Czech & Kolache Festival
Czech and Kolache Festival
August 2 & 3, 2014
Fresh Kolaches
VITAME VAS (We Welcome You) to the largest Czech Festival in Northeastern Wisconsin.
The Festival will be held at the Heritage Farm 5 miles south of Kewaunee on Hwy 42 August 2nd and 3rd. Admission per day will be $8.00 Children 12 and under are Free. A Czech dinner on Sunday will be $12.00.
The celebration begins on Saturday morning at 10:00 with the sale of kolaches. The Czech kolache bakers rise before sunrise on Saturday and Sunday with baking of 8000 + kolaches. All your favorite fillings will be available — you may purchase them individually or by the dozen. If you are interested in the art of baking kolaches, bird dinner rolls and cinnamon rolls, you can attend the 11:30 a.m. baking demonstration presented by JoAnn Vogel and Dolores Kupsh. They have several years of experience in the expertise of Czech baking! You can also sign up for one of their future baking class’s. Food will be available at the outdoor beer garden and pavilion. Czech Chicken Booyah, along with hamburgers, hot dogs, brats, Ice Cream Sundaes and desserts. Be entertained by our strolling accordionist Marv Erdman as he plays all of your favorite songs! In the threshing barn there will be entertainment by a old time Czech Brass Band and the Wisconsin Czech Choraliers, the stable will have Czech vendors, displays, lectures, Czech baking class’s and other interesting articles on display. Vendors for this year’s Czech and Kolache Festival will be Vaclav Cindar from European Trading Company with Christmas Ornaments from the Czech Republic, ABC Imports of New Glarus WI with imports from the Czech Republic and Central Europe, Jarmila Inc. from Waukesha WI with jewelry hand crafted in the Czech Republic, Wisconsin Czech cookbooks, and local vendors. Also the Czechoslovak Genealogical Society International (CGSI) will be attending this year’s festival with merchandise of interest. Access to the vending area is free.
Starting at 1:00 p.m. you can enjoy dancing and listening music in our air conditioned pavilion by Jerry Voelker and the Jolly Gents .They will be playing many of your old time Czech polkas and waltz’s. The pavilion has been remodeled since the past August storm that caused considerable damage to the exterior and interior of the building. View our restored historical 1800’s bar and duplicated saloon that existed from 1876 to 1938. The bar is originally from the Novak saloon that was a part of Kewaunee in that time period. The beautiful bar was made in Kewaunee by Swobada Furniture and was donated by the Buchanan family. Who knows, maybe someone will sit down at the historic 1800’s piano and will play a couple good old Czech tunes for you!
A traveling exhibit telling the story of Czechs in Wisconsin, Slovaks in Wisconsin and the Sokol Movement in Wisconsin will be on display both days. The Sokol History Project was created by Sokol Milwaukee for the 2013 American Sokol Sports Festival that was held in Milwaukee June 24 – 30; Sokol Milwaukee is a gymnastics and cultural organization founded by Czech immigrants in 1868. The display was funded in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Humanities Council. Local societies that supported the project included the Kewaunee Historical Society, the Manitowoc County historical Society, Western Fraternal Life Association Lodge and the Wisconsin Czechs, Inc.
Come and view the buildings of a Czech farmstead built in the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s. The Heritage Farm is the only fully preserved site in Northeastern Wisconsin open to the public. In the blacksmith shop Al Briggs and Don Brusky will be demonstrating blacksmithing as your grandfather did it many years ago . The Town of Franklin original and restored Town Hall along with the 1900’s Sunny Side School will be a part of the Historical Village that the Farm is in the process of creating on the grounds. Thus far the building is set around the gazebo that was a part of the Kewaunee County Court House years ago.
Sunday—Kolache’s begin arriving at 9:00am and on sale. –Polka Mass at 10:30 in the Pavilion with Fr. Bill O’Brien officiating, Gail Johanek, Cantor and the music by the Orv Konop Combo and Czech Choraliers. A Czech Dinner—Sauerkraut, Dumplings, Pork Roast, vegetables and a kolache of your choice. — will be served at 11:30 until sold out. Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Brats will be served in the area of the New Beer Garden. Ice cream cones and Sunday’s will be available. Once again The Newtonburg Brass will play and entertain in the Threshing Barn in the afternoon until closing. They are very entertaining with true brass band music of the early 20’s, 30’s and 40’s. The OK Czech Band will be entertaining in the pavilion starting at 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. All entertainment on Saturday and Sunday will take place in the Heritage Threshing Barn, Stable and Pavilion.
You do not need to be Czech to be a part of this year’s 2014 Czech & Kolache Festival. Everyone is invited to enjoy our Czech Heritage, Culture, Czech Food, Dancing and Celebration. We encourage Czech dress and costume but not necessary.
Agricultural Heritage & Resources is a 501c3 not for profit organization run entirely on volunteer labor. We ask for your support in our endeavors!
Nashledanou (goodby)
Submitted by: JoAnn Vogel, Publicity Chr. 920-682-6615 or jvogel@tm.net