The festival season in Prague will kick off this year at a new cultural hotspot – Štvanice Island. This is where the 22nd edition of the traditional United Islands of Prague festival will take place from May 1 to 3, 2025. Not only on Štvanice Island itself but also at the harbor on the Karlín side and in the market on the Holešovice side, organizers will offer visitors the best of emerging Czech and European artists – all for free.
“When the new footbridge connecting Karlín and Holešovice opened two years ago, it revealed a small oasis in the heart of the city for Prague’s residents. We immediately thought it would be great to turn this area into a little festival town for a few days each year, and I’m glad we’ve made it happen. In these beautiful spots, we’ll showcase artists who are still waiting for their big break, and I’m proud that our festival can help them on that journey,” says Martin Voňka, producer of United Islands of Prague.
This year marks the 22nd edition of United Islands of Prague. Over the course of three days, more than a hundred young, promising artists from across Europe will perform on stages on Štvanice Island and its surrounding areas in Karlín and Holešovice. The festival will also branch out into several Prague clubs for a special club night, with events taking place in the city center, Dejvice, Holešovice, as well as in Smíchov and Vinohrady. A highlight will be the Friday concert Symphony for Humanity, which aims to raise awareness about the growing issue of xenophobia both locally and globally. Festival-goers can look forward to a vibrant lineup of fresh musical talents from both the domestic and international scenes in early May.
“This year’s programming builds on the great success of last year. However, we don’t want to stand still, so we’re committed to evolving United Islands, bringing it closer to new audiences, and, I’d even say, rejuvenating it. Throughout the year, we’ve closely followed these artists and have complete faith in them. I hope they’ll entertain festival visitors just as much as they’ve excited us,” says Michal “Gumi” Nguyen, the festival’s music curator.
One of the headliners will be German singer Cloudy June, who has sold out dozens of concerts across Europe, racked up tens of millions of streams with her hit FU In My Head, and even had her billboard displayed in New York’s Times Square. Representing the Czech scene will be Bitter Season, a band delivering uncompromising pop-punk influenced by both hardcore and emo sounds, and Byt číslo 4, who blend raw punk rock with heartfelt lyrics. From Slovakia, Viktor Ori, a regular at the top of alternative music charts, will join the lineup. Festival visitors can also enjoy a rich accompanying program.
Find out more at www.unitedislands.cz and on the festival’s social media channels.
