Upcoming Dates Summer 2025
We begin our kick-off concert on the Friday night of Houby Days, May 16 on the Kosek Bandstand. The Czech Heritage Foundation.will sponsor this event. Our schedule then, is every other Friday, 7-8:30.
Here are the concert dates;
May 16, 30
June 13, 27
July 11, 25
August 8
Our finale is Sunday, May 10, 3:30-5:00
Upcoming Dates Summer 2025
Kosek Bandstand every other Friday, 7-8:30.
Here are the concert dates;
May 16, 30
June 13, 27
July 11, 25
August 8
Our finale is Sunday, May 10, 3:30-5:00
Upcoming Dates Summer 2025
We begin our kick-off concert on the Friday night of Houby Days, May 16 on the Kosek Bandstand. The Czech Heritage Foundation.will sponsor this event. Our schedule then, is every other Friday, 7-8:30.
Here are the concert dates;
May 16, 30
June 13, 27
July 11, 25
August 8
Our finale is Sunday, May 10, 3:30-5:00
Upcoming Dates Summer 2025
We begin our kick-off concert on the Friday night of Houby Days, May 16 on the Kosek Bandstand. The Czech Heritage Foundation.will sponsor this event. Our schedule then, is every other Friday, 7-8:30.
Here are the concert dates;
May 16, 30
June 13, 27
July 11, 25
August 8
Our finale is Sunday, May 10, 3:30-5:00
Upcoming Dates Summer 2025
Kosek Bandstand every other Friday, 7-8:30.
Here are the concert dates;
May 16, 30
June 13, 27
July 11, 25
August 8
Our finale is Sunday, May 10, 3:30-5:00
Upcoming Dates Summer 2025
We begin our kick-off concert on the Friday night of Houby Days, May 16 on the Kosek Bandstand. The Czech Heritage Foundation.will sponsor this event. Our schedule then, is every other Friday, 7-8:30.
Here are the concert dates;
May 16, 30
June 13, 27
July 11, 25
August 8
Our finale is Sunday, May 10, 3:30-5:00
Pickup this color page and color one of Marj Nejdl design sheets. They will be on display during Houby Days on the Ave. The final selection will be made on Sunday in Novak Park. We will celebrate heritage with the Czech Artists Mucha, we will celebrate MaryKay McGrath and the legacy in Czech Village, and we will honor Marj Nejdl with her everlasting love of art, kids, and her community.
Světlušky, which translates as “Fireflies”, is a dance group that performs with live and some recorded music. Dressed in traditional Kroje designed by Donna and Gunther Merkle. Donna and Gunther started this group in Cedar Rapids, IA and they currently have 10 members. They perform at St. Wenc. Goulash Days, Houby Days, Old World Market, Linn County Fair and some assisted living locations. They always welcome donations to keep this group going. Svetlusky is always encouraging new members to join this growing group.!
2 p.m. World Premiere of Zabíječka Film (Subject matter may not be appropriate for all viewers. Discretion is advised.), Hemphill TheaterZabíjačka is a communal tradition in the Czech and Slovak tradition. It is where communities would come together in the cooler temperatures, and they would prepare a hog for slaughter. Nothing was ever wasted, and it was an important way to survive. Although this is not allowed in public anymore, several different dishes are prepared. Dr. Cecilia Rokusek will explain and review the importance of this important tradition from a documentary perspective. Parental guidance strongly suggested.
Pictures tell the story of the Cabbage Roll Challenge. Started at Houby days by Sykora Bakery. We will try to bring this back in to the Houby Day Festival of events thanks to the Rocarek Family.
Please join us for this fun event. Two people will challenge each other to roll a cabbage through obstacles with a broom. You will receive a Houby Day Collector Pin for participating in this event!
Photo is credited to Cindy Hadish
Sign up will be at the Volunteer stand on Sunday, and just before the event. Limited number of people can participate for each age group. $2.00 for 10 and younger, $5.00 for anyone older.
3 divisions for up to 6 participants in each division.
Please stop by the Information Booth for the registration forms!
This event will be hosted by the Health Hut. Winners receive a free DQ Bizzard
Koláče Demonstration by the Kolache Krew & Dr. Cecilia Rokusek the President of the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library.
Various musicians will perform on the Vintage Market Stage on Sunday,.from 12-3:30 PM
1-2:30 Kimberli Maloy: +1 319-270-0975
12-1 PM & 2:30-3:30 PM John Koozer Washington High School Student who is a talented guitar player, singer and writer will debut have his first debut performance at Houby Days. He will play his own songs, which have been influenced by the times. He will play a mix of original songs. His favorite influences: Dokken, Weezer, and Nirvana, will be intermixed in the selection of tunes. John will do acoustical versions of some songs he wrote with his band: The Electric Paper Clips. John loves to share his passion with everyone.
