In Olomouc’s Horní náměstí, the Christmas tree lit up in the early evening on Sunday and the traditional Advent markets started. The fourteen-meter-tall spruce was named Bambulin – based on the suggestion of children from the Milady Horáková Primary School, who participated in the Name a Christmas Tree competition.
Lighting of the Christmas tree on Horní náměstí, November 19, 2023, Olomouc.
| Video: Diary/Lukáš Kaboň
The symbol of this year’s Christmas was ceremoniously lit by the mayor of the city, Miroslav Žbánek, together with the children and the owner of the beautifully grown tree, Sandra Horton, who flew to Olomouc from North Carolina.
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“This year’s competition brought together a record four hundred proposals from children who sent in artwork and proposed a name for the Christmas tree,” said Jana Doleželová, spokeswoman for the Olomouc municipality. Out of more than four hundred artistically processed ideas from Olomouc children, the winner was Bambulin – a tree made of woolen pom-poms. It was made by third-graders from the school group of ZŠ Milady Horáková in Řožňavská street.
The group of ZŠ Milady Horáková submitted the most original art designs to the competition.
“The children from Rožňavská had a lot of beautiful ideas, which were also beautifully made, which is why we decided to award the entire team for the most beautiful artistic work. We chose one of these beautiful trees to name this year’s tree. On the one hand, Bambulína was really beautifully thought up and made by the children, but I also think it’s a very nice name,” said the mayor of the city, Miroslav Žbánek, who, together with the culture department, chooses the name for the Christmas tree every year.
Ice rink and observation wheel at the market square in Olomouc, November 19, 2023Source: Diary/Lukáš Kaboň
The eighteenth year of the competition received more than four hundred proposals from five kindergartens and nineteen elementary schools in Olomouc. In addition to the award for artistic processing and the name of the tree, the department of culture also awards a prize for the most original idea. This year, it belongs to the children from the Slavonín school group, who delivered a large insect hotel in the shape of a Christmas tree to the competition. They named him Brouček.
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The symbol of Christmas, which decorates the space in front of the historic town hall, traveled to Horní náměstí from nearby Wellnerova street last week. “The spruce was donated to the city by its owner, Sandra Horton, who planted the tree in front of the house thirty-four years ago. She also came to see the lighting ceremony,” revealed Jana Doleželová.
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Thousands of people came to the city center early Sunday evening, and many stayed for the singer-songwriter Voxel’s concert. At the same time, the Christmas markets started on Sunday, which will offer a wide range of Advent goods, punch, welder and other refreshments.
In the center of Olomouc, there are approximately one hundred sales stands that will be open until December 23. Several vendors will be offering refreshments until January 6th. During the Advent season, visitors to the markets will enjoy band concerts, children’s fairy tales, a culinary show, and children’s performances.
