St. John's Fair in Žďár nad Sázavou 2026

The Žďár fair is one of the largest pilgrimages in the Czech Republic and attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year. It is tied to the feast of St. John of Nepomuk (May 16), to whom the Santini church on Green Hill is dedicated, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The fair takes place May 15–17, 2026 in the Bouchálky area around the ice stadium (Jungmannova 1496/10). Attractions are available from Tuesday, May 12, with daily operations starting at 9:30 a.m. The grounds feature over one hundred entertainment attractions and nearly 200 food and souvenir stalls. Thrill-seekers will find modern adrenaline rides—Extrem-Booster, Break Dance, a giant observation wheel, Bungee Catapult, and the new Bank Roll. Classic attractions are also present: chain carousels, swings, shooting galleries, swan boats, and bumper cars. On Friday, May 15 at 8:00 p.m., the Žďár Sokol Hall hosts a fair celebration with the band AIRBACK (entry from age 15). The spiritual programme takes place on Green Hill: Friday evening mass, Saturday mass with pilgrims and Nicodemus Night (8:00–10:00 p.m.), and on Sunday several masses including the main service led by Prague's auxiliary bishop Zdeněk Wasserbauer. The fair is associated with traffic restrictions in effect from May 11–18—parking lots at Sportbar, Klafar, and Libušínská Street are closed; alternative parking is available at the House of Culture, polyclinic, Neumannova Street, Republic Square, or City Hall. Temporary changes to public transport routes also occur.