When a pack of furries, a village of mushroom-shaped people, a giant sausage and a barefoot devil walked into a bar, you knew Žižkovsky Masopust was in session.
Czechs decked out in paper crowns, eccentric masks and elaborate costumes crowded every corner of the Žižkov and Vinohrady neighborhoods for a parade-style carnival celebrating the pre-Lenten feast, embracing brotherly friendship for the 30th year in a row.
“All masks are off, but the masks are on,” woodland spirit adorned Jane Trijka said, showing appreciation for the jubilee that brought the neighborhood together, a contrast to the cold nature often perceived of Prague’s locals.
Trijka had been to many Masopust parades, but this was her first time in Žižkov. Wearing a green dress, a wide, cartoonish head and flowering branches for hair, she breezed through the crowd like a forest fairy. She was one of many fantastical creatures that made the festival feel like a scene out of a fairy tale.
The parade snaked through the typically industrial neighborhood before ending at a small festival featuring live Czech music. The infectious rhythms hypnotized the streams of participants as their masks bobbed to the beat, making one wonder if they had been pulled into the wondrous spell of the Canterbury Tale.
Many gathered for the final competition, where playful and nightmare-fueled masks competed. Some camped steadfast by the tents selling beer and pretzels. Whether the excuse was to party or to reconnect with Czech folk traditions once banned for 40 years under the Communist regime, Masopust succeeded in bringing the community together through the magical bonds of booze.
Although the holiday has lost much of its religious significance, Masopust parades are still held throughout the Czech Republic on varying days around the beginning of Lent, the Christian fasting period commemorating Jesus’ 40-day fast in the desert. Hence, the name Masopust directly translates to “meat fasting”.
Despite its pious origins, Masopust today resembles grandiose festivals like the Venetian Carnival in Venice or Mardi Gras in New Orleans, with masks, drinking and loud music as the focal points.
As the sun set and the festivities wound down, Masopust once again served as a bright spot in the Czech calendar. What began as a religious festival to indulge before fasting has transformed into a holiday where people of all ages can let loose in the streets of Prague.
