Czech & Kolache Festival
NORTHEASTERN WISCONSIN CZECH & KOLACHE FESTIVAL
SATURDAY & SUNDAY AUGUST 3 & 4, 2019
What’s happening at this year’s “Czech and Kolache Festival”
NORTHEASTERN WISCONSIN CZECH /KOLACHE FESTIVAL
Kewaunee County Wisconsin and the Agricultural Heritage Farm located five miles south of the city of Kewaunee on State Road 42 is the location of the largest Czech and Kolache festival in the Northeastern part of the state. This year’s festival will be held on Saturday and Sunday August 3 & 4, 2019 at the “Heritage Farm”.
The festival begins on Saturday morning at 10:00 with the arrival and sale of the kolaches. The Czech kolache bakers rise before sunup to begin the baking on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Only a limited amount of kolaches are baked each day and can be purchased individually or by a limited amount to satisfy each customer. All of the favorite fillings are available. At the end of the two days, an estimated total of 9,000 kolaches will have been made and sold. The art of baking kolaches will be demonstrated by Joann Vogel on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. in our air condition pavilion. Joann is Instructor of the popular Heritage Farm Baking Classes and she will be demonstrating and give tips on making kolaches, bird dinner rolls and Cinnamon rolls. You can also sign up for one of her future baking classes at this time.
The Wisconsin Czech’s Inc will be offering a “Kroj Style Show”. The show will take place in the pavilion on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. The style show will be our third year and is organized by Ann Cramer and Katie Steeber Kochan, members of the Wisconsin Czech’s Inc. A supporter of our Festival. The models will feature costumes and clothes from our Czech and Slovak ancestors that have been handed down from generation to generation. Men’s, women’s and children’s dress will be featured with a narrated description. Ann and Katie would like to extend an invitation to anyone that would have authentic dress from their ancestors and would like to display and/or model at this time. More information can be given by calling Katie (920)905-5384 or Ann (920)236-9101. The “Style Show” is a big part of our Festival, striving to teach and bringing light to our Czech and Slovak traditions. The costumes of the “Baruska Dancers “will also be featured. The “Baruska Dancers” were a group of young ladies from the Kewaunee area that did the traditional Czech polka dance. They were very popular with performances in the 70’s and 80’s throughout Northeastern Wisconsin and Czech Festivals out of state. This will be your change to learn the polka step and take a few turns around the hall with them! Although the young ladies are a little older they are still active with the traditional Czech polka. Scrap books compiled by Jane Theis, with pictures and memorabilia of their past performances will be on display.
Music will be provided by our own Heritage Brass Band. A recreated brass band from the past that will furnish the Omp-Pa-Pa sounds of music gone by. After you have learned to polka you can stay and enjoy of the Brass Band and dance the rest of the afternoon.
Other entertainment on Saturday will have the Czech Choraliers, the recreated “Pilsen Brass Band” performing in the threshing barn for your listening and dancing pleasures. Our strolling accordionist Jerry Voelker, will be providing music in the pavilion and beer and food garden. Anna
In our newly restored “Summer Kitchen” will be Anna Cookova. Anna is a teacher of the Czech language and offers Czech lessons over Skype. She is also president of the “Wisconsin Czech’s Inc. “ Anna will be available both day’s at this year’s Czech and Kolache Festival to translate old family letters and journals that may help you reconnect with family ties in the Czech Republic. She will help with the Czech language and will offer free coupons towards her lessons on “Skype”. We feel fortunate to have her! Bring in your articles that you would like translated.
The restored Franklin Town Hall will have the Wisconsin Czech’s with displays, Czech cookbooks, literature, and articles from the Czech Republic. An exhibit from the National Czech & Slovak Museum and Library will be on display along with records of property owners and past information of the Town of Franklin will be on display. If you would like to become a member of the Wisconsin Czech’s Inc, information and literature will be available.
Food and refreshments will be available throughout both days from our outdoor food and beer garden with Czech authentic foods (Jitrnice, Metanky, Booyah & Deserts). Vendors will be in the stable area with Czech related merchandise, Christmas ornaments, cooking and baking utensils plus demonstrations by the vendors.
Sunday will start with the sale of kolaches (9:00 a.m.) and a Heritage Czech Mass at 10:30 a.m. (no admission charge.) followed by dinner with a Czech menu and especially kolaches and Joann’s delicious Czech cream puffs. The afternoon will have music in the pavilion for your listening and dancing by the Hayes Boys Orchestra along with the Newtonburg Brass Band entertaining in the threshing floor of the barn.
This year’s Czech and Kolache Festival is planned to be bigger and better with Czech music, singing, dancing, vendors, food, refreshments. All of the restored Heritage Farm buildings will be opened including the 1876 family homestead and the Sunnyside grade school, Franklin Town Hall and Summer Kitchen. A shuttle service will be provided.
For information call: JoAnn Vogel @ 920-682-6615 or jvogel@tm.net …Kolache Baking & Sales
Orv Konop @920-660-0156. okkonop@aol.com… Entertainment, Vendors