Czech out TCHCC Heritage Fest & Muziky
LA GRANGE — The Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center in La Grange will host the 12th annual Heritage Fest & Muziky on Oct. 18 and 19. The festival will begin on Friday evening with TCHCC’s famous homemade chicken and dumplings served while it lasts in the Hanslik Banquet Hall at 5:30 p.m.
The KJT Octoberfest on the Deck will begin at 4:30 p.m., with music by the Dujka Brothers from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Bring your lawn chairs, but leave your coolers at home, please.
The big day kicks off on Saturday at 10 a.m. with an opening ceremony with the CHS Czech Royalty and area dignitaries at 10:30 a.m. The Ewald Kubota Hospoda will be filled with cold pivo and music by the Moravians Band of Ennis and the Praha Brothers Band of Temple starting at 11 a.m.
Enjoy hospitality and music in the Fraternal Mutual Pavilion, including a performance by The CzechMates Trio from noon to 3 p.m. with a Czech singalong. The Czech Fraternal Organizations will sponsor fun activities in that area all day. No admission for the grounds and events on Friday evening and Saturday during the day.
Enjoy more music at the Balcones Minerals Muziky, Muziky event starting at 7 p.m. in the Sanford Schmid Amphitheater. Always a popular part of the Heritage Fest, this year’s Legends Series is Part X, which will recreate the famous Baca Orchestras from Fayetteville. Join some of Texas’ most popular musicians as they take you on a trip through decades of music of that memorable Baca beat.
Admission to the amphitheater is only $15, and tickets can only be purchased at the gate. The H•E•B fireworks finale will be at 9:30 p.m. over the amphitheater, weather pending.
Everyone is invited to stroll the Czech Village, an early 1900s recreated village with residential houses, barns and stores. Demonstrations of early life for the immigrants will take place throughout the grounds all day. Children’s activities will be available along with many other activities for everyone to take part in.
The famous Kolace Eating Contest, Stein Holding Contest and Beer Tasting Contest are a few favorites. There will also be muledrawn wagon rides. An antique farm equipment show sponsored by the South Texas Wheel Spinners & Crank Twisters Club and a big antique/classic car show by H&H Automotive Supply—Schulenburg and La Grange NAPA will spread throughout the Czech Village.
The Janak Barn & Texas Czech Agricultural Museum displays farm practices and implements from the late 1800s to the 1940s. Vendors will have fresh, stoneground corn meal for cooking, pickles, jellies and jams, and more.
The Czech Village houses two music museums. The Czech Music Museum of Texas, located in the Kalich House, features four genres of Czech music – classical, folk, polka, and liturgical. The Polka Lover’s Club of Texas Museum, in the Hoelsher House & Huebner Center, features a display of Texas polka bands and memorabilia and photos of the Polka Lover’s Club of America, Texas Chapter.
