E-Malt.com News article: Czech Republic: 10,000 visitors at Staropramen SmíchOff Summer festival

Nearly 10,000 visitors turned out for the Staropramen SmíchOff Summer festival, lured by an attractive music program and the prospect of celebrating the brewery’s 100-millionth hectolitre of beer, according to company’s press release, September 23. Beer, including a specially brewed unfiltered version of Staropramen Granát, flowed from 70 taps. Starting in the afternoon hours, a total of eleven bands – both Czech and international – played on two stages. The sun shone brightly and the enthusiastic visitors had a palette of true musical delicacies to go with their Staropramen beer.

The domestic bands at the festival were Support Lesbiens from Prague, UDG from Ústí nad Labem, Gipsy.cz with their front man Radoslav „Gipsy“ Bangou, Roe Deer, Clou, Southpaw, Cocotte Minute, and Sunshine from Tábor. The international guest bands Horkýže Slíže from Nitra, Slovakia (punk-rock) and La Phaze from France, also played to an enthusiastic crowd. The entire program culminated in a performance by the eagerly awaited Belgian band Hooverphonic, which were treated to a huge applause by visitors in the jam-packed brewery courtyard after they topped off part one of the SmíchOff Summer music festival.

This was not the end of Staropramen SmíchOff Summer, however. The festivities continued at 23:00 in the Retro Music Hall with a dance party hosted by the famous European DJs Giuseppe Ottaviani from Italy, the German duo Cosmic Gate, and the congenial Dutchman Benjamin Bates.

“Our aim was to transition the brewery celebration more towards a festival format. The visitors sure did enjoy the performances by top musicians from the Czech club scene as well as international groups,” said a proud Daniel Musialek, Staropramen brand manager after the event.

Following a one-year break during which Staropramen Brewery underwent an extensive renovation, Staropramen SmíchOff Summer continued the tradition of the popular Staropramen Brewery Celebrations. At the same time, SmíchOff Summer was held to honour the 100 millionth hectolitre produced at Staropramen Brewery since the first batch of beer was brewed there in 1871. The jubilee hectolitre was officially marked from the main stage with a special toast led by Staropramen’s Chief Brewer Zdeněk Lux.


26 September, 2007