Events
Košice Children’s Heritage Railway Ceremonial Opening
Prepare yourself for an experience ride on the Košice Children’s Heritage Railway, the first railway of its kind in former Czechoslovakia. Have fun with your whole family and see the beauties of the Čermeľ Valley on the wooden train benches during a ride to the recreation epicenter Alpinka Košice. You may even visit during the opening ceremony during the Košice City Days. Check out the open carriages, cycling draisine, the lush valley around the railway, and a reconstructed steam locomotive Katka U 36 003.
Košice City Days
May 7, 1369. The day that changed the course of the city’s history forever. It was the date when King Louis I the Great offered Košice the first armorial deed in Europe. We celebrate this fantastic historical event during the Košice City Days Festival where every visitor finds something to enjoy like the opening ceremony of the festival or the Košice Children’s Heritage Railway, local craftsmen markets, Košice Knights’ Celebrations, or Cassovia Retro cars exhibition.
Imaginácie
Step into the enchanting fairytale world and immerse yourself in one of Košice's most unique nights of the year. The traditional annual event, 'Imaginácie,' unfolds under the cover of night, bringing forth a captivating circus atmosphere with artists hailing from Slovakia and around the globe. Allow yourself to be drawn under the mantle of artistic performances presented by talented acrobats, dancers, athletes, jugglers, and musicians. This mesmerizing experience includes stunning visual effects, beautiful music, theatrical performances, and exhilarating fire shows. Unforgettable displays of movement and musical creations further enrich the event.
MAME market
Visit the peculiar market featuring local brands on the Dominican Square under the label MAME market. Explore the side alleys and hidden corners of the historic town of Košice and engage with local producers of fascinating folk merchandise and inventive creators who deserve your attention. Take home authentically crafted memorabilia from Košice or gift your loved ones with the craftsmanship of local artists!
USE THE CITY
Revel in the music of the local artists during the annual USE THE CITY festival that brings out the liveliness into the city center. Not only will you view and hear the emerging or long-established musicians and alternative cultural representatives, but you may also dive into the city exploring like never before. Sing, dance, paint, or feel the stories of local drama plays and observe Košice from a completely different perspective.
Wine Is the Answer
The tasty wine event is dedicated to wine fans loving wine and vineyards. Welcome to Víno je odpoveď, the Festival of Beautiful Wines, which will definitely change your taste buds forever. Taste local wines such as Danube, Riesling, Pinot, Blaufränkisch, and Fetească Albă, and dive into the magical venue of the Zvonárska Synagogue or the courtyard of the East Slovak Gallery. After the wine tasting and wine discussions, please follow all the other visitors to the legendary Pokhoi Bar where you’ll finish the evening with style.
Balónová fiesta
Fly to the moon and watch the city from a bird’s eye perspective! The legendary Balloon Fiesta takes place every beginning of summer and takes its visitors high to the clouds for the view, which will make you fall in love with the city in an instant. Have some fun and come to the festival city to the Technical University of Košice, where you’ll experience the start of the show, an anchored balloon flight for children, and many concerts and other events.
JBL Jump Fest
Experience the historic center in athletic splendor! Join us for a world-class showcase set against the backdrop of the renowned St. Elizabeth's Cathedral. Alžbetina Street bursts to life annually through a pioneering initiative by Atletika Košice organization. The JBL Jump Fest in Košice brings street athletics directly to spectators amidst the largest town monuments reserve in Slovakia. Witness athletes, both local and global, shatter records in various athletic disciplines while surrounded by modern music, the thunderous applause of fans, and the vibrant atmosphere of Hlavná ulica.
Košice Long Night of Museum
Come to Košice during the Košice Long Night of Museums, which opens the door to every gallery and museum in the city. Experience the lit historical center, open art-related venues, unique cultural programs, and other art-related events. You’ll definitely stumble upon great cultural souvenirs whether you run into the East Slovak Gallery or any other place in the city. You might even see a video mapping performance, interactive installations, or various pop-up exhibitions.
Košice Music Spring Festival
Experience one of the oldest music events in the country. Meet the city during the Košice Music Spring Festival with its 65-years-old history. It takes place every spring and offers a wide range of symphonic and chamber concerts on the premises of the Košice State Philharmonic, St Elisabeth’s Cathedral, Zvonárska Synagogue, or the Barracks/Kulturpark area. Not only can local or foreign spectators feel this lovely music, but the festival also brings popular names from the classic music industry to Košice. Consequently, a famous tubist Lucienne Renaudin or a main Notre Dame organist Olivier Latry visited the city in the previous years.
Spirit Hlavná: Fashion Meets Art
Set out for a journey to see Košice in style, fashion, or cinema, and write down the dates of Spirit Hlavná: Fashion Meets Art in your diary. This is the fashion event you’ve always wanted to see, right in front of St Elisabeth’s Cathedral. Observe and admire impressive fashion exhibits, fantastic clothing pieces, and the finest jewelry. Get inspired by the design and luxury of the presented models and enjoy your day to the fullest with the local music or dance performances. The event finishes in the local Retro club, so make sure you save up some energy.
VIRVAR
Enjoy funky Košice with your whole family! Visit family events for all theater-loving children—VIRVAR ( Days of Theater and Games for Families and Children) is a colorful festival that lights up the whole city with entertaining costumes, songs, smiling faces, and programs for all curious children. The VIRVAR festival will take you on a journey to relive children’s drama plays from around the world, to learn something new, and, last but not least, to explore Košice. Off you go!
