Prague may be the first city that comes to mind when you think of Czech Republic, but another city hosts one of the most colorful events of the year.  Colours Of Ostrava is one of Europe’s biggest, though lesser heralded music festivals with probably the most eclectic collection of international musicians from all over the world.

The four-day event takes place in a number of venues sprawled over a patch of land that includes an actual castle.  With two to three acts performing at once, any possible crowding is alleviated from the smaller sites.  But one of the best parts of the festival is discovering a band where prior exposure could be difficult.

One band that stood out was the Estonian ska band Svjata Vatra. Playing to a largely Czech crowd, the music masked any language barrier as the band found a way to engage the audience in not one, but multiple singalongs.

The annual festival is a definite must-see for anyone spending a summer in Eastern Europe. For more info, visit www.ColoursOfOstrava.cz.

by EJ Jacobs