Indulge in the Alluring Aromas of Wood and Glass This Weekend at the Wallachian Museum

If you’re looking for a delightful outing, make sure to visit on Saturday 11 July for the ‘Hej’s Knife’ woodcarving gathering at the Wallachian Open-Air Museum in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm. At this event, every woodcarver will be showcasing their craft and unique artistic style right before your eyes. Also notable are the sculptures by the folk woodcarver Josef Heja (1902–1985) from Halenkov, who is the inspiration behind the gathering’s name. The museum has a vast collection of his sculptures for you to enjoy.

This year’s ‘Hejův nožík’ event will include twenty-five talented participants, each presenting an impressive variety of products, from turned and split wood items to wooden puppets and intricate sculptures. You can even meet a maker of nativity scenes. Visitors have the opportunity to observe the woodcarvers as they create and leave with one of their unique handmade products. The ambiance will be further enhanced by the family band Gajdoši from Kopanice.

Glass in Mlýnská dolina

On Sunday 12 July, the Mlýnská dolina site will host a celebration of the rich tradition of glassmaking in Wallachia. At Glassmaking Day, visitors can witness an array of glassworking techniques. Glassmakers from the Staré Splavy glassworks will be active at the outdoor furnace throughout the day. Attendees will have the chance to see glass-blown vessels and decorative glass pieces being crafted right at the Mlýnská dolina venue. There will also be demonstrations on glass cutting and the art of making stained glass. Participating will be students and teachers from the Secondary School of Glassmaking in Valašské Meziříčí, as well. Kids are welcome to take part in a creative workshop where they can create their own glass mosaic. The cultural program will be enhanced by performances from Zbyněk Terner & Ladislav Kokesch, along with bagpiper Petr Sovják.

Mlýnská dolina, which has been open for over 40 years, features operational engineering structures, primarily powered by water. These structures are a tribute to the technical ingenuity of our ancestors and their skill in harnessing natural resources. Visitors on the tour will encounter various historical sites including a hammer mill, a sawmill, a watermill, a fulling mill, and an oil press, as well as a carriage house that showcases vehicles which were once essential for agriculture, forestry, trade, passenger transport, and several other trades.