Kmochův Kolín Wind Music Festival Marks 60 Years of Family Fun – A Perfect Escape from Boredom!
The main venue for the 60th anniversary of the Kmochův Kolín Festival will again be Charles Square. From Friday, June 13 to Sunday, June 15, 2025, various wind ensembles from both Czech Republic and abroad, in different sizes, will perform alongside majorette groups of various ages. This special year promises not only the usual musical experiences but also several new features that will please both longtime attendees and new festivalgoers. Besides the blue and white Charles Square stage, Kolín offers additional festival locations. This year, orchestras will also play in the synagogue, Komenský Park, and at senior living homes in Kolín, Mlékovice, and Uhlířské Janovice. One enjoyable tradition has been that one of the evenings features Nocturno in the Church of St. Bartholomew. A new addition this year is its expansion—on Saturday, the Cantores Cantant choir will perform, and on Friday evening, you can look forward to a concert by the Military Music Olomouc at the cathedral. Six concerts will be held on Saturday at the Synagogue. Additionally, there will be performances at the Workers’ House in Velké Osek or at the Kolín senior center SeneCura Senior Center in Cologne.
The opening ceremony of the festival will take place on Friday, June 13, after 7 PM at Charles Square. The festive mood will be enhanced by the orchestra Harmonie 1872 Kolín alongside the Cologne Big Band, who will feature singer Lenka Dusilova.
This year’s festival will again showcase prominent musicians from the “brass band” genre. On Saturday night at Charles Square, the multiple Golden Nightingale winner Lucie Bílá will perform, and the legendary Jiří Pavlica & Hradistan is set to take the stage on Friday. The featured guest on Saturday will be the renowned Austrian ensemble Mnozil Brass, famous worldwide for blending brass music with jazz, pop, and world music. Their lively, humorous performances, which incorporate theatrical elements, are sure to entertain not only brass music fans. The Saturday programme will also include a traditional parade through the town.
Both local and international brass bands will delight audiences and brass music enthusiasts. There will be foreign orchestras and groups, in addition to the traditional Cologne orchestras led by the František Kmoch Kolín City Music, as well as bands from Jeseník, Krnov, Chlumec nad Cidlinou, and Vimperk. The festival’s international aspect will be highlighted by an Italian flag-waving ensemble, as well as orchestras from Germany, Hungary, and other international guests. On Sunday, the festival will reach its peak with a grand concert where all orchestras will perform Kmoch’s most popular compositions.
Consider combining your visit to Kmoch’s Kolín with nearby excursions!
In addition to the festival, there will be side events for visitors in Kolín. The Kolín water tower and the Práchovna tower will be accessible. At Bartholomew Hill in Kolín, visitors can check out an exhibition of photographs by Jaromír Funke located on the upper floor of the bell tower, showcasing images from his series “The Church of St. Bartholomew in Kolín”. This year, the exhibition honors the 80th anniversary of the passing of the renowned photographer who focused much of his work on Kolín and its surroundings. In the new exhibition History of Kolín at the Veigert House, you can learn about the significant figure of bandleader and composer František Kmoch (1848-1912), who led the Kolín Sokol band starting in 1872. Kmoch and his musicians participated in various local festivals, Sokol events, and also performed in many social gatherings throughout the Kolín region and beyond.
Alternatively, you can combine your visit to Kmoch’s Kolín with a journey through Central Bohemia. Explore beautiful Kutná Hora and the Kouřim open-air museum or Radim Castle. Did you realize that 80% of the furnishings in Radim Castle come from auctions at chateaux on the Loire? Also, admire the well-preserved ceiling of the castle, which was hidden for nearly 300 years due to Empress Maria Theresa’s flood control measures. Visitors can enjoy a train ride on the Cologne Beet Groove. This railway was operational for about 70 years, transporting sugar beet from the fields to sugar processing plants not just in Kolín but across the region. It was established in 1894 as the very first rail line in Polabí, making it a delightful experience for guests of all ages. This scenic train journey runs from Sendražice to Býchory.
