Three weeks after Rosnička Festival, I’m still brushing dust off my boots and discovering glitter all over the place, a sure sign of a weekend well spent. Set beside the Rosnička pond in Svitavy, this year’s edition felt like the festival had levelled up. It was brighter, bolder, and more confident, with a visual identity crafted by Czech artist Vendula Knopová that gave everything a fun charm.
Rosnička has always been a champion of the alternative and the unexpected, but 2026 pushed that reputation even further. The programme featured around 30 acts across two stages, pulling in artists from Germany, Spain, Slovakia, and all corners of the Czech underground scene. I love how this festival means that while you wander between trees, you’ll likely find yourself in front of a modular‑synth wizard or a rapper with a cult following.
Camping was exactly what you’d expect from a small, DIY‑spirited festival: simple, close to the action, and dotted with cheerful clusters of tents arranged by people who had excitedly arrived at different points in the weekend. The heatwave that weekend was no joke. We had been warned of temperatures reaching over 40 degrees, and that was no exaggeration, so shade was at a premium. Thankfully the proximity to the lake and the gentle breeze off the water made mornings surprisingly pleasant. Car parking, meanwhile, was refreshingly efficient and easy to find, though it was a short walk from where you left your car to the actual festival grounds.
Food and drink were satisfyingly unfussy. I’ve never once gone hungry at a Czech festival, and Rosnička upheld that, with an array of different options provided by Panelka Luleč. Beer was plentiful, cold, and reasonably priced, a change from the usual sort of daylight robbery you sometimes encounter at bigger festivals.
The music, of course, was the real reason everyone was there. Chris Imler was a stand out performer for me. The German punk‑electro icon has a reputation for chaotic brilliance which is well earned. His performance was a dark, pulsing cocktail of punk, dub, and electronic noise, delivered with theatrical menace and a glint of humour. It felt like stumbling into a Berlin club, except you were outdoors, surrounded by trees and festival‑goers in sunglasses.
Suntan Club’s psychedelic rock was also something I really enjoyed. Breezy guitars, summery vibes, and an easy charm that made the whole crowd relax into the moment. Their set felt tailor‑made for the festival, and was perfect for chilling with beer by the lake, or getting up to dance. Mary Ocher delivered a very memorable set: avant‑pop, experimental vocals, political undertones, and immense stage presence. She was able to hush the crowd with a single phrase and then jolt them awake with a burst of noise.
Sam Goku brought a completely different energy. His warm and melodic house was polished, dreamy, and irresistibly danceable. It washed over the lakeside like a welcome breeze. Even casual wanderers found themselves transported into the music and stayed until the final beat.
If you stuck to the main stage, you really missed out. Tanaka spun dance vinyls from past decades into something completely new and captivating. It felt like I should be lying around a pool with a cocktail while his music played. Slovak rapper Fobia Kid, brought along his underground following with a burst of energy. Just watching his fans move and sing along was so much fun even if it isn’t my usual type of music. And then there was HRTL, dubbed the Czech “king of modulators”, whose improvised modular‑synth performance was a delightfully unpredictable ride.
I will say that the heat was relentless, and the campsite could have used more shade. Even once the sun went down, the temperature was still in the 30s, and dancing meant becoming a sweaty mess. At least this was the same for the entire crowd so I wasn’t alone there!
Rosnička remains one of the Czech Republic’s most distinctive summer festivals. A place where you’ll discover new artists, there’s no airs or graces, and the music is always interesting. If you enjoy dancing under trees, stumbling upon unexpected brilliance, and spending a weekend by a lake with friendly strangers, it’s absolutely worth the trip.
