czech Republic and the Kingdom of Belgium, the negotiations are under the auspice of the President of the Czech Republic.

Camping for caravans and service for tourists

Pilsen is preparing itself for an increased number of visitors, with new accommodation options in the form of a campsite for caravans at the České údolí dam. It will be possible to order accommodation through the BezKempu portal in the upcoming weeks. Mediation of other accommodation options will be offered by the municipal organization Pilsen-Tourism, which will also provide the necessary tourist service to visitors.

Further information can be found at www.slavnostisvobody.cz and social networks.

At the beginning of March, the website will be adjusted to a new festival form with practical information for visitors.

The Liberation Festival Pilsen program is open to the public free of charge.