There will be no New Year’s fireworks and neither a videomapping show in Prague, Mayor Zdeněk Hřib announced today.
The city’s authorities decided to not go ahead with traditional January 1 municipal events in view of the Covid situation.
“We did not plan any fireworks this year either, but we were considering alternative ways to welcome the new year. We were waiting for the epidemic situation and anti-epidemic measures to develop. Given the current situation, we abandoned the planned activities,” Hofman said.
Due to the current epidemic situation and the measures in force, the municipality does not plan any other New Year’s Eve.
“We would not be able to guarantee the safety of visitors at such an event with regard to the transmission of the disease, and it would be difficult to ensure the spectators’ distances,” City Hall spokesperson Vít Hofman told the Czech News.
In the past, Prague city traditionally welcomed the new year on January 1 with fireworks, which from January 1, 2020, have been replaced with a videomapping show, which, according to the city management, does not have negative consequences, such as noise and stress for animals.
Among other reasons, last year the city wanted to save money in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.
In 2020, the use of firecrackers and fireworks was banned in selected places, such as historic city districts, parks, nature protected areas, around watercourses, near retirement homes and other social care facilities and also in the vicinity of the Prague Zoo.