Others are welcome!
Browse the exhibits of the museum and library. There will be some craft demonstrations as well as Kolache demonstrations during the day. Come see all the unique gifts from the Czech Republic and Slovakia in our beautiful giftshop. Kolaches are for sale- we will have a lot of them!
Miss Czech-Slovak Iowa Pageant Application — Czech Heritage Foundation | Cedar Rapids, IA
If you are interested in learning about your heritage while traveling across the state of Iowa and earning scholarship money, this is the program for you.
Click on the links below to download the official rules, awards and entry form for the 2025 pageant:
Mid 1800's Czechs immigrated to Iowa. They came to Iowa to claim their own land and flee political/religious oppression by the Austrians. Most were farmers used to farming small tracts of land. They got here by ship, oxcart, covered wagon, and later train to settle in the Midwest. They began buying small tracts of land in this area to build homes. One of the first Churches for the Bohemian people was in Cedar Rapids also called St. Wenceslaus. As it grew and more settlers moved west they added another church called St. Ludmilla. Names of St. Ludmilla and Wenceslaus were revered among the Bohemians because they where historical figures that represented their self-governance.
They were brick layers, masons, tin smiths, laborers, and carpenters. Many helped build teh buildings in Cedar Rapids.
The Bohemians had large gardens and raised fowl for eggs and feathers. Geese especially were raised for down comforters. The Bohemians used geese feathers to dip into lard to brush the tops of Kolaches. (excerpt from: Our History) Painted villages of the Immigrant homelands are painted in the main worship area of the church.
In 2024, NCSML celebrated its 50th anniversary of fulfilling its mission to “engage the global community with unique Czech, Slovak, and American stories to inspire individuals with universal themes of culture, freedom, democracy, and immigration.”
One of the focal points of the celebration relates to the renovation of the NCSML clock tower that was built in 1995. The existing clock tower is now repaired and enhanced with the addition of an orloj clock. The NCSML Orloj is modeled after the famous Prague Orloj that is attached to the Old Town Hall in Prague. It is the oldest, still functioning astronomical clock in the world dating back to the 15th century AD.
The NCSML Buresh Immigration Tower is going to be a major tourist attraction for the entire historic and cultural district of Cedar Rapids. This unique destination is just one more way NCSML can share the universal themes of culture, freedom, democracy, and immigration to all who visit it.The Structure
This renovation includes the complex astronomical and clock mechanism called an astrolabe. All astrolabe parts that are in contact with the outside environment are made of stainless steel. The astrolabe graphics, such as numbers, lines, and symbols, are gilded with 24-karat gold. The renovation also includes 12 figurines (each almost 4 feet tall) on two carousels that awaken on the hour to mesmerize viewers who can watch them rotate to the music of Czech composers Bedrich Smetana and Antonin Dvorak. The twelve figurines express the stories of immigrants, with a farmer, a coal miner, a meatpacker, and other sculptures representing those who came to the United States from Czech, Slovak, Moravian, and other lands.
Mid 1800's Czechs immigrated to Iowa. They came to Iowa to claim their own land and flee political/religious oppression by the Austrians. Most were farmers used to farming small tracts of land. They got here by ship, oxcart, covered wagon, and later train to settle in the Midwest. They began buying small tracts of land in this area to build homes. One of the first Churches for the Bohemian people was in Cedar Rapids also called St. Wenceslaus. As it grew and more settlers moved west they added another church called St. Ludmilla. Names of St. Ludmilla and Wenceslaus were revered among the Bohemians because they where historical figures that represented their self-governance.
They were brick layers, masons, tin smiths, laborers, and carpenters. Many helped build teh buildings in Cedar Rapids.
The Bohemians had large gardens and raised fowl for eggs and feathers. Geese especially were raised for down comforters. The Bohemians used geese feathers to dip into lard to brush the tops of Kolaches. (excerpt from: Our History) Painted villages of the Immigrant homelands are painted in the main worship area of the church.
Lots of vendors: Food, antiques, baked goods including Kolaches, clothes, products, woodworkers, music and mushrooms!
Mid 1800's Czechs immigrated to Iowa. They came to Iowa to claim their own land and flee political/religious oppression by the Austrians. The Catholic Mass was celebrated at that time in Latin. We invite you to join us for a traditional Latin mass. Most were farmers used to farming small tracts of land. They got here by ship, oxcart, covered wagon, and later train to settle in the Midwest. They began buying small tracts of land in this area to build homes. One of the first Churches for the Bohemian people was in Cedar Rapids also called St. Wenceslaus. As it grew and more settlers moved west they added another church called St. Ludmilla. Names of St. Ludmilla and Wenceslaus were revered among the Bohemians because they where historical figures that represented their self-governance.
