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The air in Žižkov crackles with the scent of roasting pork fat and rebellion. What began centuries ago as a last feast before Lent has exploded into Prague's most gloriously unhinged street party - Masopust. This isn't your grandmother's carnival. Here in the city's anarchic heart, men in hand-carved wooden masks chase children with pig bladders, while a brass band plays punk polka from the back of a flatbed truck.
The 2025 edition promises to be the wildest yet. The "Procession of the Unrighteous" - a 300-strong parade of devils, witches, and straw-stuffed scarecrows - will wind through the neighborhood's steep cobbled streets before culminating in a communal feast at Žižkov Tower. Local butcher Jan Horák has been preparing for months: "We'll roast three whole pigs in the square, just like my grandfather did during the Velvet Revolution protests."
New this year is the "Flying Bureaucrat" competition, where contestants race up Nerudova Street dressed as office workers, briefcases chained to their wrists. The winner gets a year's supply of Pilsner Urquell and their parking tickets forgiven. Meanwhile, underground clubs like Cross and Fuchs2 host all-night "Apocalypse Polka" parties featuring theremin players and fire breathers.
Pro Tip: Arrive before noon to catch the ceremonial beheading of King Bachus - a papier-mâché figure stuffed with candy that explodes when the axe falls.
Survive the Revelry in Style
After dancing until dawn with masked revelers, you'll want a soft landing. PrestigeFly can secure you a lie-flat seat on United's new Newark-Prague route, plus a recovery suite at the art-deco Alcron Hotel. Our "Carnival Survival Kit" includes VIP access to the best afterparties and a local fixer who knows where to find the real absinthe.
