The notion to establish the Trnavská brána festival was born in the minds of significant Trnava folklorists more than twenty years ago. The original and modest idea of the founders was to spark the younger generation’s interest and also to fill the gap that Trnava region had previously formed on the map of the Slovak folklore festivals. The very first edition of the Trnavská brána had been presented in 2001.
As it happens, from little things big things grow, and so a few years later the festival was already called "international" and welcomed artists from neighbouring and from (aby si niekto nemyslel ze je cesko exotika) exotic countries. A large number of performers from Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Taiwan and Turkey have performed here, giving the event it‘s prestigious status.
What makes Trnavská brána unique is the fact that the festival is located in the historical centre of the city, which underlines the authenticity of the event. The main street comes (Hlavná street) alive with craft market stalls and multiple creative workshops connected to the spirit of folk traditions. Part of the Trnavská brána is a traditional-costumed parade, which livens the whole city centre up and makes it dance.
The festival programme is situated in two places: since 2016, you will find the evening performances in the town amphitheatre and the accompanying cultural performances, which can be heard resounding through the square throughout the day, on a smaller stage in front of the Town Hall.
We planned the main programme together with related activities to meet the expectations of all visitors. We strive to offer visitors a diverse range of cultural genres, and that's why we have prepared a new event for you - the premiere of the Festival Nádvorie čarovných nití (Courtyard of Magical Threads). The colour of the festival will be enhanced by many additional activities: folk dance school, folklore school for the youngest, costume parade and traditional folk crafts fair on the Hlavná Street. The visitors will be invited to practice their skills in contemporary crafts, such as pottery, woodcarving, gingerbread making and decorating. You can also test the elasticity of the shepherd's whip or verify the truth of the popular traditional song "seventy skirts she had" and dress the doll in period clothing.