Czech & Kolache Festival
Czech and Kolache Festival
August 1 & 2, 2015
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 1st and 2nd. Admission both days $8.00 Children 12 and under are free.
Aug. 2—Saturday–The celebration begins on Saturday morning at 10:00 with the arrival of the kolaches. The Czech kolache makers rise before sunup to begin the baking on Saturday and Sunday mornings. All your favorite fillings will be available—you may purchase them individually or by the dozen. Czech Chicken Booyah, kolaches, desserts will be available in the Pavilion, along with beverages at the Nowak Bar. Hamburgers, hot dogs, brats, Ice Cream Sundaes, Czech beer, soda, and Liver Sausage on rye will be available in the Beer Garden. Enjoy music in the Threshing Barn by the “Old Time Brass Band” played by area musicians many who are related to ancestors that entertained so many with the omp-pa-pa and the after beats of the “peck horns”, melodies played by the trumpets and clarinets, playing the polka and waltz’s that are still popular today. History is reborn with the sounds of music throughout the two day celebration. Included will be our present day bands that will be playing our present style of Czech music. Have the opportunity to “kick up your heels” to a polka or waltz beat. Take advantage of having a polka dance lesson from one of our “Czech Lassies”. Indulge in a glass of the authentic “Czech beers” and the Czech food that will be available. Besides the sounds of Czech music there will be singing of the Czech Choraliers, dressed in there “kroj” and singing many Czech songs with accompliment from a small group of musicians. In the stable will be presentations, demonstrations, displays, and Czech vendors selling Czech crystal, jewelry, etc. There will be Christmas ornaments from the Czech Republic on sale in the Pavilion. The presentations, demonstrations, vendors and music on Saturday and Sunday will be in the Threshing Barn, Stable and Pavilion
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. Al Briggs and Don Brusky our Blacksmith’s will be demonstrating blacksmithing as your grandfather did it many years ago. They will showcase the beautiful Doctors Buggy they renovated.
At 11:30 in the air conditioned pavilion – JoAnn Vogel designated the Queen of Kolaches by the Green Bay Press Gazette and Instructor of the popular Kolache Baking Classes will demonstrate and give tips on making kolaches, bird dinner rolls and Cinnamon rolls. Czech Cookbooks, Northland Aluminum pans, kolache recipe and aprons with Czech sayings will be for sale at the demonstration, if you are planning on staying for the afternoon entertainment an admission fee is required. There will be music for your dancing and listening pleasure, entertainment throughout the day in the Threshing Barn and Pavilion.
Aug, 3–Sunday—Kolache’s begin arriving at 9:00 a.m. –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. 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 Beer Garden. Hear the music of the re-created 1904 Newtonburg Brass Band that consists of 13 members in authentic uniforms and playing vintage instruments such as the “double bell euphonium”, “alto horn” “trombonium” and “helicon tuba”. All instruments that were used by ancestors in playing the Czech music that was popular over 100 years ago and still popular today! There will music in the pavilion for dancing and “toe tapping”. Enjoy some of the “Czech Goodies” such as “Metanky” (good with your favorite refreshment.) and “Jitrnice” (Czech Liver Sausage served on rye bread.)
A visit to the pavilion will take you to the Nowak Bar and Saloon. This beautiful bar was made in the early 1900’s by the Swoboda Furniture Co. and was used till 1938 in the Nowak Saloon and Boarding House in Kewaunee. Many travelers stayed at the boarding house when they came across Lake Michigan on the ferry and stayed the night till the next day to continue their journey. After 1938 the bar was closed and remained in the building. The building was purchased by the Buchanan Family and became their residence with their funeral business next door. In 2o12 the bar was donated to the Heritage Farm by the Buchanan family and moved to the present location.
The Agricultural Heritage Farm would like to be a continued promoter of lives of our ancestors that were of this area so many years ago. A special exhibit will be on display during the Czech and Kolache Festival that describes the hardships and joy that was among those that came to this country seeking a new life.
The traveling exhibit is entitled “Leaving Czechoslovakia” is on loan to the Heritage Farm from the National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. A ½ hour video accompanies the exhibit. A member of the staff from the museum will be present to answer questions.
For additional information call: JoAnn Vogel @ 920-682-6615 jvogel@tm.net or Orv Konop @920-660-0156. okkonop@aol.com