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07/22/2003 Archived Entry: "WILSON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESENTS THE 43RD ANNUAL AFTER HARVEST CZECH FESTIVAL"

WILSON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESENTS THE 43RD ANNUAL AFTER HARVEST CZECH FESTIVAL

VITAME VAS! It's time to join the Czechs this weekend and have fun.

The events in Wilson will get fired up noon on Friday the 25th with the ferris wheel spinning on Avenue D and heads spinning in the beer garden. Dave Salmons will perform in the beer garden from 5:00 to 6:30.

There will be arts and crafts galore in the Lions Club Park. The Midland Hotel will be the site of the annual state meeting of Kansas Czechs, Inc. at 3:00 p.m. I'm sure the hotel will be a bevy of activity all day as people are anxious to see it now that it is finished and the showplace in central Kansas.

Evening events pick up about 6:00 p.m. with a polka party in the park, softball tournament, band concert, ice cream social and square dance. Later on you will find karaoke music at Al's Bar and Grill.

Saturday will be filled to the brim with more activities...an 8:00 a.m.softball tournament, the Czech walk or run, flea market and a contination of arts and crafts. There will be a legislative coffee with free kolaches at Al's Bar and Grill beginning at 8:00 a.m.

The city band starts playing at 9 a.m. to get everyone warmed up for the big parade at 10:00. Of course it never starts at 10:00 but it's fun to see them try to be on time. It's always a long, good parade with lots of candy for the kids, unless they really stop it this year. They always threaten to end it. I'll miss Ray Vopat who announced the parade for many years.

Meantime you can eat during the parade and plan where you're going to have serious food afterwards. You can pick from the Parish Hall where they will feature their full meal deal Czech-style buffet and country store or burgers and such at The Snack Shop, Opera House, and Knights of Columbus. The Senior Center is serving a breakfast buffet then brots at noon. The American Legion folk are serving but they aren't saying what. Al's Bar and Grill will offer off the menu and there is a full evening buffet by CYO. You can go to Sincerely Yours and pick up more kolaches, hoska and rolls to go if you think you'll run out.

I want to know who is serving homemade smoked sausage topped with kraut, chopped onions and mustard on buns. Shaw's always had that to offer in the beer garden. I hope someone doesn't let me down on that. It's a tradition. For me it is.

If you've made it this far, through the heat, the afternoon activities are just for you. There are lots of activities for the kids, more polka dancing, historic talks, Wilson olympics, a Czech food eating contest, open horseshoe tournament, the Czech queen pageant, and organ concert and MORE food.

In the evening there is a talent show at 7:00, Mass at the Catholic church, a teen dance in GB's parking lot, a dance in the Parish Center, more dancing at the Opera House...dancing all over town. At 10:00 there is a drawing for something or other.

Sunday morning is a poker run, another softball tournament and a dart tournament. Things wind down after that. Sigh!

This has to be an endurance contest for the people who do all the work to create this weekend for visitors. It takes a lot of planning all year for the events to coordinate the way they do. After so many years, the festival has taken on a life of its own, but it still needs a great deal of coordination to make it run smoothly. It's a great celebration in the wonderful, historic town of Wilson...one of my favorite communities in the state. Be there if you can. I'll see you there.

Nascheladanou ahoj !