Drivers asked for patience as top cultural events play out this weekend

On Thursday the Bažant Pohoda festival Slovakia's biggest music event took off in the town of Trenčín, western Slovakia. It will go on until late Saturday night or in fact Sunday morning. Among the main performers this year are FFS (Franz Ferdinand and Sparks) and Bjork. The festival, which is held on several stages also includes other artistic and cultural elements. The traffic police have warned about significant traffic limitations relating to the Bažant Pohoda music festival. Apart from traffic congestion, pedestrians are expected on the roads. Around 30,000 visitors are due to attend the festival, of which many will come by car. The police therefore request that drivers should stay alert, show consideration, respect traffic signs and mainly keep track of the traffic situation. Trenčín Region Police spokesman Pavol Kudlička informed that during the whole duration of the festival the police will be monitoring the area, focusing on checking drivers for the use of alcohol or other addictive substances, the use of reflective vests by pedestrians and so on.

And the jubilee 50^th annual Folklore Festival Beneath Poľana in Detva (in the Banská Bystrica region, central Slovakia is to start off this Friday as well. A traditional Detva wedding, which used to last several days in the past, will open the three-day festival which will feature more than 1,800 performers in nine programmes on the main stage, and another four programmes in neighbouring venues. A highlight of the Friday night at the natural amphitheatre will be the performance of the Lúčnica group led by Professor Štefan Nosáľ, who has roots in the region beneath the Poľana hill. The ensemble will perform a programme entitled 'Lúčnica - My Life'.