The Echoing Dance of Clogs in Volary’s Šumava Region

A woodworking tradition and the skills of our forebears will be celebrated at the end of August during traditional festivities in the Sumava town of Volary. Over two exciting days, there will be original contests, a variety of concerts, and a People’s Market. The Festival of Wood at Volary honors the ancient history of this place and highlights the tradition of woodworking.

At this event, which happens regularly in the later summer months, this year it will occur on 16-17 August 2025. Numerous craftsmen will demonstrate their skills, there will be a fair, and you can enjoy a wide range of delicious foods. Additionally, expect the traditional display by Volhynian gardeners and a wood-cutting competition. On Sunday, August 17, beginning at 11:30 a.m., you can participate in the March in clogs.

Volar Museum and unique architecture

Volary is an ancient settlement in the Šumava region, although it didn’t always have town status. The establishment of this site dates back to the colonization of Šumava in the 13th and 14th centuries (the first written record is from 1359), but Volary was not officially designated as a town until 1871.

A visit to the local museum is something you should not overlook. It is housed in a historic timbered building with a broad roof, which are unique in Czech folk architecture. Volary began to transform into an “alpine village” in the 16th century, as groups of mountain herders from Tyrol and Styria settled here. Sadly, one of the largest wooden settlements in Europe was destroyed in 1863 by a fire, leaving only a few examples of its distinctive structures.

Beyond its unique architecture, the Volar Museum features engaging exhibitions. The museum showcases the town’s early history in the exhibit “Life on the Golden Trail”, which highlights when Volary was the largest settlement in Soumar located on the Czech side of the Prachatická route. The sad tale of the “Death March” is also captured in the exhibition, recounting the march that passed through the town in 1945 from the Helmbrechts concentration camp. Later on, when American forces liberated Volary, they discovered the bodies of women, victims of violence, scattered around the town. The remains of 96 people who perished during the Nazi rampage were interred in a separate cemetery, where today a memorial stands, recognized as a Jewish landmark.