SOUTOK / CONFLUENCE

Budweis has celebrated its 760th anniversary this year. And it was celebrated in style – with the Confluence cultural festival. Every week in June, from Thursday to Saturday, the city came alive with culture, art and joy. The festival was a gift from the European Capital of Culture 2028 and cultural institutions to all of us. 

More about Confluence

The Confluence festival is part of the Culture Island program that connects cultural institutions in the Budweis city center, and gives them space to create together. Like the confluence of the Vltava and Malše rivers, the Confluence brings together diverse currents – people, places, and ideas – and turns them into a shared experience.

Starting in 2027, the Confluence festival will host a regular cultural night, showcasing the best of the local cultural scene and international collaborations. In 2028, it will be part of the launch of the European Capital of Culture and will showcase Budweis as a vibrant, inspiring city.

It will also include a residential art installation (April–October 2028) in the Culture Island area, offering a new way to experience public space and the transforming cultural district – including the reopened Slavia House of Culture (2026).

The Confluence is more than a festival. It is a place of encounter, experimentation and collaboration. It is an impulse that connects the city, its inhabitants and the European cultural scene – with respect for people, place and the future.

Confluence 2025

Streets, parks and riverbanks became stages for theater, music, circus, exhibitions and other events for every generation. Performances took place in the open air. Concerts resounded throughout the city. Visual installations and exhibitions transformed familiar places into experiences. There was delicious food, lectures and festivals for both kids and grown-ups. Each day of the festival brought something new.

The Confluence festival was a celebration of us all, the city we love and the people who make it the way it is.

Relive moments from the Confluence festival 2025!

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