You have probably taken a boat trip on the Brno Reservoir or swum there without knowing one thing: after the war, the first excursion boats were not brought here by a crane, but the vessels named Brno and Morava were towed to the reservoir by Cromwell tanks of the Czechoslovak army and launched into the water. And they have been running quietly ever since, because it was the first ecological electric-powered boat transport in what was then Czechoslovakia, with the Morava and Brno boats carrying 90 passengers. While the whole world is now debating how to make transport quieter and greener, Brno has had an electric fleet for nearly eighty years. And it is right on this water that everything kicks off on Friday, July 10. If you are looking for the best events in Brno between July 10 and 13, a varied mix awaits you: a party on a boat, film music under a brick vault, and a retrospective of a fashion icon. We will go through it all in order, with dates, venues and links to tickets.

Best events in Brno: what is free and what to book in advance

In short: four days will offer completely different worlds, from a paid party on the water to a concert in a church and a major exhibition, all the way to a library programme where most events are free.

The practical breakdown is simple. You will need a ticket for the Friday Boat party at the Brno Reservoir and for the concert The Best of Film Music at the Red Church, as both have limited capacity and are booked in advance. The Liběna Rochová exhibition at the Moravian Gallery runs long-term and the guided tour requires a ticket. On the other hand, the summer programme at the Jiří Mahen Library in Lesná is largely free of charge, most events at the library's branches are free and you do not even need to be a registered reader. If you want to browse the full selection yourself, check out our events calendar or go straight to the concerts overview. We will now highlight what is worth your attention this week.

Drum and bass on the water: party at the Brno Reservoir

In short: Boat party x Brno Reservoir x DnB edition takes place on Friday, July 10, right on the deck of a boat on the Brno Reservoir. Dancing under the open sky, not in a stuffy club.

Let's start with the most unconventional item. A boat party combines two things that seem mismatched at first glance: club drum and bass and the calm water surface on the north-western edge of Brno. And that water has a story that few of the dancers know. Beyond the tanks that towed the boats to the water, the propulsion is even more interesting. Both original boats were fitted with an electric motor powered by lead-acid accumulators, giving Brno's boat transport an unusual type of drive that has been maintained as a curiosity to this day. Today's version adds an even more appealing detail: the electric boats sail with motors taken from older trams.

The fact that Brno residents have never stopped loving the reservoir is proven by the numbers. Boat transport was most popular in the 1950s, and the record year was 1956, when the boats carried 848,192 passengers in a single season. And the service is remarkably stable: the electric boats first sailed in 1946 and have missed only one season, 2009, when the reservoir was significantly drained for cleaning. This year marks a round anniversary, because the transport company's boats set sail on the Brno Reservoir, beginning the 80th sailing season.

What this means for you is simple: you will be dancing on one of the oldest electric excursion fleets in the country, and the quiet running has a practical purpose too. Electric propulsion is an effective measure against polluting the water supply reservoir with petroleum products and reduces noise in the recreational area. Tickets for the drum and bass edition can be found on the event page. Bear in mind that space on the boat is limited, so this is not a party you can show up to at the last minute without a ticket.

Film music at the Red Church: soundtracks under a brick vault

In short: the concert The Best of Film Music is planned for July 11 at the Red Church in Brno. Film soundtracks in an acoustically rewarding sacred space sound different from speakers at home.

You can recognise the Red Church on Komenského náměstí at first glance by its bare brick walls and, above all, by who designed it. The church was built to a design by Heinrich Ferstel, who is one of the main architects of the Vienna Ringstrasse. This Viennese architect also earned his Brno commission through competition, because the Brno Lutherans held a competition to which ten proposals from renowned Austrian architects were submitted, and Ferstel's project won. Construction took a long time: the church was built between 1863 and 1867 to a design by Viennese architect H. Ferstel. After completion it received an important status, as it was the first major non-Catholic church building on our territory.

Why are concerts held here? The answer is simple and audible. Due to its good acoustics, concerts are frequently held here. And the church leads a double life: it is a functioning Evangelical church and a sought-after cultural venue where concerts, exhibitions and other events are held throughout the year. There is also one curiosity that has left a permanent mark on Brno's history. In January 2011, a Masaryk University student bricked a USB flash drive into the wall of the Red Church onto which any passer-by could upload any data, making it the first participation in the Dead Drops street art project in the Czech Republic. The flash drive eventually disappeared, but nobody can erase the story of the church with a USB port.

One note to keep in mind for film music concerts: before you head out, check the current ticket availability on the official sales page for the event. Getting there is easy - the church stands right in the city centre and public transport stops almost at its door. The congregation's building is located in the centre of Brno, 200 metres from the Red Church, and right next to it is the Česká tram stop, where trams number 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 12 stop.

Fashion as art: Liběna Rochová at the Moravian Gallery

In short: a guided tour of the exhibition Liběna Rochová: Touches will take place on July 12 at the Moravian Gallery in Brno. A retrospective of one of the most distinctive Czech designers, accompanied by commentary directly in the exhibition.

If you think fashion is mainly about trends and shopping, Liběna Rochová has spent her entire career proving the opposite. She summed it up briefly herself: "I don't have a shop because I never wanted one." And she has a connection to Brno that no one else in the industry can match. A new art-fashion object for the exhibition was created especially for this occasion by Brno-born Liběna Rochová. The fact that the retrospective is being held here is no coincidence - it is a homecoming.

