Trenčín is transformed into a vibrant cultural centre of European significance. The Opening Weekend of Trenčín 2026 – European Capital of Culture unfolds over three days, offering more than one hundred cultural, community, and artistic events across the city centre and its neighbourhoods. Thousands of performers from dozens of countries, alongside hundreds of volunteers and representatives of local communities, are taking part in the programme. As the largest cultural event in the city’s modern history, the opening weekend symbolically launches the year-long programme of Trenčín 2026 – European Capital of Culture.
The city as an open cultural stage
From Friday to Sunday, the streets, squares, galleries, churches, nightclubs, and public spaces of Trenčín become venues for art, unexpected encounters, and shared experiences. The opening weekend presents more than one hundred cultural, community, and artistic events across the city and its neighbourhoods, highlighting the richness and diversity of the local cultural scene alongside contributions from international guests.
The programme unfolds across three main stages and dozens of additional locations throughout the city. Visitors experience a wide spectrum of cultural events, ranging from theatre, music, and dance performances to concerts, exhibitions, fashion shows, and shared readings in Trenčín’s cafés. Emerging talents appear alongside established groups, each given space to shine. The entire city moves to the rhythm of a masked parade, gradually joined by folk ensembles, children, musicians, and actors.
“We want everyone to find something in the programme, whether it’s a large-scale evening performance or a small, intimate experience in a neighbourhood setting. The opening weekend shows what a city can become when it opens itself to people, ideas, curiosity, and the world,” says Stanislav Krajči, Director of the Trenčín – European Capital of Culture project.
Artists from more than twenty countries across Europe and beyond are coming to Trenčín, a city of approximately 55,000 inhabitants. Participants include representatives from the Czechia, Poland, Portugal, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Spain, Germany, Norway, and France, as well as Japan, Brazil, and Turkey. Alongside these international contributors, local artists, associations, schools, and cultural institutions play a significant role in the programme.
Manifest Trenčín 2026 as a symbolic highlight
The highlight of Saturday’s programme is the evening gala programme, Manifest Trenčín 2026, at Mírové námestie (Peace Square). This multimedia production brings together imagery, music, dance, and storytelling to reflect the city and the wider region, paying tribute to their identity, cultural heritage, and the personalities who have shaped their development.
“The Manifesto is not just a festive show, but an expression of what Trenčín is and what it wants to become: an open, self-confident city that brings together tradition and the present, the local and the international,” says Lumír Mati, Chief Dramaturge of the Opening Weekend.
The main stage features performances by Jana Kirschner, Štefan Štec, the Slovak Armed Forces Military Band, the legendary Trenčín band Bez ladu a skladu, and the Spanish artistic collective Sacude, among others.
The city streets come alive with the light installations Zažni mesto (Light Up the City), which transform public spaces with light and art over all three evenings. Contemporary art is showcased not only in the traditional exhibition spaces of the Miloš Alexander Bazovský Gallery, where visitors can explore the work of Stano Filko, one of Slovakia’s most important artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, but also through three exhibitions by artists from Turkey, Portugal, and Japan, bringing contemporary art into the historic setting of Trenčín Castle.
Culture and art extend into unconventional spaces, including the city underpass and the winter stadium. The Opening Weekend also marks the launch of LUMó Hub, a new city-centre venue dedicated to sustainable fashion. Throughout the year, LUMó Hub will bring Trenčín’s fashion legacy to life through activities and programmes focused on sustainability.
Communities and neighbourhoods at the heart of the opening
The craftsmanship and traditions of Trenčín’s textile industry are by women of neighbouring communities hand-knitting hats, scarves, and gloves. These are distributed free of charge to visitors during the Opening Weekend, offering a heartfelt gesture of time, care, and artisanal skill.
“Even a simple gathering to knit or share a meal is a cultural event for us. It is precisely in these moments that relationships and a sense of belonging are formed, and these are the connections we aim to nurture through the Trenčín 2026 project,” says Lenka Abaffyová, Coordinator of Community Activities.
Community projects and neighbourhood activities play a central role in the Opening Weekend, providing spaces for communal breakfasts and evening gatherings around shared tables. Another highlight is the Festival of Local Flavours, offering a selection of local products alongside a unique experience: the presentation of the ‘Trenčín recipe,’ a dish inspired by the flavours and memories that evoke the spirit of the city.
Volunteers – the face of the Trenčín 2026 project
Hundreds of volunteers are helping to ensure the smooth running of the Opening Weekend. They assist with organising the programme, guiding visitors, providing information, managing installations, supporting technical needs, and staffing the press centre.
“Volunteers are the heart of the entire project. They are the first people visitors encounter and play a key role in creating the welcoming and open atmosphere we aim to offer as the European Capital of Culture,” says Stanislava Minárik, Coordinator of the Volunteer Programme.
A joint project of the city, the region and Europe
The Opening Weekend highlights the extraordinary significance of the Trenčín 2026 project for both the city and the wider region. “Trenčín shows that it can organise an event of European scale while engaging residents across generations. We see the European Capital of Culture not as a one-off event, but as a long-term investment in the city’s quality of life,” says Richard Rybníček, Mayor of Trenčín.
Jaroslav Baška, President of the Trenčín Self-Governing Region, emphasizes the project’s regional impact: “Trenčín 2026 brings not only culture to the region, but also for tourism, education, and collaboration. The Opening Weekend sends a clear signal that the region is ready to take part in the European cultural dialogue.”
Trenčín 2026 – European Capital of Culture
The Trenčín 2026 programme is centred on strengthening communities, supporting contemporary art, and activating public spaces. The Opening Weekend marks a symbolic launch of a year-long programme, which will continue through dozens of projects, festivals, residencies, and community activities until the end of 2026.
Trenčín 2026 – European Capital of Culture is part of a European Union initiative aimed at promoting cultural diversity, fostering cooperation, and supporting the long-term development of cities through culture. The project takes place under the auspices of the President of the Slovak Republic and is financially supported by the city of Trenčín, the Trenčín Self-Governing Region, and the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic, with the European Union as a partner.
Additional information, press materials and photographs from the Opening Weekend can be downloaded from the Media section at: https://www.trencin2026.eu/en/for-the-media/
MEDIA CONTACT
Tereza Fojtová / PR Manager Trenčín 2026
tereza.fojtova@trencin2026.eu / +421 918 412 621 / www.trencin2026.eu
Florian Vanicatte / Send / Receive
florian@sendreceive.eu / +33 617 216 932