They were brick layers, masons, tin smiths, laborers, and carpenters. Many helped build teh buildings in Cedar Rapids.
The Bohemians had large gardens and raised fowl for eggs and feathers. Geese especially were raised for down comforters. The Bohemians used geese feathers to dip into lard to brush the tops of Kolaches. (excerpt from: Our History) Painted villages of the Immigrant homelands are painted in the main worship area of the church.
H & H Fun Rides is a company dedicated to delivering fun and unforgettable experiences to people of all ages. We specialize in providing a wide range of inflatable games, carnival games, mobile rock wall, and other attractions for events such as birthdays, school events, fairs, and corporate events Take on the Ultimate Rock-Climbing Challenge!
Calling all thrill-seekers! Get ready to test your skills and conquer our massive 24 ft rock-climbing wall. With three sides to choose from - easy, medium, or hard - you can tailor your ascent to match your preferred level of difficulty.
24’ giant inflatable slide is one of the most popular slides in our fleet! With a 16’ drop and a long and soft landing, this slide is absolutely awesome!
forty feet long of fun and challenging obstacles. It is pact with horizontal/vertical pop ups. At the end of the course is a wall climb followed by a steep slide. This is perfect for those sports fanatic's. .
Cedar County Cobras arrive with an upright bass, foot drum, and several guitars to play American Roots & Blues music from the last century. The music takes on an “old time” blues feel that would most likely be found in a juke-joint down a gravel road in rural Iowa. They have played hundreds of shows from the local winery to international festival stages. In 2023, the duo released their debut album "Homesick Blues" which has been charting worldwide and placed in the top acoustic blues records of 2023 and 2024. They are the current winners of the solo/duo category for the Iowa Blues Challenge and placed as semi-finalists at the 2025 International Blues Festival in Memphis.
Songwriter, Tom Spielbauer, is known for rich baritone vocals and slide guitar. He is behind the boot-stompin' blues sound produced by the duo and has over twenty years of playing blues and rock across Iowa and the Midwest. The authentic sound of his music comes from a career of pouring concrete and working construction. In 2005, Tom was diagnosed with advanced macular degeneration at a young age and declared legally blind. Following in the footsteps of blind blues musicians such as Blind Willie McTell & Alan Wilson, he eventually traded his concrete tools for a guitar and a foot drum to play the blues full time. In his solo career he was the winner of the Iowa Blues Challenge and placed as a semi-finalist at the 2023 International Blues Challenge in Memphis.
Also an Iowa native, his music partner April Dirks started playing mandolin with the Cedar County Cobras in 2014. Before working with Tom, she often performed as a bluegrass musician with a unique “gypsy” sound that she brought to any performance or music jam. Early in the project, April discovered she had a talent for playing the upright bass and the duo naturally gravitated to playing American Roots and Delta Blues Music. April now plays the doghouse bass that gives the duo the boot-stompin' boogie sound that makes the music really move.
Over time, the Cobras have played hundreds of shows across the Midwest and have performed in Italy. They bring a contagious energy to any live performance and cover different genres of music so that every member of the audience is sure to be satisfied. Audience members will find themselves tapping to the beat of the foot drum and upright bass or getting up to dance with the crowd. They have played over 700 shows at venues from the small-town dive bar to the large classic theatre or festival stage. Cobras have played the main stage at Codfish Hollow, the Iowa State Fair, the Iowa Arts Festival and have played the Englert Theatre opening up for big name acts such as Marty Stuart, and Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder. The band has also shared the stage and festival line-ups with notable acts such as Joe & Vicki Price, Bob Dorr, Avey Grouws Band, Kent Burnside, Matt Woods, Will Whitmore, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, Them Coulee Boys, Split Lip Rayfield, Legendary Shack Shakers, Ben Miller Band, Fruition, Old Salt Union, Blackberry Bushes, Mountain Sprout, Sam Bush, and even the amazing Travelin’ McCourys.
Musicians eat for free!
$20 buffet all you can eat!
Announcement from the Judges with Chalkfest will take place at 5:00 PM on the Hospoda Patio! Please join us!