The event itself is exceptional. The Moravian Gallery is the first institution in the Czech Republic to have mounted an exhibition for a living fashion designer. And in terms of scale, it is no small showcase of a few dresses. The retrospective exhibition Touches presents over 130 models, jewellery pieces and objects and runs from 21 November 2025 to 29 August 2027 at the Museum of Applied Arts of the Moravian Gallery at Husova 14 in Brno. It is laid out generously, because across seven halls, clothing becomes an art object and the touch of material, idea and person merges into one whole.

The way the exhibition is put together is also interesting. The exhibition is not arranged chronologically; in each hall you will find early models from the 1980s alongside current ones, and if you do not read the dates, it is hard to tell which era they come from. Among the exhibits you will also find bespoke work, including models that Liběna Rochová designed for Lucie Bílá. Her reputation is not a matter of opinion: she received, among other honours, the title of Grand Designer of the Year at Czech Grand Design 2015 and in 2022 she was inducted into the Hall of Fame of that competition. And the gallery is not only displaying loaned pieces - the public also has the opportunity for the first time to view sketches, diaries and a private archive that Liběna Rochová donated to the Moravian Gallery. The guided tour is therefore ideal for newcomers, as the curatorial commentary will give you context you would not be able to read from the display cases alone.

Summer for families and readers: the library in Lesná and events by the river

In short: anyone looking for a quieter and more affordable programme can choose from summer events at the Jiří Mahen Library in Lesná and city events in the centre. Most are suitable for children and free of charge.

Not every good event costs money or goes on into the night. The Jiří Mahen Library branch in Lesná runs its own summer programme for children and adults. On Friday, July 11, there is Forest Library, on Saturday, July 12, the small exhibition Postcards from Book Worlds, and on Monday, July 13, the event KUBO - A Thousand Stories in Your Pocket for Free. The branch works well for this type of event; during the summer holidays it typically offers an art workshop for children and playful adults and a fun treasure hunt for children. And it is an established venue, newly reopened on 20 September 2010 after extensive renovation and integrated into the library's network of automated operations. Just watch out for the summer schedule - from 29 June to 30 August 2026, summer opening hours apply across all Jiří Mahen Library branches, so check the times in advance.

The city centre also draws visitors on July 11 with Brněnská Náplavka, a city event organised under the auspices of the Brno-střed municipal district office - a programme right in the heart of Brno with no need to travel to the outskirts. If you want to follow specific names and bands across the programme, take a look at our artists overview, where you can also find the profile of the band Mudrlanti. Anyone who fancies a trip outside Brno can head on July 11 to the event Sejdeme se na Radostově in Luhačovice, but that is already a trip to the Zlín region, not a Brno programme.

Practical tips: transport, tickets and how to plan your week

In short: buy tickets for paid events in advance through the official sales link on the event page, allow for limited capacity at the party and guided tours, and take advantage of the fact that most venues are easily accessible by public transport.

The programme is spread out in a way that lets you comfortably fit several events into one weekend without spending half a day in a car. The city centre covers the Red Church near the Česká stop and the Moravian Gallery on Husova, both just a few minutes' walk from each other. The reservoir is logically further out to the north-west - allow for a public transport journey to Bystrc and the pier. The library in Lesná is in the north of the city, at the address Haškova 141/4 in Brno-Lesná.

Take one piece of advice as an iron rule: for concerts and parties with limited capacity, buy tickets in advance through the official sales channel listed on the event page, not from touts. For the exhibition at the Moravian Gallery you have plenty of time - it runs until August 2027, so you can plan the guided tour at your leisure. And if you want to decide with a broader view and see everything in one place, our events calendar gives you an up-to-date overview including dates and venues; theatre tips can be found separately in the theatre section.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best events in Brno this week?

It depends on what you are looking for in an evening. If you want to dance, the drum and bass boat party on the Brno Reservoir on July 10 is the obvious choice. For music to listen to, head to the Red Church on July 11, and for art, visit the Moravian Gallery on July 12 for the Liběna Rochová exhibition. This trio forms the core of the best things happening in the city.

Where can I buy tickets for events in Brno?

For paid events, you will always find a link to the official sales page directly on the event page in our calendar. We recommend buying in advance, as the boat party and guided tours have limited capacity and tend to sell out quickly.

Are there events suitable for children and families in the programme?

Yes, and many of them are free. The Jiří Mahen Library branch in Lesná organises several events for children during the summer holidays, from Forest Library and the Postcards from Book Worlds exhibition to the KUBO programme. Most events at the branches are free of charge.

How do I get to the Red Church?

The church stands in the centre on Komenského náměstí and is one of Brno's landmarks. Trams stop right next to it at the Česká stop, specifically lines 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 12, so you are there within a few minutes' walk or one tram ride from the centre.

Why are the boats on the Brno Reservoir interesting?

They have been running on electricity since 1946, which was the first ecological boat transport of its kind in the country, and today's vessels have motors from older trams. The first boats after the war were also towed to the water by army tanks, so you are standing on a proper piece of Brno history.

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