Folklorists prepare their folk costumes, wine makers keep an eye on their vineyards and musicians practise hard. Everything must be prepared for the Pálava wine harvest festival which takes place in Mikulov from 10 to 12 September. The king himself will come to check this year’s harvest.

Historians reckon that the celebration of the wine harvest is as old as vine growing itself. For the majority of wine makers celebrating the wine harvest opens the most exciting part of their work in the vineyard, collecting the grapes, pressing them and making Burčák (young, unfermented wine). In Mikulov the celebration of the wine harvest will be held for three consecutive days.

On Friday the historical crafts market will open its gates in the chateau park. The square will be busy as well with Mikulov bands, dance and musical groups. The best though is to come on Saturday. A historical parade of the king Wenceslas IV. will walk through the crafts market and the square. The people of Mikulov celebrate the origin of the festivities dating back to 1403. That’s when the knight John Lichtenstein, who was then in charge of the Mikulov manor, brought back the king Wenceslas who was held in captivity in Vienna. The return of the king was celebrated by the Moravian people and is still celebrated today.

The royal parade continues from the square to the amphitheatre. Along the route local people offer their own produce – wine, fruit but mainly Burčák. It is best to buy Burčák straight from the wine maker. There are many types on offer, sweeter varieties but also those more fermented. Wine makers await the moment when Burčák has the right balance of alcohol, sugar and the right fruity aroma and is nice and fizzy. Sometimes they wait for hours. Burčák also contains plenty of vitamins so it is definitely a healthy drink to have.

Apart from Burčák, there will be plenty of wine available in every corner of the town. There will be a wine market at the chateau with a presentation by many wine making companies of the area.

The members of the Mikulov theatrical society get their costumes ready as they will take part in the parade but also in other parts of the programme. They will also climb up the Holy Hill on Sunday which is the finale of three days of festivities. Children will therefore have a chance to meet a mythical cardinal Dietrichstein and other characters.

Thousands of people from the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia and many other European countries come to visit the Pálava wine harvest in Mikulov every year.

They have an opportunity to learn about all different wine making and vine growing traditions here. You don’t know what “zarážaní hory” (closing the vineyards) means or how hard it is to be a “hotař” (guardian of vineyards)? Then accept an invitation from the Mikulov folklore bands. Up to three hundred folklore band members will put on their folk costumes in September. They searched old books and songbooks throughout the year to find out what sort of traditions were followed in Moravia during the time of the wine harvest. During the Pálava wine harvest festival they will present one of the most extensive folk costumes shows and also announce when it is forbidden to enter the vineyards and that breaking this rule means imprisonment by uncompromising “hotaři”. The parade will be accompanied by a historical tractor and a horse drawn cart that will carry the representatives of Mikulov. The people in folk costumes will then hand over a wreath to the mayor and ask for official permission for the festival to commence.

If the visitors get a bit tired drinking all the wine and Burčák or listening to all that music they can visit all the various historical sights in Mikulov. Even there they will come across some jugglers and fencers.

The programme of the festival is so busy that it can’t be all put up on posters. There will be rock bands at one side of the town, brass-music bands at the other one. There will be members of theatrical societies and artists. Military folk band Ondráš, cimbalom music of Jožka Severina, folk bands Skaličan, Docuku and Bezobratři will all be performing at this festival. The amphitheatre will host stars of Czech pop music. On Friday there will concerts of Nightwork and Monkey Business, on Saturday of Kryštof, Mandrage, David Koller & Band.

The festival will come to an end on Sunday. There will still be bands at the square but the amphitheatre will become the main destination for the visitors presenting an international brass-band music competition.

For the first time this year there will be a small wine town created near the square. Those who love wine will particularly enjoy visiting it. Also for the first time there will be a cultural programme at Kozí Hrádek – castle ruins between the square and the amphitheatre offering historical music and fencing competitions on Saturday.

Traditionally, Mikulov is celebrating the wine harvest festival on the same day as nearby Znojmo. Last year, one hundred and twenty thousand people visited both events.