Neighbourhood festivities Zažít město jinak wake up the streets for 20 years. Support their future

As part of European Mobility Week, our organization AutoMat has been hosting the Zažít město jinak neighborhood festival since 2006, bringing life back into the streets of our cities. What began as a one-off weekend event has gradually grown into the largest community celebration in Central Europe. Over the years, it has inspired hundreds of enthusiastic people to help transform public spaces for the better.

This year, for the twentieth time, visitors will once again have the chance to experience firsthand what it’s like when public space isn’t just for cars and getting from point A to point B. Instead, it becomes a place for everyone — regardless of age — to enjoy and connect. For one day, streets, squares, and courtyards will come alive with theatre, music, community food, workshops, swaps, talks, happenings, bike rides, local business showcases, sports, and activities for children. And often, this day is just the beginning of more lasting change.

Open-air swap events are both popular and sustainable

People as the driving force of change

This year’s theme, The Power of Communities, highlights the importance of active citizens for their neighborhoods. These are the people who often drive positive transformation in their surroundings. Through Different City Experience, public spaces are being reshaped to better reflect the needs of those who truly live there. Participants draw attention to the issues that matter to them, helping to cultivate not only urban spaces but also human relationships. Thanks to them, the street becomes a modern-day agora — a place that responds to current needs and challenges. And not just on the third Saturday in September, but all year round.

Neighbourhood festivals attract all generations

Streets for Everyone

For the past twenty years, the AutoMat association has been providing people who care about community life with know-how, as well as administrative and marketing support. The organisation also coordinates and oversees the neighbourhood festivals, which in many places have inspired neighbours to stay active throughout the year. But it’s only thanks to the dedication of hundreds of volunteers that transformed streets and thriving communities become reality. You can come and see it for yourself — visit one of the festival locations and experience how it feels when streets belong to people again. Find the full programme at zazitmestojinak.cz and experience streets made for people!

Art Belongs in the Streets

Support Communities — and Join In!

As part of Zažít město jinak, many usually inaccessible places will open their doors, offering visitors a truly unique experience. You can already start planning where you’ll go this year to experience the city from a new perspective — and you can also help make our cities more beautiful and welcoming by getting a virtual Neighbouthoodie. By doing so, you’ll help connect and strengthen communities across the Czech Republic and transform public spaces into the kind of vibrant, people-friendly places that 21st-century cities deserve.

And most importantly — come and enjoy a day full of fun, creativity, and togetherness under the open sky, for both young and old alike!