Hwy 151 Band are from the Eastern Iowa area. We are a group of musicians who have played in numerous bands throughout the area including Stormwatch, Top Side, Westwinds, and The Naked Gypsies. Our three part harmonies are a highlight of our musical sound. Our instrumentations include acoustic bass guitar, guitar, mandolin, keyboard and percussion. We cover several decades of music; songs like "Groovin" by The Young Rascals, Van Morrison's "Moon Dance", "Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash, and the classic "At Last" by the great Etta James. We also play our originals like "Got to Be Kind" and "I've Got the Change" both written by Dan Hanlon, and "Back Home Again" written by Craig Campbell.
Hwy 151 Band is from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. We are Craig and Sheryl Campbell, and Dan Hanlon. We choose music that spans generations from Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" to Megan Trainers "I'm Gonna Love You". We play rock as well as country and styles in between. We are currently playing in the Eastern Iowa area, but are open to expanding our area.
2 p.m. World Premiere of Zabíječka Film (Subject matter may not be appropriate for all viewers. Discretion is advised.), Hemphill TheaterZabíjačka is a communal tradition in the Czech and Slovak tradition. It is where communities would come together in the cooler temperatures, and they would prepare a hog for slaughter. Nothing was ever wasted, and it was an important way to survive. Although this is not allowed in public anymore, several different dishes are prepared. Dr. Cecilia Rokusek will explain and review the importance of this important tradition from a documentary perspective. Parental guidance strongly suggested.
We are hosting the morel mushroom competition for Houby Days 2025. Bring us your SMALLEST, LARGEST, BEST DISPLAY, AND MOST UNUSUAL MORELS for a chance to win a prize per category!
Scholarships — Czech Heritage Foundation | Cedar Rapids, IA
Established in 1998, the Czech Heritage Foundation has given out over 85 scholarships to worthy applicants. CHF understands the importance and high costs of education for youth, and therefore created a program to assist students in paying for higher education who have Czech/Slovak ancestry. Scholarships are traditionally awarded during the CHF’s annual August picnic.
The award is available to applicants who have completed a minimum of one year as a full-time, post-secondary student; have accumulated at least 24 secondary credits after high school graduation; or are a graduate student. Upon receiving a scholarship, recipients are expected to participate in a function sponsored by the Czech Heritage Foundation. To download a full list of requirements for the scholarship, click here.
Interested in applying? Click here to fill out an application!
Koláče Demonstration by the Kolache Krew & Dr. Cecilia Rokusek the President of the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library.
Mid 1800's Czechs immigrated to Iowa. They came to Iowa to claim their own land and flee political/religious oppression by the Austrians. Most were farmers used to farming small tracts of land. They got here by ship, oxcart, covered wagon, and later train to settle in the Midwest. They began buying small tracts of land in this area to build homes. One of the first Churches for the Bohemian people was in Cedar Rapids also called St. Wenceslaus. As it grew and more settlers moved west they added another church called St. Ludmilla. Names of St. Ludmilla and Wenceslaus were revered among the Bohemians because they where historical figures that represented their self-governance.
They were brick layers, masons, tin smiths, laborers, and carpenters. Many helped build teh buildings in Cedar Rapids.
The Bohemians had large gardens and raised fowl for eggs and feathers. Geese especially were raised for down comforters. The Bohemians used geese feathers to dip into lard to brush the tops of Kolaches. (excerpt from: Our History) Painted villages of the Immigrant homelands are painted in the main worship area of the church.
Mix a cup of German, Czech & Slovenian style polkas and waltzes, a cup of country,
two steps, foxtrots and big band, a dash of latin and line dances, and party favorites
to taste. Once it’s to your liking, you’ve got a recipe for a band that’s really cookin’!
That’s what you get when you see a live performance featuring Barefoot Becky & the
Ivanhoe Dutchmen, a group based out of Mt Vernon, Iowa.
The band, featuring Becky Livermore on accordion and vocals, has been performing
throughout the United States since 1988. People remember the band best by two
things: Becky’s bare feet! She started playing barefoot simply because it was more
comfortable than playing with shoes on. People seemed to think it was pretty funny
and have really come to expect it. Now the ‘barefoot’ motif is on almost everything
they have, like their music stands, posters, and custom made mugs and towels. In
addition to performing in ballrooms throughout the US, Barefoot Becky & the Ivanhoe
Dutchmen perform in a wide range of venues including: house parties, nightclubs, in
tents, for town festivals, RV conventions, and parades. In 1996, they performed for the
Smithsonian Institution’s Festival of American Folklife in Washington, D.C.
They have thirteen recordings available, with the latest on CD entitled ‘Merry Christmas
From Our House to Yours.’ The group always has a supply of their recordings available at
their performances. It’s really easy to take a little piece of the band home with you,
but you’ll have to supply your own bare feet!
