Every year, Prague’s oldest funfair, the Matějská pouť (St. Matthew’s Fair), draws numerous visitors to the Výstaviště exhibition centre. The Czech Republic’s largest funfair will open its doors on Saturday, 22 February 2025.
This year’s Matějská pouť will run from 22 February to 13 April at the Prague Exhibition Centre (Výstaviště Praha). As always, visitors can look forward to a mix of traditional and new rides, along with many other attractions. Enjoy the ghost train, the House of Laughter, shooting galleries, merry-go-rounds, swings, bouncy castles, and boat swings.
With around a hundred local and international attractions, there’s something for everyone. Highlights include adrenaline-pumping rides from the Netherlands, such as the ‘Airborne’ and the ‘SuperMouse’. Popular favourites include the three-storey haunted castle, the House of Laughter, an 80-metre-high chain carousel, countless swings, an old Bohemian shooting gallery, and the ever-popular Autodrom. Of course, no fair is complete without stalls selling candy floss, grilled sausages, and langos.
The tradition of Matějská pouť has been documented in the National Library since 1595. Originally held on Hanspaulka Square, the fair gradually moved to Victory Square (Vítězné náměstí) and later to Hradčany due to space constraints. In 1963, it found its permanent home near Stromovka Park at the current exhibition centre.
St. Matthew (Matěj) is the patron saint of builders, butchers, confectioners, blacksmiths, and tailors. Over time, various traditions have developed around St. Matthew. Today, numerous St. Matthew’s fairs are held, and in the past, a St. Matthew’s coin was even minted. St. Matthew is also associated with the weather, as the saying goes: ‘St. Matthew breaks the ice,’ symbolizing the arrival of spring. In the past, it was customary in the Czech Republic to shake fruit trees on St. Matthew’s feast day, 24 February (svátek svatého Matěje), to ensure a bountiful harvest.
Matějská pouť 2025
Dates: 22 February to 13 April 2025
Location: Výstaviště Praha Holešovice, Prague 7
How to Get There:
Tram: Lines 6, 12, 17 – Výstaviště station
Metro: Line C – Nádraží Holešovice station
