Východná

The Východná folklore festival has run since 1953 and is the oldest and largest in Slovakia, held over a weekend in early July in an open-air amphitheatre in the fields below the village with the High Tatras standing behind the stage. Groups come from across the country and from abroad, with music, dance, craft demonstrations and a market. Outside the festival weekend the village is an ordinary Liptov settlement on the main road.

History

The village is first recorded in 1269, at the foot of Kriváň. Its folklore festival began in 1953, after the village's Kriváň ensemble returned inspired from the festival at Strážnice in Moravia in 1952, and it is now the oldest and largest national folklore festival in Slovakia, held on the first weekend of July (Wikipedia, Východná; Slovak Wikipedia, Folklórny festival Východná).

What you'll find

• The festival - Slovakia's oldest and largest folklore gathering, each July.
• The amphitheatre - an open-air stage in the fields with the Tatras behind.
• The visiting groups - ensembles from across Slovakia and abroad.
• The craft market - makers selling alongside the performances.

When to go

The festival falls on a weekend in early July and is the only time to come; dates are announced well in advance. The village is ordinary the rest of the year. Accommodation across Liptov fills for it.

Practical notes

There is nothing to see here outside the festival weekend. Accommodation for a wide radius books out months ahead and camping is the usual solution. The amphitheatre is exposed and the weather can be poor.

Nearby

Liptovsky Mikulas is west, and the High Tatras rise north.

Key facts