Košice Street Food Festival
Taste and debate on cuisine from around the world in front of the phenomenal Úsmev the Cinema—one of the most authentic venues in the city. Stop by the place for the Košice Street Food Festival to taste some local and foreign delicacies and spend quality time with your friends over proper tacos, Vietnamese soups, dumplings, burgers, craft drinks, or other neverending choices. Here, you’ll meet those who love the taste of the city. Literally
IFF Art Film Košice
Feel the glamour of red carpets and the silver screen. Opt for an amazing cinematic festival Art Film when on a trip to Košice and meet celebrities from around Slovakia and around the world, too. The oldest cinematic festival in the country allows you to watch great movie titles at many places scattered around the city center. So if you are planning your visit, arrange it sometime around the beginning of summer. And did you know that in the past, Košice cinemas used to be all over the place?
Summer in Kulturpark
To feel the true rhythm of the music, the absolute must is the Summer in Kulturpark taking place in the open-air Barracks/Kulturpark area. Enjoy the music concerts, dance or drama performances, lectures, and even literature discussions. Get yourself a nice cold drink from the Papa cafe and sit down underneath a tree so you can listen to the sound of local and abroad artists with a clear head. This type of chill you won’t forget anytime soon.
International Organ Festival of Ivan Sokol
Explore the magic of organ music and book your next trip to Košice for the second half of September when the International Organ Festival of Ivan Sokol has taken place here for fifty years. Since its beginning, the St Elisabeth’s Cathedral and Palace of Art were the venues to play the impressive organ recitals and concerts by foreign and local musicians. Today, you can enjoy the festival’s program also in Poprad, Sabinov, Kežmarok, or Markušovce. The festival is dedicated to its founder, an organist and pedagogist, Ivan Sokol.
Košice Night Run
Run around the city during the night and combine a perfectly balanced noir Košice tour with your best running performance! Košice Night Run shines the light on the city at night every year and brings astonishment to the faces of the local and foreign spectators. If you’d like to embark upon a journey of the 10-kilometer long route, do not hesitate to sign up for this next running event—everyone is welcome, whether from here or abroad. And if you are not a runner, you may join the clapping crowd and applaud those working their shorts off!
Tour of Slovakia
Join us in Košice to witness the exhilarating 'Tour of Slovakia,' an internationally acclaimed annual road cycling stage race that attracts cyclists from Slovakia and around the world. For nearly seventy years, this prestigious event has captivated audiences. Renowned for its ever-changing routes across the country, each year unveils a unique race course. Show your support by cheering on these remarkable cyclists as they compete in this thrilling event, deeply embedded in the country's cycling heritage. Explore more about this global spectacle and its diverse accompanying program.
Art & Tech Days
Attend the extraordinary event that connects the interdisciplinary areas of technology, digital culture, and arts, organized by the non-profit organization Creative Industry Košice. The event is also a direct reference to the city’s prestigious title in the UNESCO Creative Cities network. The Art & Tech Days is an excellent choice for anyone who wishes to explore the fusion of art, technologies, innovative solutions, and talks on digital development. Throughout the whole week, you may attend an enriching conference, see various performances or installations, and learn something new during professional workshops and a Hackathon.
International Jazz Festival
Jazz was born in the bowels of the American city of New Orleans and its historical beginnings date back to the 19th century. But today, the stylish melodies of this genre are not missing in Košice either. Visit the event that comes alive every autumn with a quality line-up of musical artists and dance tempos. The International Jazz Festival has been held in Košice since 1995 and regularly presents local and international performers who share their jazz talents with musically-inclined audiences in various parts of Košice.
Košice Peace Marathon
Europe’s oldest marathon and the third oldest marathon worldwide. Attend the indescribable Košice Peace Marathon that has been held in the city since 1924. Experience the emotions of joy and compassion for the Slovak and foreign runners, admire the sporty energy of the historical center, and the clap of enthusiastic spectators—all happening on the first October Sunday during the Košice Peace Marathon. If you are on a trip, come and see the runners play, clap for them, or join them around the largest preserved municipal area in Slovakia.
Nuit Blanche
In need to feel the true enlightening event that turns all the streets of the city center into an open-air gallery for every lover of art and culture? The famous Nuit Blanche has been held in Košice for more than 10 years, and it was actually the first Slovak city to host the festival, too. Today, together with its version in Bratislava, it connects Slovakia with European contemporary art venues. Welcome to Košice during the Nuit Blanche, otherwise known as White Night, and enjoy the open theaters and galleries up to very late.
Festival of Sacred Art
Košice has always been known for its multicultural and multi-religious character. This fact has inspired the existence of the Festival of Sacred Arts, which provides its visitors with breathtaking organ concerts, church choir tours, charity events, special masses, and singing contests. Apart from the attractive program, you’ll get deep down into the sacred places in the central Košice area and discover the stories of the secular and spiritual history of the city. The Festival of Sacred Art in Košice is also held during the feast of St Elisabeth, the patron of the city.
Košice Fairy–Tale Christmas
The Košice Fairy-Tale Christmas has been the center of the locals’ delight for more than 25 years with its wide variety of cultural events. Stop by the unforgettable Košice Christmas Tree in the city center and indulge in delicious winter food and drinks while listening to ceremonial concerts during the opening of the Mayor’s punch. You’ll find it around the stage in front of Immaculata or the Lower Gate—do not miss out on the opportunity to see the magical Bethlehem, hear the Christmas carol melodies around the traditional food & drink stalls, and take your best Košice souvenir in a gift bag. And your stomach as well.
Košice New Year’s Eve
Celebrate the success of the last year and the resolutions of the new one in Košice! Epic fireworks, overcrowded streets, famous and local bands, endless talks and laughter—book your seats in one of the Košice pubs or restaurants and party until morning. And if you want to experience a true New Year’s atmosphere of Košice, come to Hlavná St before midnight for a proper countdown and start the New Year in style!