Pilsen cancels this year’s Liberation Festival, and the extraordinary program is rescheduled to next year.

Taking into account the growing risk of the coronavirus and the declared state of emergency, Pilsen cancels this year’s special Liberation Festival 2020 to be  held from 1 to 6 May 2020. The city was working intensively since last May to prepare an extraordinary program to celebrate its 75^th Anniversary of the liberation.

“Since 1990, the Freedom Festival has been an integral part of Pilsen. To adopt the decision to cancel this event is all the more sad and harder for me and for our team as we commemorate the half-round anniversary. However, the seriousness of the situation does not allow us to completely ensure such the security measures for our guests and citizens that would prevent them from being infected with COVID 19. We hope that we will be able to offer the same attractive program – as prepared for this year’s anniversary – next year, in May 2021, ”explained the Mayor of The City of Pilsen Martin Baxa.

For this year’s May celebrations, Pilsen consider at this moment to organize non-public commemorative acts only, that is, wreath-laying at monuments and memorials. “If the situation in the Czech Republic develops favorably, we are able to react and provide a smaller-scale improvised celebration for the public. During this event, we would certainly provide the Pilsen citizens with the virtual contact with veterans through a long-distance connection at least”, added Jana Komišová, Head of the Marketing Department of the City of Pilsen, being in charge of the festival.

This year, seven American and three Belgian veterans were planning to attend the Pilsen celebration. The grandson of General Patton George Patton Waters was going to participate as well. The son of Colonel Noble – Charles Noble was expected to arrive. “We received suggestions to cancel the liberation celebrations from both veterans and some military history clubs, as the current situation makes it impossible to continue preparations that are demanding in terms of organization and personnel. We sent information to veterans by e-mail yesterday. Just like the health of the Pilsen citizens, the health of the veterans is our priority“, added the Mayor of The City of Pilsen Martin Baxa.

With regard to the situation in the Czech Republic and the related government decree on mass events or the state of emergency, the information on the way the City of Pilsen intends to honor this year’s 75th anniversary of the liberation by the US military will be updated at www.slavnostisvobody.cz.

The City of Pilsen would like to thank all its partners who have done a lot of work in order to prepare the Liberation Festival Pilsen 2020 for their responsible approach and understanding.