In Slovácko, a region in southeastern Czechia, a group of geofriends regularly host events to connect with their local geocaching community. In 2023, they were inspired to turn those small social events into something much bigger by hosting their first Mega-Event. I had the amazing opportunity to attend their second Mega-Event over the weekend of August 17 in the heart of Slovácko.

The lovely town of Uherské Hradiště was the setting for the weekend of geocaching fun. The morning of the Mega-Event, an Event was held in one of the beautiful town squares to celebrate International Geocaching Day. The globe logbook was a perfect ode to the theme as I met geocachers from multiple countries – including geocachers from my hometown in the United States!

We arrived at the Mega-Event location which was a stunning local park with towering trees providing shade on the hot summer day. The organizers went above and beyond to celebrate Slovácko. There were stands from a local winery, restaurant, brewery, coffee roastery, and a bakery with delicious Czech pastries. I was especially delighted by the trackable wine bottles and coffee bean bags!

The Adventures placed for the event highlighted different aspects of the region’s vibrant culture, including wine production, and there were also optional visits to a cultural museum and aviation museum. Lectures about environmentally friendly geocaching and EarthCaches were followed up by a “Meet the reviewers” chat open to questions from the community.

Events are a very important part of the game in Czechia. The organizers did an amazing job at providing opportunities to socialize and promote friendship. Whether I briefly met someone new or had an interesting conversation, I could feel the strong community bonds!

I also enjoyed answering questions from the community on the main stage and presenting the first-ever “Hall of Fame of Slovácko Geocaching” award on behalf of the local geocachers. The Event finished with a performance of the Slovácko verbunk dance – which is on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list!

A huge thank you to the organizing team for welcoming all of us to Uherské Hradiště! The hard work from the team, led by juboxka, was appreciated by everyone. It was a wonderful example of a Mega-Event that celebrates local culture, adventures, fun, and friendship.

Geocaching HQ Lackeys attend dozens of Mega and Giga-Events around the world, shaking hands, sharing stories of adventure, and of course, geocaching! Emily (em_adventuring) is a Community Special Events Manager at Geocaching HQ. She recently traveled to Czechia to attend the GeoSlovácko 2024 Mega-Event (GCAEHTY).